South Indian Bronzes: A Historical Survey of South Indian Sculpture with Iconographical Notes Based on Original Sources c10.131

c10.131

The left arm in this example holds a foliage not suggested in the verse which is not clear in this particular passage. The Siva in his aspect of the Bhikksanatesa sometimes carries a foliage. The temple in which this image was found is one of the oldest temples associated with the Chola Kings. It was here that Rama on his return from Ceylon after killing Ravana is said to have worshipped Siva to expatiate himself from the sin of killing Ravana. The bronze image is certainly much older than the examples from the Colombo and the Guimet Museums but it is not possible to attribute any accurate date to it. The eight-handed Natarāja is comparatively rare.