Elements of Hindu Iconography v4.c29: Bhaktas

Elements of Hindu Iconography v4.c29

Language: English

v4.c29.s1 I. Śaiva Saints — 13 parts
v4.c29.s2 Ālvārs or Śrīvaishṇava Saints — 9 parts

Bhaktas

v4.c29.1

BHAKTAS or devotees whose images are also enjoined to be set up for worship in temples may belong to the Brāhmaṇa, Kshatriya, Vaiśya or the Śūdra caste; or of mixed castes; males or females; they may be āchāryas or crowned monarchs; living or dead. All that is wanted to apotheosise them is that they should be bhaktas or acknowledged devotees. Such devotees should be worshipped in images. These images may be set up either in separate temples (*svayam-pradhāna*) or in the temples of some deity whose devotee the bhakta happens to be, as a dependent on that deity (*an anga*). As instances of the former may be pointed out the temple of Kaṇṇappa Nāyānār, the hunter saint, on the hill at Kāḷahasti; and of Kulaśēkhara Āḷvār at Mannārkōyil near Ambāsamudram. The attendant or *anga* class of images are found in all important temples of S. India. The well-known sixty-three (*Aruvattu-mūvar*) Śaiva saints and the twelve Āḷvārs or Vaishṇava saints of Drāviḍa are seen invariably in Śaiva and Vaishṇava temples in S. India.

v4.c29.2

A *svayam-pradhāna* or independent temple of a bhakta may be constructed on the top of a hill, on the bank of a river, in *vanas* (gardens) and in *grāmas* (towns). The *aṅga* or dependent class of bhaktas are required by the *āgamas* to be set up near the place where flower-garlands for the use of the temple are made. The first class of images may have *parivāras* or attendants, while the latter should not possess any for the obvious reason, namely, that they are themselves depending upon others.

v4.c29.3

Bhaktas may be represented by anthropomorphic figures, or, in the case of Śaiva bhaktas, as Śivaliṅgas, or occasionally also in the form of Śiva himself. But in the case of Vaiṣṇava bhaktas they are generally represented as actual human beings just as they appeared when they were living. The images may be made of stone, clay, metal, wood or gems. They may be carved in half relief or in the round (*ardha-chitra* or *chitrābhāsa*). They should be sculptured according to the *aṣṭa-tāla* measure, either as standing or as seated on a *padmāsana* or a *siṁhāsana*. They may be sculptured with or without a tuft of hair on their head; if they are shown with a tuft it should be neatly done up in a knot on the top of the head;

v4.c29.5

Kāḍavarkōṇ. Śirālaṇ. Śiruttoṇḍar. Queen of Kāḍavarkōṇ. A few of the Śaiva Saints : Bronze : Tiruchcheṅgāṭṭaṅguḍi.

v4.c29.6

if they are not to possess a tuft of hair, their head should be shown as clean shaven. If the devotee is a crowned monarch or a ruling chief he should be sculptured with a kirīṭa or karaṇḍa-makuṭa on his head. The bhaktas may be made to carry in their hands any object which is generally associated with them or they may have their hands held in the añjali pose, or the attitude of worship. They may be sculptured as singing, dancing or doing pūjā. They should be adorned with all ornaments and if the bhakta is a female, she should be decked with such ornaments as are appropriate to her sex.

v4.c29.7

The following are the lists of the Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava saints of S. India :—

I. Śaiva Saints

v4.c29.s1.1

| No. | Name. | Caste. | Occupation. | Place of birth. |
| 1 | Tirujñānasambandha. | Brāhmaṇa. | Temple priest. | Shiyāli (Tanjore). |
| 2 | Tillai Brāhmaṇas ... | Do. | Do. | Chidambaram. |
| 3 | Kalaya-nāyaṉār ... | Do. | Do. | Tirukkaḍavūr. |
| 4 | Muruga-nāyaṉār ... | Do. | | Tiruppugalūr. |
| 5 | Rudra-Paśupati ... | Do. | | Talaiyūr. |
| 6 | Siṟappuliyār ... | Do. | | |
| 7 | Gaṇanāthar ... | Do. | | |
| 8 | Pūśalār ... | Do. | | Śēyñalur. |
| 9 | Caṇḍēśar ... | Do. | | |
| 10 | Sōmāśimāraṉār ... | Do. | | |
| 11 | Naminandiyār ... | Do. | | Ēmappērūr. |

