Elements of Hindu Iconography v3.c18.8

v3.c18.8

In the description given above, Mr. Nāgendranāth Vāsu treats the word *Rājñī* as meaning a queen. It however appears to be the name of the goddess associated with Sūrya. Again, he takes Daṇḍa to mean Yama; from the description found in the *Bhaviṣyat-purāṇa* it appears to be probable that Daṇḍa is evidently a contraction of Daṇḍanāyaka, the In the *Bhavishyat-purāṇa* it is stated that Sūrya began to burn the *asuras* with his heat; the latter thereupon attacked Sūrya. The gods then felt bound to help Sūrya; and with this object in view they placed Skanda on the left of Sūrya and Agni on the right. Since Skanda is the punisher of the wicked in the universe, he is called Daṇḍanāyaka; and from his reddish yellow colour Agni, the god of fire, obtains the name Piṅgala. The same authority also gives the names of the attendants of Sūrya as Rājña and Srōsha and identifies these with Skanda and Śiva respectively. The names are also derived and explained therein. ‘Because Kārtikēya shines always as the commander of the army of the celestials, he is known by the name of Rājña.” Such is the explanation of the name Rājña, which is here evidently conceived to be derived from the root *raj* meaning to shine. The explanation of the name Srōsha is—‘The root *sru* is known to be employed to denote movement, and to this the suffix *sa* is added. Because he