Elements of Hindu Iconography v4.c35.s3: (x) Gandharvas
Elements of Hindu Iconography v4.c35.s3
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(x) Gandharvas
v4.c35.s3.1
Another class of semi-divine beings are the Gandharvas. In the *Atharvaṇa Vēda* they are said to be a class of gods, hairy, like monkeys or dogs; they assume at will handsome appearances to seduce the females of this earth. Therefore they are invoked so that they may not indulge in this sort of wrong act but live with their own wives. The Gandharvas are believed to be deities who know the secrets of the divine truths and reveal them to the world. As we have already seen they are included in the class of Pañchajanas and Śāyaṇa links them with Apsarasas: according to him they are the males of a class of divine beings whose females were the Apsarasas. In the *Atharvaṇa Vēda* the Gandharvas are said to be 6333 in number. Of the eight different systems of marriage, according to the classification of the Āryas, one is the Gandharva system. This corresponds practically to the European and other similar systems, namely, a man and a woman falling in love with each other and entering into the life of man and wife until by mutual consent they separate or till the lifetime of one of the contracting parties, in other words the alliance is not a religious sacrament but a sort of contract. Hence the repudiation by Rāvaṇa of the protests of Rambhā whom he seduced and who was not willing to consort with him. The description of the images of Gandharvas is not met with in the āgamas and is, therefore, not possible to be given authoritatively.
v4.c35.s3.2
(xi) THE MARUT-GANAS.
v4.c35.s3.3
In the Vēdic period the Maruts are said variously to be the children of the earth under the name of Priśni and Rudra and as children of the ocean : they are said to behave like sons to Indra. Rudra and Priśni are said to have begotten these in their assumed forms of a bull and a cow. Generally they were very friendly to Indra and with their help strengthened him against Vṛitrāsura. Only in a very few instances they are described as having abandoned Indra and left him to kill Vṛitrā single-handed. The Maruts are the gods of the tempest and as such are sometimes included in the thirty-three gods and sometimes counted as outside this number ; in some places they are said to be thrice sixty and in others as only twenty-seven in number. They were the favourite deities of some ṛishis who have sung high praises about them. In these they are extolled as having spears resting upon their shoulders wearing anklets, golden ornaments and helmets, seated upon resplendent cars drawn by spotted deer and carrying light in their hands; they are ever engaged in gathering rain-clouds and compelling them to discharge their contents. Divested of the poetic element and viewed in the ordinary sense, the Maruts are gusts of wind personified; they are as fleet as deer and are really ever busy in gathering rain-clouds and helping Indra the god of the atmosphere.
v4.c35.s3.4
The *Aṃśumadbhēdāgama* contains a description of the images of these Maruts. They should all be of handsome looks, dark in complexion and possessing two arms and standing upon *padmapīṭhas*. They should be draped in white silk garments, adorned with all ornaments and flowers and should have luxuriantly growing hair on their heads.
v4.c35.s3.5
The Figure of Naṭarāja showing the relative positions of the limbs.
v4.c35.s3.6
The detailed measurements of the distances of the various limbs from the *madhyasūtra*, of the dancing Śiva-Naṭarāja are given in the *Kāmikāgama* and the *Kāraṇāgama*. The texts pertaining to this portion are not free from errors; therefore it is apprehended that some of the measurements may perhaps be incorrect. However, they are given below in the accompanying table.
