Elements of Hindu Iconography v3.c18.28.2

v3.c18.28.2

The images of Sūrya illustrated by them wear a curiously shaped *kirīṭa-makuṭa* with a flat top, and have the characteristic round face associated with North Indian sculptures. Their hands are placed at the level of the hip and a lotus with a long stalk is held in each of them, the flower itself being at the level of the shoulders. In figs. 1 and 2, the goddesses Rājñī and Nikshubhā are seen on the extreme right and left of Sūrya, while nearer him on either side are Daṇḍa and Piṅgala. In fig. 1, the Aśvinī-dēvatās with horse-faces are shown seated in small niches specially provided for them, whereas in fig. 2, the figures of Ushā and Pratyushā are seen as if engaged in chasing darkness with their bows and arrows. Below these are seen the somewhat damaged figures of the goddesses Rājñī and Nikshubhā; and immediately below the feet of Sūrya are worked out the seven horses of the Sun-god's chariot. The images of Sūrya in figs. 1 and 2 on this plate have a broad belt round their waist which is perhaps the *avyaṅga* or *ahyaṅga* mentioned in the *Bhavishyat-purāṇa*. Fig. 3 contains the central image of Sūrya and surrounding it are the images of Daṇḍa and Piṅgala and the horse-faced Aśvini-dēvatās, as also Ushā and Pratyushā: the latter are as usual chasing away darkness with their bows and arrows, and are sculptured near the kāntimaṇḍala of Sūrya. The body of Sūrya is shown as covered with a thin fabric through which the body of Sūrya is clearly visible.