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Elements of Hindu Iconography v2.c16.s2.t2: Chandraśēkharamūrti

Elements of Hindu Iconography v2.c16.s2.t2

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Chandraśēkharamūrti

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THE name Chandraśēkharamūrti implies an image which has Chandra (the moon) as its head-ornament. How Śiva came to possess snakes on his body, the black buck and the paraśu in his hands, the Apasmāra-purusha or the demon under his feet, to wear the skins of the lion and the tiger on his loins and the skull and the moon tucked up in his crown is described in the Suprabhēdāgama thus :—When Śiva was passing by the slopes of the mountain Mēru without any garments, the wives of the Ṛishis fell in love with him and lost their chastity. The Ṛishis, wild with rage, performed incantations to kill Śiva, the seducer of their wives; from their ceremonial ground there came snakes, a kṛishṇa-mṛiga, an Apasmāra-purusha, a paraśu, a bull, a tiger, a lion and several other things. For destroying Śiva all these were discharged by the Ṛishis against him. The latter took into his hands for his sports the black-deer, the snakes and the paraśu; the Apasmāra-purusha was trampled under his feet and is always serving him as a foot-stool; the lion and the tiger were killed by Śiva and their skins worn by him as his garments, while the skull and the digit of the moon were placed on his jaṭāmakuṭa as ornaments. The Suprabhēdāgama adds further that all figures of Śiva should have the following characteristics, namely, three eyes, four arms, the crescent moon, the dhurdhura flowers, (dātura), snakes on the crown (jaṭāmakuṭa), the tiger-skin garment, the hāra, the kēyūra, yajñōpavita and kuṇḍalas adorning his person. Special figures of Śiva may have other objects about them than those mentioned just now.

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In addition to these, other characteristic features of the images of Śiva are given in a manuscript added at the end of the Śilparatna whose name is not known. It is stated therein that the colour of the figure of Śiva, if it is painted on a wall, should be white or of the red colour of the sun or golden yellow. The image should possess high shoulders, long arms and eyes like the petals of the lotus; there should be three waist zones or kaṭisūtras. The appearance of the figure of Śiva should be that of a youth of sixteen years of age, with a

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blue throat, handsome countenance, and wearing kuṇḍalas in the ears; the neck should be somewhat stout. The figure may have four, eight, ten, sixteen or eighteen arms. The image is said to be a śāntamūrti or pacific in nature, when it has four arms:—in this case, of the four arms two should carry the triśūla, and the ḍamaru, while the remaining two should be kept in the varada and the abhaya poses. If the image has eight arms—(it is not mentioned in the text in what aspect Śiva should have eight arms)—it should carry all the objects which are in the hands of the image of Śiva with ten arms, except the khaḍga and the kheṭaka. The image of Śiva, when he is in the act of killing the Gajāsura, should have ten arms; when it has ten arms, the right hands should carry an akṣamālā, a sword, the śaktyāyudha, the daṇḍa and the śūla; whereas the left hands should carry the khaṭvāṅga, a snake, a skull, the kheṭaka and the deer. Śiva in the act of destroying the three-castle (Tripura-dahana) should possess sixteen arms. In this instance, the following six objects should be carried in addition to those mentioned in connection with the image of Śiva with ten arms; namely, the bāṇa, the chakra and the gadā in the right hands and the bow, a bell and the śaṅkha in the left hands. In the aspect of Bhairava, Śiva has eighteen arms; the additional hands hold the *ḍamaru* and the *śaṅkha* (?)*