v4.c35.s3.7
| Distances measured. | According to the | |
| | Kāraṇāgama | Kāmikāgama |
v4.c35.s3.8
The *madhya-sūtra* should pass from a distance 8½ *yavas* removed from the centre of the forehead, through a position tangential to the right wing of the nose and the centre of the projecting ankle bone of the right leg which is planted upon the figure of the *Apas-māra-pūrusha*. This rule is according to the *Kāraṇāgama*. The *Kāmikāgama* says: The
v4.c35.s3.9
| Distances measured. | According to the |
| | Kāraṇāgama | Kāmikāgama. |
| *madhya-sūtra* shall pass through the head, the forehead, the side of the right wing of the nose, the right side of the navel and the centre of the projecting bone of the ankle. | |
| The horizontal distance of the centre of the forehead from this *sūtra*. | | 2 *aṅgulas*. |
| The distance between this *sūtra* and the *hikkā-sūtra* (measured along the line of sight of the observer, *i.e.*, vertically to the plane of the paper). | | 3 ,, |
| The distance of the right arm-pit from this *sūtra*. | 18 *aṅgulas*.(?) | |
| The distance of the left arm-pit. | 8 ,, | |
| The width of the neck on the left of this *sūtra*. | | 5 ,, |
| The width of the neck on the right. | | 4 ,, |
| The beginning (from the shoulder) of the left arm held in the *gajahasta* pose should be situated from this *sūtra* at a distance of | | 3 ,, |
| The left hand bearing *agni* should be lifted as high as the *hikkā-sūtra*. | | |
| The right hand carrying the *ḍamaru* and held in the *sūchi* pose should be at the height of the *karṇa-sūtra*. | | This hand is required to be one *aṅgula* above the *karṇa-sūtra*. |
v4.c35.s3.10
| Distances measured. | According to the | |
| | Kāraṇāgama | Kāmikāgama |
| The distance between the wrists of the hands bearing *agni* and the *ḍamaru* respectively from the shoulder. | 24 aṅgulas. | |
| The distance between the middle of the forearm of the hand held in the *abhaya* pose and the forearm of the *daṇḍa-hasta* (*gaja-hasta*). | | 17 aṅgulas. |
| There should be, according to the Kāraṇāgama, the *sarpavalaya* round the middle of the forearm, the hand of which is held in the *abhaya* pose and there must be an upper-garment of tiger's skin thrown on the shoulder between the two left arms. | | |
| The distance between the tip of the thumb of the *abhaya-hasta* and the nipple of the right breast. | | 2 ,, |
| The shortest distance between the wrist of the *abhaya-hasta* and the *daṇḍa hasta*. | | 6 ,, |
| The width of the portion of the abdomen on the right of the *madhya-sūtra*. | 4 aṅgulas. | 8 ,, |
| Do. on the left. | 13 ,, | 12 ,, |
| The distance (measured on the right side) of the navel from the *madhya-sūtra*. | 1 ,, | |
| The root of the penis is situated on the left of this *sūtra* at a distance of | 14 ,, | |
v4.c35.s3.11
| Distances measured. | According to the | |
| | Kāraṇāgama | Kāmikāgama |
| The back side of the buttocks is situated on the left side of this sūtra at a distance of | 7 aṅgulas | 17 aṅgulas |
| The madhyasūtra should touch the śroṇi and the left thigh and divide its width into two portions : the length of the portion on the right. | | 17 ,, (?) |
| Do. on the left. | | 9 ,, |
| The knee of the raised leg should reach the height of the navel, according to the Kāraṇāgama and śroṇi, according to the Kāmikāgama. | | |
| The sole of the lifted leg should be just above the knee of the standing leg, according to the Kāraṇagama and up to the level of the knee, according to the Kāmikāgama. | | |
| The distance between the sole of the lifted leg and the knee of the standing leg. | 34 ,, (?) | 24 ,, |
| The distance between the wrist of the daṇḍa hasta and the knee of the lifted leg. | 1 yava (?) | 14 ,, |
| The distance between the middle of the thigh of the left leg and the navel. | | 9 ,, |
| The distance from the madhya-sūtra of the knee of the bent, standing right leg. | 10 aṅgulas. | 12, 10 or 9 aṅgulas. |
v4.c35.s3.12
From the fact that the madhyasūtra is required to touch the middle, practically, of the head, the
v4.c35.s3.13
śroṇi, the right thigh and the centre of the ankle, we see that the line drawn from the centre of gravity of the heavy figures of Śiva-Naṭarāja is made to fall exactly in the centre of the base, which is generally a broad padmapīṭha, mounted upon a bhadrapīṭha. The perfect stability of the image is thus secured. The projecting limbs such as the two out-stretched arms, the uplifted leg and the back of the body are so symmetrically arranged with reference to this line as to counterpoise each other and not interfere in any way with the stability. Now, if the image were to stand upon only one leg without any other support, there would be the danger of the superincumbent weight acting detrimentally to the strength of the statue; the frail leg may break at the ankle, if the image sustains any accident. To avert such a possibility, the presence of the prabhā-maṇḍala is insisted upon; the out-stretched arms, the large number of jaṭās issuing from the head, a long, flowing strip of cloth which is tied round the middle of the body and the crown of the head are made to touch the prabhāmaṇḍala and are attached to it, thus affording perfect protection from the danger of breaking at the ankle. It might also be noticed that, as a general rule, (a more or less perfect one), the two out-stretched hands and the foot of the
v4.c35.s3.14
standing leg are made to lie on the three apices of an inverted equilateral triangle and are practically also on the same plane as that of the *prabhāmaṇḍala*. The height of mathematical calculation as regards distances and masses in the making of perfectly stable and strong images is, it might be stated, attained in the casting of the often bulky and large images of Śiva-Naṭarāja.
Cites (1)
- Atharvavedasaṃhitā — Atharvan & Aṅgiras, Sanskrit