v4.c29.s1.2

| No. | Name. | Caste. | Occupation. | Native place. |
| 12 | Appūdiyaḍigaḷ ... | Brāhmaṇa. | | Tiṅgaḷūr. |
| 13 | Nilanakkar ... | Do. | | Tiruchchāttamaṅgai. |
| 14 | Sundaramūrti ... | Do. | | Tiruvenṇainallūr. |
| 15 | Pugaḷttuṇaiyār ... | Āmātya. | | |
| 16 | Śiruṭṭoṇḍar ... | Do. | | Tiruchcheṅgāṭṭanguḍi. |
| 17 | Kō-Checheṅgaṇṇān . | Crowned monarch. | | |
| 18 | Pugaḷchchōḷar ... | Do. | | |
| 19 | Aruṇmāniyār ... | Do. | | |
| 20 | Iḍaṅgaḷiyār ... | Do. | | |
| 21 | Neḍumāraṉ ... | Do. | | |
| 22 | Śēramāṉperumāḷ ... | Do. | | Tiruvañjaikkalam. |
| 23 | Narasiṅgamuṇaiya-raiyar. | Ruling Chief. (Kshatriya). | | Ruling with Tirukkōvalūr as his capital. |
| 24 | Kūrruvar ... | Do. | | |
| 25 | Kaḷar-chiṅgar ... | Do. | | |
| 26 | Meypporuḷār ... | Do. | | |
| 27 | Aiyadigaḷ ... | Do. | | |
| 28 | Kāraikkālammaiyār | Vaiśya. | | Kāraikkāl. |
| 29 | Mūrtināyaṉār ... | Do. | | Madurai. |
| 30 | Kalikkāmaṉār ... | Do. | | |
| 31 | Amarṇidiyār ... | Do. | | Palaiyārai. |
| 32 | Iyarpagai ... | Do. | | Kāvirippūmpaṭṭiṉam. |
| 33 | Mūrkkanāyaṉār ... | Veḷḷāḷa. | | |
| 34 | Śeruṭṭuṇaiyār ... | Do. | | |
| 35 | Vāyilār ... | Do. | | |
| 36 | Kōṭpuliyār ... | Do. | | |
| 37 | Śaktiyār ... | Do. | | |
| 38 | Arivāṭṭāyaṉār ... | Do. | | Kaṇamaṅgai. |
| 39 | Iḷaiyāṅguḍimāraṉār | Do. | | Iḷaiyāṅguḍi. |

v4.c29.s1.3

| No. | Name. | Caste. | Occupation. | Native place. |
| 40 | Sākkiyar | ... | Veḷḷāḷa. | | |
| 41 | Māṉakkañjārar | ... | Do. | | Kañjaṉūr. |
| 42 | Viraṉ-miṇṭar | ... | Do. | | |
| 43 | Muṉaiyaṭuvār | ... | Do. | | Tiruchcheṅ-uṉrūr. |
| 44 | Ēyarkōṉ-Kalikkā-maṉār. | ... | Do. | | Perumaṅgalam. |
| 45 | Tiruṉāvukkaraśu (Appar). | ... | Do. | | Tiruvāmūr. |
| 46 | Tirumūlar | ... | Cowherd. | | Sattaṉūr. |
| 47 | Āṉāyar | ... | Do. | | Maṅgalavūr. |
| 48 | Tiruṉilakaṇṭar | ... | Potter. | | Chidambaram (Tillai). |
| 49 | Tiruṉilakaṇṭattu Pāṇaṉ. | ... | Pāṇaṉ. | | |
| 50 | Atibattaṉāyaṉār | ... | Fisher-man. | | Nāgapaṭaṇam |
| 51 | Kaṇṇappa-nāyaṉār.. | ... | Vēḍaṉ (hunter). | | Kālahasti (Uḍuppūr). |
| 52 | Ēṉadināyaṉār | ... | Shāṇāṉ (Toddy-drawer). | | Eyinaṉūr. |
| 53 | Nēsaṉāyaṉār | ... | Śāliyar, (weaver). | | Kampili. |
| 54 | Tiruṉāḷaippōvār (Naṉdaṉār). | ... | Paraiyaṉ. | Field labour. | Ādaṉūr. |
| 55 | Tirukkuṟipputtoṇ-dar. | ... | Washer-man. | | Kāñchi. |
| 56 | Kaliyaṉār | ... | Oil-monger. | | |
| 57 | Kulachchiraiyār | ... | Prime-minister to the Pāṇḍya king. | | Ma ṇ a m ē ṟ-kuḍi. |
| 58 | Milalaikkuṟumbar | ... | (Kuṟumbaṉ.) | | Milalai. |

v4.c29.s1.4

v4.c29.s1.5

VAISHNAVA BHAKTAS.

v4.c29.s1.6

v4.c29.s1.7

Besides the Śaiva saints above enumerated, there are counted many more at the present time; that is, after that list of sixty-three was drawn up by Sundaramūrti-Nāyaṉār, many others of saintly nature came into being and though they could not be placed in the older list, are still held in as much esteem as the older saints. Such are, for instance, Māṇikkavāchakar, Karuvūrttēvar, Kaṇḍāradittar, Tirumāḷigaittēvar, Śēndanār, Chēdiyarāyar, Purushōttamanambi, Tiruvāliyamudanār, Pūnduruttikāḍanambi, Meykaṇḍadēvar and others. Images are set up for these persons also, along with the sixty-three; that is why we see in many Śiva temples not sixty-three, but about seventy-three images of bhaktas. The number of bhaktas cannot be limited, since any number of these might be added at any time.

