Elements of Hindu Iconography v4.c25.s3.3

v4.c25.s3.3

Four photographs are reproduced in illustration of the Mahēśa aspect of Śiva: the first, Pl. CXVI, is a beautiful figure of stone lying in a field opposite a ruined Śiva temple at Mēlchēri near Kāvēripākkam in the N. Arcot District. It has suffered damage at the hands of the Mussalmans during the troublous days of the contest for the succession to the Nabobship of the Karnatic. It has, as required, four faces, three of which are visible in the photograph. On the crown of the left face could be distinctly seen a big human skull and just below it is the hood of a cobra, whereas the middle head has a beautifully tied up *jāṭāmakuṭa* ornamented with jewelled discs, flower garlands and the inevitable crescent moon; at the base of this *makuṭa* may be noticed a row of five or six spherical objects which appear to be the skulls composing a garland. The third eye is very clearly marked on the forehead of the central face. There are as usual hāras, udarabandha and yajñōpavīta. Close to the neck is also a hāra composed of a snake. In the unbroken right hand is visible the ḍamaru; one other hand seems to have held a long sword whose upper part is visible on the crown, near the human skull; this latter itself appears to be the head of the khaṭvāṅga held by the image in one of its right hands; for, it might be noticed that there is a base attached to the skull; and this base is the capital of the handle of the khaṭvāṅga. (See fig. 10, Pl. II, Vol. I.) Perhaps one hand was held in the abhaya pose; it is impossible to say what the remaining two other hands might have held: in the unbroken left hands are to be seen the pāśa, the kheṭaka, a kapāla and something which resembles a fruit. One of the left hands should also have carried a long handled object—perhaps a triśūla or paraśu (?). There are also two legs as described in our authority. The image is seated in a comparatively rare posture. The right and the left faces are pacific, while the middle face is terrific. Its circular eyes, surmounted with a pair of knitted eye-brows, its wide mouth having side tusks—all these indicate, according to the rules of the āgamas, the terrific (ugra) aspect, which, in this instance, is that of the Aghōra face of the Mahēśa. This fine piece of sculpture belongs to the later Pallava period, perhaps to the reign of Nandivarman, son of Dantivarman (about A. D. eighth century).