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* महादेवं प्रवक्ष्यामि यथा लेख्यस्स भित्तिषु ।
शुक्लोऽर्करश्मिसङ्काशस्तप्सवर्णनिभोऽपि वा ॥
उन्नतांसो महाबाहुः कमलायतलोचनः ।
द्वीपिचर्मपरीधानवृत्तण्धो(?) रुमण्डलः ॥
केयूरहारसंपन्नः कटिसूत्रत्रयान्वितः ।
नवेन्दुकलिता(का?)कान्तनवजूटविराजितः ॥
भ्राजितः फालनेत्रेण नागाभरणभूषितः ।
अष्टवत्सरदेशीयो नीलकण्ठो मनोहरः ॥
कुण्डली पीनगण्डस्त्यादष्टभिर्बाहुभिर्युतः ।
दशभिर्बाहुभिर्वाथ भुजैषोडशभिः क्वचित् ॥
अष्टादशभुजं वापि चतुर्बाहुरथापि वा ।
ते शस्त्राणि प्रवक्ष्यामि भुजेषु च यथाक्रमम् ॥
अक्षमालामासिं शक्तिं दण्डं शूलं च दक्षिणे ।
खट्वाङ्गं भुजं चैव कपालं खेटकं तथा ॥
परुणं (हरिणं ?) च तथा हस्ते वामभागे निवेशयेत् ।
गजासुरवधेनाढ्ये बाहुभिर्दशभिर्युतः ॥
पुरत्रयस्य दहने भुजैषोडशभिर्युतः ।
बाणं चक्रं गदां चैव दक्षिणेऽभ्यधिकं भवेत् ॥
धनुश्चैव तथा घण्टा शङ्खं वामेऽधिकं भवेत् ।
दशपूर्वा भुजाः प्रोक्ता षोडशैवं निरूपिताः ॥
स्व(?)श्च भैरवाकारे बाहवोऽष्टादश स्मृताः ।
डमरुं च तथा शङ्खमधिकं तु प्रकल्पयेत् ॥
त्रिशूलं डमरुं चैव वरदं चाक्षमालिकाम् ।
चतुर्बाहोर्महेशस्य शान्तमूर्तेस्समालिखेत् ॥

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The Pūrva-Kāraṇāgama states that the figures of Śiva in the Bhikshāṭana, the Kaṅkāla, the Haryarddha, the Arddhanārīśvara, the Sukhāsana, the Kāmāntaka and the Dakshiṇāmūrti aspects should not have near them the figure of the Dēvī; while in all other aspects the Dēvī should be found near Śiva. The height of the figure of the Dēvī, in company with that of her consort Śiva, should be up to the ear of Śiva, if the figure of the Dēvī is of the uttama class; up to his mouth, if of the madhyama class, and up to his uplifted hand, if of the adhama class.

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The colour, according to the Kāraṇāgama, of the Nṛittamūrti, of the Kaṅkālamūrti and of the Dakshiṇāmūrti is to be white; while that of all other aspects of Śiva, coral red.

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The image of Chandraśēkharamūrti is divided into three classes, namely, the Kēvalamūrti, the Umāsahitamūrti and the Āliṅganamūrti. All these three classes are usually found in the temples of Southern India and their descriptions are contained in all Āgamas. For instance, the Amśumadbhēdāgama says that the Kēvalamūrti should have one of his right hands

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Kevala-murti

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अन्यस्य दशहस्तस्य भवेयुर्हस्तयः क्रमात् अष्टबाहोर्महेशस्य न स्यातां खड्गखेटकौ ॥ (शिल्परत्नसंयोजिते कस्मिंश्चिद् ग्रन्थे)

