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Elements of Hindu Iconography v4.c25.s2: (ii) Pañchabrahmās or Īśanādayah

Elements of Hindu Iconography v4.c25.s2

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(ii) Pañchabrahmās or Īśanādayah

v4.c25.s2.1

The five aspects of Śiva known collectively as the Pañchabrahmās and whose individual names are Īśāna, Tatpurusha, Aghōra, Vāmadēva and Sadyōjāta are, as we have already said, emanations from the nishkala-Śiva (the formless, unmanifested Parabrahma of the Vēdāntins and Vāsudeva of the same state of existence according to the Vaishṇavāgamas).

v4.c25.s2.2

The Pādmapurāṇa also states that Rudra when he cried to Brahmā to give him (Rudra) names, the latter conferred upon him the eight names Bhava, Śarva, Īśāna, Śiva, Paśupati, Bhīma, Ugra and Mahādēva. These eight aspects of Rudra became the presiding deities over the sun, the water, the fire, the earth, the air, the ether (ākāśa), the brāhmaṇas who had performed sacrifices and the moon respectively. The names of the consorts corresponding to these eight aspects of Śiva are Suvarchalā, Ushā, Vikēśī, Śivā, Svāhā, Diśā, Dikshā and Rōhiṇi and those of their sons, Sanaiśchara, Śukra, Lōhitāṅga (Mars), Manōjava, Sarga, Śunda, Santāna and Budha.

v4.c25.s2.3

The figures representing these five aspects are described in the Āgamas, the Vishṇudharmōttara and the Rūpamaṇḍana. The descriptions of these according to the Āgamas have already been given in the summary of the Śaiva philosophy added at the beginning of this chapter.

v4.c25.s2.4

The *Viṣṇudharmōttara* states that these aspects should have each five faces and ten arms : it omits describing one aspect, which is perhaps the Īśāna considered to be above all the other four. The colours of Tatpuruṣa, Aghōra, Vāmadēva and Sadyōjāta, according to this authority should be white, yellow, black and red respectively and they may also be considered to belong to the four *varṇas* (castes) namely, the Brāhmaṇa, the Kṣatriya, the Vaiśya and the Śūdra. They should keep in their hands the khaḍga, khēṭaka, dhanus, bāṇa, kamaṇḍalu, akṣamālā, varada, abhaya, śūla and padma.

v4.c25.s2.5

Īśāna, according to the *Rūpamaṇḍana*, should have the colour as pure as that of the crystal; his head should be adorned with a jaṭāmakuṭa ornamented with the crescent moon and his hands should have the akṣamālā, triśūla, kapāla and abhaya. The colour of the garment and the yajñōpavīta of Tatpuruṣa is to be yellow and in his left hand there is to be a mātuḷuṅga fruit and in the right one an akṣamālā. The face of Aghōra should be of terrific look, set with three yellow coloured eyes and the mouth having side tusks; on the head there should be a garland of human skulls and a snake, and snake ornaments everywhere; two snakes serving as the ear-rings, two others as *kēyūras*, one as *hāra*, one as *yajñōpavīta*, one as *kaṭisūtra* (the waist-zone), the snakes Taksha and Pushṭika as anklets, and so on; there should also be a garland composed of scorpions (*vṛiśchika*). The colour of the body of Aghōra should be blue like the *nīlōtpala*, and that of the *jaṭās*, yellow, and these should be adorned with the crescent moon. The general look of this aspect of Śiva should resemble that of Kāla (the god of death) and appear as though terrifying a host of enemies. The left hands should bear in them the *khaṭvāṅga* the *kapāla*, the *khēṭaka* and the *pāśa* while the right ones, the *triśūla*, the *paraśu*, the *khaḍga* and the *daṇḍa*. The colour of the body, the eyes, garments, the head-gear, the *yajñōpavīta*, the garland, the sandal-paste and ear-ornament of Vāmadēva should be red. As usual, the crescent moon should be adorning the *jaṭāmakuta* of this deity also. He should have three eyes and a prominent nose, be decorated with all ornaments and carry in his hands the *khaḍga* and the *khēṭaka*. The colour of the body, garland, sandal-paste and the garments of Sadyōjāta should be white. His head should be adorned with a *jaṭamakuṭa*, ornamented with the crescent moon. He should have a good-looking face expressive of joy, three eyes and two arms: the two hands should be held in the varada and the abhaya poses.

v4.c25.s2.6

The *Śritatvanidhi* gives somewhat different descriptions of the Pañchabrahmās. For Īśāna there should be, according to this work, five faces, and four for each of the rest; each of these faces should have three eyes; the colour of Īśāna, Tatpurusha, Aghōra, Vāmadēva and Sadyōjāta, are respectively white, golden-yellow, blue, red and white. They ought to face the top, east, south, north and west respectively. Īśāna should have in his hands abhaya, varada (?) (iṣṭa in the original), aṅkuśa, pāśa, ṭaṅka, kapāla, ḍhakka (a musical instrument), akṣamālā and śūla. In two out of the four hands of Tatpurusha there should be kuṭhāra (a sort of axe) and vidyā (jñāna-mudrā or a book) and the remaining two should be held in the abhaya and the varada poses; whereas there should be the paraśu, vēda (a book ?), aṅkuśa, pāśa śūla, kapāla, ḍhakka and akṣamālā in the hands of Aghōra. Two of Vāmadēva’s hands should be held in the varada and the abhaya poses and the two remaining ones should hold in them the akṣamālā and the ṭaṅka; while similarly two of those of Sadyōjāta are to be held in the varada and abhaya poses and the two remaining ones keep the *vēdas* and the *akshamālā*. But Sadyōjāta is distinctly required to be sculptured so as to appear of greater importance than the rest.

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