v4.c29.s1.8

Similarly, in Vaishṇava temples of S. India, which are almost always under the management of the Śrīvaishṇavas, are seen often more than twelve figures of saints. The additional ones are of subsequent āchāryas, like Rāmānuja, Maṇavāḷamāmuni-gaḷ, Vēṅkaṭanātha Dēśika, etc.

v4.c29.s1.9

It might be observed that Kulaśēkharāḷvār, a crowned monarch, has a makuṭa on his head, according to the rules laid down above (see Pl. CXXXVI). We see also that Kaṇṇappa-nāyaṉār has his hair tied up in a fine knot on the crown of the head (see Pl. CXXXIV), and certain brāhmaṇa saints, with a small tuft of hair on the crown, as in the case of Viṣṇuchitta (Periyāḻvār), Toṇḍaraḍippoḍi and Madurakavi, in our illustrations (Pl. CXXXVI).

v4.c29.s1.10

Again, certain characteristic features mark particular saints; for instance, Apparsvāmigaḷ is at once recognised by a staff, with a triangular metallic piece, at its end, intended for removing grass grown in temples; for, he had undertaken to do that service in all temples he visited (see Pl. CXXXVII, fig. 3). Tirujñānasambandha among the Śaiva (See fig., Pl. CXXXVII) and Tiruppāṇāḻvār among the Vaiṣṇava saints (Pl. CXXXVI) would easily be recognised by the cymbals they have in their hands. Tirumaṅgai, by the sword and shield; and Māṇikkavāchakar, by the book in his hands, (fig. 2, Pl. CXXXVII and Pl. CXXXVIII).

v4.c29.s1.11

For the history of these Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava saints, the readers are referred to the Periyapurāṇam in Tamil,—for, this has not as yet been rendered in English by any one,—and Mr. A. Gōvindāchārya’s ‘Lives of Drāviḍa Saints’ in English, respectively.

v4.c29.s1.12

We learn from the writings of the Śrīvaiṣṇavas that in the days of Rāmānuja and later,

v4.c29.s1.13

Kaṇṇappa Nāyanār : Bronze : Madras Museum.

Ālvārs or Śrīvaishṇava Saints

v4.c29.s2.1

Madhurakavi-yālvār. Tirumaliśai-yālvār. Tiruppāṇālvār. Tirumaṅgai-yālvār.(?) Nammālvār. Rāmānuja (or Uḍaiyavar). Garuḍa.

v4.c29.s2.2

Poygaiyālvār. Pēyālvār. Bhūtattālvār. Periyālvār. Kulaśēkharālvār. Toṇḍaraḍippoḍiyālvār. Tirumaṅgai-yālvār.

v4.c29.s2.3

Fig. 1. Tirujñānasambandha : Padmanābhapuram.

v4.c29.s2.4

Fig. 2. Māṇikkavāchakar.

v4.c29.s2.5

Fig. 3. Apparsvāmigaḷ. Tiruchcheṅgōḍu.

v4.c29.s2.6

Fig. 4. Sundaramūrti : Bronze : Padmanābhapuram.

v4.c29.s2.7

Māṇikkavāchakar : Bronze : Viśvakarma (Dr. A. K. K.).

v4.c29.s2.8

people were owning slaves and that the latter had their names tattooed on their chests in token of their condition. Some sold themselves to others as slaves in times of famine. When once they became slaves, they were bound to serve their masters with the utmost fidelity; in short, they had to become practically members of the family of their masters and personally interest themselves in the welfare of their families; in other words the slaves became the bhaktas of their masters. As a concrete instance of this custom might be pointed out the life-size images of the Vijayanagara kings Kṛṣṇadēvarāya and Veṅkaṭapatidēvarāya and the queens of the former, Chinnādēvī and Tirumaladēvī, which are set up in the temple of Veṅkaṭēśa on the Tirumalai hill at Tirupati. These were apparently set up in their life-time as the paleography of the writing on their chests indicates. These devotees of Veṅkaṭēśa inscribed themselves as the slaves of the Lord of Tirumala and thereby bound themselves to do everything for the welfare of the temple and in testimony whereof they seem to have caused their images being set up in the temple with their names engraved on their chests, so that the images might be ever worshipping their own favourite god Veṅkaṭēśa (see Viśvakarma).

v4.c29.s2.9

This image is completely blank. There is no text or content to transcribe.

Linked texts (1)

பெரிய புராணம் — Cēkkiḻār, Tamil

Elements of Hindu Iconography v4.c29: Bhaktas

Contents

Bhaktas

I. Śaiva Saints

Ālvārs or Śrīvaishṇava Saints

Linked texts (1)