The Development of Hindu Iconography c13.65.2

c13.65.2

The Vedic section of the Indians had even not given up their efforts for the inclusion of Prajāpati-Brahmā, the Vedic-Brāhmaṇic god par excellence, as one of the sectarian divinities, though we know they were fighting for a losing cause; eighth century sculptures in illustration of the mythology of Śiva's curse on Brahmā for his immorality (falsehood—cf. the Ellora Liṅgodbhavamūrti of Śiva) show that Brahmā had no chance against his powerful and virile rivals like Śiva and Viṣṇu. There can be no doubt about the existence of feelings of jealousy and rivalry among these sectaries, though, as we have shown in the first chapter, this ill-feeling and bitterness might not have been as keen and destructive as in the countries of Europe, long after this period; still the feelings of rivalry were there and helped to create new iconic forms for the edification of and worship by the individual sectaries. I have already drawn attention to the particular type of the Saiva image known as Śarabha which was a direct counterpart of the Vaiṣṇava one, Narasimha, itself pre-eminently sectarian in character. Our attention to this particular type was first drawn by T. A. G. Rao who also emphasised the nature of the Trimūrti icons of southern India in which Vāsudeva-Viṣṇu is the central figure with Brahmā and Śiva half-issuing from his either side with their hands in the *añjali* pose.