Elements of Hindu Iconography v4.c26.13

v4.c26.13

Besides the *parivāra-dēvatās* mentioned above, the temple of Subrahmaṇya is required to have eight *śarīra-pālakās* or body-guards. They are named Shaṇmukha, Śaktipāṇi, Kārttikēya, Guha, Skanda, Mayūravāhana, Sēnāni and Śaktihastavān. They are also, like the *parivāra-dēvatās*, required to be represented with four or two arms; if they have four arms, two hands out of the four should be held on the chest in the *añjali* pose and the remaining two are to keep in them the *vajra* and the *padma*. The *śarīra-pālakās* may have one or six faces and must be located on the eight cardinal points beginning from the east as in the case of the *parivāra-dēvatās*, but perhaps in a second *āvaraṇa*. If they cannot be represented regularly by sculptured figures, at least *pīṭhas* representing them must be set up, with a peacock or an elephant kept in front of them.