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held in the *abhaya* pose, one of his left hands in the *varada* pose, the other right hand should carry the *ṭaṅka* and the remaining left hand a black buck; Śiva should be standing erect, without any bends in his body, that is, in the attitude known as *samabhaṅga*. He should be shown as wearing on his head a *jaṭāmakuṭa* ornamented with a crescent moon; also, he should have three eyes, a beautiful face, and be adorned with all ornaments; he should be clad in yellow garments (*pītāmbara*), the ends of which should descend as far below as the knees, while the bigger folds should pass between the two legs. If the hand held in the *varada* pose happens to be completely stretched out as in fig 5, Pl. V. of Vol. I, it should be kept so as to make the wrist reach the height of the hip, while the tips of the fingers should reach the *mēḍhramūla-sūtra*. If the hand has its fingers slightly bent, as in fig. 4, on the same plate, the back of the hand should be raised as far as the *nābhi-sūtra*. The *samabhaṅga* attitude is expressive of the *rājasa-guṇa* of the image. The deer and the *ṭaṅka* should be held in the hands kept in the *kartari-hasta* pose; and the deer may be facing the figure of Śiva or be away from it. The crescent of the moon may be attached to the right or the left of the *jaṭāmakuṭa*. The colour of the figure of Śiva should be red.

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CHANDRAŚĒKARAMŪRTI.

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To the above description, the *Uttara-kāmikāgama* adds, that the right front hand may be held in the *siṁhakarṇa*, *kaṭakahasta* or the *kaṭyavalambitahasta* pose. The two back hands which are held in the *kartari-hasta* pose should not go higher than the *hikkā-sūtra*, that is, above the shoulders and the tops of the *ṭaṅka* and the *mṛga*, higher than the *karṇa-sūtra* or the ear. While the deer might face the figure of Śiva or be away from it, the head of the *ṭaṅka* should always be turned away from it. In the left ear of the image of Śiva-Chandraśēkhara there should be either the ear-ornament named the *ratna-kuṇḍala*, the *śaṅkha-patra* or the *padma-patra*; whereas in the right ear there may be either the ornament named the *makara-kuṇḍala* the *siṁha-kuṇḍala*, or the *patra-kuṇḍala*. The curls of hair should hang at the back as far down as the ear, while the *jaṭās* or the braids or plaits of hair should hang on the right and left of the image as far as the shoulders. The figure of Chandraśēkhara should be ornamented with several pearl necklaces (*muktāhāra*) and jewelled necklaces (*ratnahāras*), with well designed medallions (*padakas*) attached to them; and there should also be *yajñōpavīta* and the *chhannavīra* and *udarabandhana*. Besides, there should be *kēyūras* and other bracelets (*kaṭakas*) on the arms; and the fingers should be adorned with rings and the waist with a zone, and the ankles with anklets. The figure of Chandraśēkhara should be standing upon a *padma-pīṭha*.

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The second variety of Chandraśēkharamūrti is, as we have mentioned above, known as the Umāsahitamūrti. If the image of Chandraśēkhara has that of the Dēvī by his side, either on the same pedestal (*pīṭha*) or a different one, it is said to be Umā-sahitamūrti, or Chandraśēkhara with Umā.

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The third variety of Chandraśēkharamūrti is known as the Aliṅgana-mūrti. In this aspect, Chandraśēkhara is to be represented as embracing the Dēvī with one of his left arms: this arm might rest upon the left side of the Dēvī just below her breast, or it may be placed upon the left arm of the Dēvī, outside the *pārśva-sūtra*; the Dēvī should keep in her right hand a red lotus flower. Or, the right hand of the Dēvī may embrace Śiva, in which case the hand of the Dēvī should rest on the right side of Śiva a little above the waist zone; and the left hand of the Dēvī should carry a flower. Or, the two figures of Śiva and Umā may be embracing each other, the one with the left and the other with

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PLATE I. FACSIMILE OF THE CHARTER OF THE WEAVERS OF OXFORD.

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Fig. 1. Kēvala-Chandraśēkharamūrti: Bronze: Tiruppālatturai (Tanjore Dt.)

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Fig. 2. Umāsahita-Chandraśēkharamūrti: Bronze: Agaram-Śettūr.

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the right hand. Thus there are three modes in which the figure of Āliṅgana Chandraśēkhara may be sculptured.

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In all the above instances Chandraśēkhara-mūrti whether in company with his consort or not, should have around him the *prabhā-maṇḍala*. It must also be noted that this image of Siva should always be a standing one.

