Elements of Hindu Iconography v2.c16.s6.23

v2.c16.s6.23

Nandikēśvara is an important adjunct to the family of Śiva. His history is given in detail under Nandikēśvara or Adhikāra-Nandi elsewhere in this volume. When Nandi's tenure of life on earth was coming to an end, he prayed intensely to Śiva to grant him a longer lease of life. Śiva appeared and granted him his prayer, as also the command over a portion of his gaṇas, and complete exemption from old age and pain. He then took the boy near him and threw round his neck the flower garland that was gracing his own. At once he became a duplicate of Śiva, with three eyes and ten arms. Śiva took a quantity of the water of the Ganges which he had tied in his jaṭā and sprinkled it upon Nandi. It began to flow as the river Jaṭōdaka. Śiva ordered his consort Pārvatī to treat Nandi thenceforth as her own son. She also smelled