South-Indian Images of Gods and Goddesses c12.s2.13

c12.s2.13

The Moon is regarded as one of the Planets surrounding the Sun and going round and round the mountain Mēru. He is born of the Sea and of sage Atri and is supposed to be of the Vaisya caste. He is said to have only face and hands but no body. He turns towards the Sun, holds white lotuses in his two hands (or sometimes a club and the boon-conferring hand) and rides on a two-wheeled¹ chariot drawn by ten horses. Kuja (Mars) is a Kshatriya of Avantī, the son of the Earth and of sage Bharadvāja, wears red garments and a crown and has four arms in which are seen the weapons, club and sakti and the postures varada and abhaya. He faces the Sun and rides on a ram. Budha (Mercury), the son of the Moon, is a Vaisya of the Magadha country born in the lineage of Atri. He has four arms, a yellow body, and the lion vehicle. He shows in his hands the shield, club, varada and the sword and faces the Sun. Brihaspati (Jupiter) is a Brāhmana, born of Angiras. He comes from the Sindhu country and has either four or two arms, holding, in the latter case, the book and the rosary. He also faces the Sun. Sukra (Venus), likewise, is a Brāhmana born of Bhrigu and a native of Bhōjakata. According to Hēmādri he is seated in a golden chariot drawn by eight horses or in a silver chariot yoked to ten horses. He has two hands in one of which he holds a nidhi “treasure” and, in the other, a book. According to other authorities he has four arms in which are seen the staff, rosary, water-pot and the varada. Sani or Sanaischara (Saturn) is a Sūdra of the Saurāshtra country, and a descendant of Kasyapa, also facing the Sun. He is supposed to be born of the Sun, to have blue garments and to ride on a vulture or in an iron chariot drawn by eight horses. He is represented with two or four hands and stands on a lotus pedestal, but is more often found seated with four hands, his weapons being the arrow, trident and the bow. Rāhu and Kētu, the ascending and the descending nodes, are also represented as images (fig. 145). The former is described as a Sūdra of Paithan with a fearful face, black clothes and four arms, holding the sword, trident and the shield. He rides on a black lion and faces the Sun. Kētu is also a Sūdra, comes from Kusadvīpa and is born in the lineage of Jaimini. He has an ugly face, rides on a vulture and exhibits in his two arms the club and the varada posture.