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The *Śritatva-nidhi* adds that the colour of Śiva in this instance should be that of coral, while the colour of Dēvī, black. The Dēvī is here said to possess three eyes and is required to be standing with three bends in her body (*tribhaṅga*); her right leg should be planted firmly on the pedestal and the left leg, slightly bent. She should carry in her right hand the *nīlōtpala* flower.

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In illustration of the descriptions given above ten photographs are given. The first comes from Tiruppālatturai in the Tanjore district. The artist who produced this image of the Kēvala Chandra-śēkharamūrti has followed in every detail the descriptions of the *Āgamas*; the image is standing perfectly erect on a *padma-pīṭha*; its *varada-hasta* and the *abhaya-hasta* as also those carrying the *paraśu* and *mṛiga* are placed in the exact positions required by the *Āgamas*. In fact, the sculptor is seen to exhibit in this piece of work such scrupulous care to be true to the descriptions of Āgamas that he has subordinated his artistic instinct, if he had it in any degree, and the result is not quite pleasant. The long jaṭā-makuṭa and the unhappy looking countenance of Śiva together with its ill-shaped legs, stamp the work as being really of an inferior kind. The second photograph, Pl. XVI, is that of a figure of Kēvala Chandra-śēkharamūrti carved in wood. It is found in the Bhagavatī temple at Ōṇakkūr in North Travancore. The figure is about four feet in height. It holds the paraśu and the mṛiga in the back right and left hands respectively, while the front right and left hands are in the varada and the abhaya poses respectively. The ornaments and the drapery of the image are carved out very elaborately. This image is one of the best specimens of wood-carving of the medieval period found in Travancore. The third photograph, Pl. XVII, is of the Umāsahita-Chandraśēkharamūrti belonging to the Śiva temple at Tiruvorriyūr near Madras. The rules of the Āgamas are very carefully carried out but not so as to mar the beauty of the image; the execution of the work is excellent. The head of the paraśu, it will be observed, is turned away from the figure of Śiva and the deer has its face turned towards Śiva. The height of Umā comes up to the shoulders of

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Kēvala-Chandrasēkharamūrti. Wood: Ōṇakkūr (Travancore State).

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Umāsahita-Chandraśēkharamūrti. Bronze: Tiruvorriyūr.

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Fig. 1. Umā-sahita-Chandraśēkharamūrti. Bronze : Madeour.

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Fig. 2. Ālingana-Chandraśēkharamūrti. Stone : Māyavaram.

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Śiva and the Dēvi is therefore of the *adhama* class. Both the Dēva and the Dēvi are standing upon *padmāsanas* as required by the Sanskrit texts. The fourth is a photograph of the Umā-sahita-mūrti to be found in the Śiva temple at Agaram Śēttūr (See fig. 2, Pl. XV). In this case, the figures of Śiva and Umā are standing each on a separate pedestal and are each surrounded by a *prabhāmaṇḍala* of elaborate workmanship. The Dēvi has three bends in her body and keeps in her right hand a *nīlōtpala* flower. The figure of Śiva is almost similar to the one first described; the left hand, instead of being held in the *varada* pose, is held in the *siṃhakarṇa* pose. The artistic merit of this group of images is also far from excellent. Fig. 1, Pl. XVIII is the photograph of the Umā-sahita-mūrti of the temple at Madeour. This is a fine piece of sculpture correctly conceived and very neatly executed. In this group Śiva and Umā stand on two *padmapīṭhas* which are fixed on a *bhadrapīṭha* and are both surrounded by a single *prabhāmaṇḍala*.

