Elements of Hindu Iconography v1.c9.65

v1.c9.65

The stone-figure of Lakshmi-Gaṇapati, the photograph whereof is given on Pl. XI as fig. 1, is found in the Viśvanāthasvāmin temple at Teṇkāśi, which is known to have been built by a Pāṇḍya king named Arikēsari Parākrama Pāṇḍyadēva in 1446 A. D. The image is therefore likely to have been set up about this period. The workmanship of this piece of sculpture is far from satisfactory; no heed is paid to what may be mentioned as the natural proportion of the parts of the image, as may be seen from the unsuitable size given to the trunk, the head, the belly and the hands and legs. Some out of the ten hands of this image carry the *chakra*, *śaṅkha*, *śūla*, *paraśu*, *danta*, and *paśa*; and articles which are carried in the other hands it is not easy to make out. There is a water-vessel shown as being carried in the proboscis of this Gaṇapati.