Elements of Hindu Iconography v2.c16.6

v2.c16.6

supreme deities in the Purāṇic period; and he is often found to claim superiority over Viṣṇu and Brahmā. In the Purāṇic period also Rudra retains his attributes as the destroyer and the terrific; he is described as “assuming the forms of the gods Viṣṇu and Brahmā, of men, of bhūtas and other beings, of beasts and of birds; he is the soul of the universe; and pervades through it; he dwells in the heart of all creatures and knows all their desires; he carries a discus, a trident, a club, an axe and a sword; he wears a girdle of serpents, ear-ornaments composed of serpents and an Yajñopavīta of serpents; he laughs, sings and dances in ecstacy, and plays on a number of musical instruments; he leaps, gapes and weeps and makes others weep; speaks like a mad man or a drunkard, as also in sweet voice...........He dallies with the daughters and wives of the ṛishis; he has erect hair, looks obscene in his nakedness and has an excited look.” “Rudra has braided hair and matted locks, frequents cemeteries and performs awful rites; he is now a mild yōgi and is also very terrible. He is said to possess in every age the nature of Nārāyaṇa, that is, his tāmasic nature.” Such descriptions form the basis of the several purāṇic legends regarding Śiva, as also of the various images of this deity. For instance, Śiva is represented as dancing in an ecstacy; he is then known by the name of Naṭarāja; as a naked figure engaged in begging for cooked rice, when he is called the Bhikṣāṭana-mūrthi; and so forth. We are therefore concerned immediately with the various aspects of Śiva described in the Purāṇas.