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The next photograph, fig. 2, Pl. XVIII, represents the Āliṅgana-Chandraśēkhara to be found in the Mayūranāthasvāmin temple at Māyavaram. Śiva, in this piece of sculpture, carries in his two back hands the *paraśu* and the *mṛiga*, while he keeps the front right hand in the *abhaya* pose. The front left hand is carried behind the Dēvī and is resting on her body below her breast. The Dēvī carries in her right hand a flower. The figures of Śiva and Umā are both shown with three bends in their bodies (*tribhaṅga*). This excellent piece of sculpture belongs to the Chōḷa period (of approximately 10th or 11th Cent. A.D.) In the image of Paṭṭīśvaram reproduced as fig. 1, Pl. XIX, which resembles closely the Kēvalamūrti of Tiruppālatturai (fig. 1, Pl. XV), and which appears to be the handiwork of the same sculptor, has its left arm taken near the waist of the Dēvī; whereas in the sculptures of Marudāntanallur and Kōvilūr, figs. 2 and 3 respectively of Pl. XIX, the left hand of Śiva rests upon the left shoulder of the Dēvī—that is, about the *pārśva-sūtra* of the figure of Dēvī. The original of the photograph of the Āliṅgana Chandraśēkharamūrti reproduced on Pl. XX, belongs to the Chālukya-Hoysaḷa school and comes from Āṅgūr in the Bellary District and is an extremely beautiful piece of art. The image of Śiva carries an *akshamālā*, a *triśūla* and a *ḍamaru* in three of its hands and the fourth is thrown over the shoulder of the Dēvī; the figure of Dēvī has its right arm placed on the right shoulder of Śiva and carries in its left hand a lotus flower. On the right and the left, near the feet of Śiva and Umā

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Fig. 1. Āliṅgana-Candraśēkharamūrti. Bronze : Paṭṭīśvaram.

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Fig. 2. Āliṅgana-Candraśēkharamūrti. Bronze : Marudāntanallūr.

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Fig. 3. Āliṅgana-Candraśēkharamūrti. Bronze : Kōvilūr.

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Āliṅgana-Chandraśēkhara-mūrti : Stone : Āṅgūr : Bellary District.

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respectively are seated their two sons, Gaṇapati on the floor and Subrahmaṇya on his peacock. The highest praise is due to the artist for the excellent pose in which he has sculptured the two images, the well-proportioned features of the male and female figures, and the splendid effect they produce on the observer.

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Closely allied to the Chandraśēkharamūrti are the Pāśupatamūrti and a slightly different aspect of it, the Raudrapāśupatamūrti. The Pāśupatamūrti should also be standing erect (*samabhaṅga*) as in the case of the Chandraśēkharamūrti, should have three eyes, four arms and hair standing on the head upright on all sides, and a large well-proportioned body. One of the right hands should be held in the *abhaya* pose, while the other, should carry a *śūla*. One of the left hands should be kept in the *varada* pose and the remaining hand should carry an *aksha-mālā*. The figure must be decorated with all ornaments; and it must have a good look with a gentle smile playing upon its lips. The *Aṁśumadbhēdāgama* states that the image of Pāśupata-mūrti may be either standing or sitting, whereas the *Śilparatna*, wants it to be a standing figure and substitutes the *kapāla* in the place of *akshamālā* in the above description. According to the *Aṁśumadbhēdāgama*, the Pāśupatamūrti is to be used for the daily services (*nityōtsavas* in temples).

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If, in the above description of the Pāśupatamūrti, the following alterations are made, it becomes the Raudrapāśupatamūrti: The colour of the body as also the eyes of the Raudrapāśupatamūrti is to be fiery red, the image of this aspect of Śiva should have sharp tusks, curling eye-brows, *yajñōpavīta* made of snakes, flaming head and red garments; in one of its hands there should be *triśūla* held head downwards, and another hand should carry a *kapāla*. Or, in the front hands must be held the *triśūla* in a horizontal position and the other two hands should hold the *ṭaṅka* and the sword. Meditating upon this aspect of Śiva even once, destroys all enemies, but this aspect should not be worshipped in actual images, but in certain symbols such as a *pīṭha*.

Cites (6)