South-Indian Images of Gods and Goddesses c9.s12.9

c9.s12.9

This story is the subject matter of the exquisite poem *Kirātārjunīya* of the Sanskrit poet Bhāravi. The Tanjore inscriptions refer to an image Kirātārjunadēva;¹ and from the description given of it in a mutilated passage, it appears as if there was a reference there, to a *linga* or to some object connected with it. Images of Kirātārjunamūrti answering to the story described above are not very frequent. An illustration (fig. 91) which comes from Pushpagiri in the Cuddapah district represents evidently the last part of the drama, when Siva and Pārvatī appeared before Arjuna and gave him the weapon. Siva holds in his back hands the axe and the trident. In his right fore-arm is the arrow Pāsupata, the left fore-arm resting freely on the waist. To the left of Siva stands the goddess Pārvatī with two hands, holding a lotus flower in her right. In front of both, is Arjuna in the modest posture of receiving with both hands the divine gift offered him. A pigmy figure standing between Siva and Arjuna in the illustration may be one of the attendants of Siva. The *Kāraṇāgama* gives the same description but makes Siva wear both the arrow and the bow and hold the antelope instead of the trident. An illustration coming from Chidambaram (fig. 92) answers to this description. In it may also be seen the figure of Arjuna in a worshipping posture as described in the *Kāraṇāgama*. It may be noted that the historic "Arjuna's Penance" at Mahābalipuram is supposed to represent the *Mahābhārata* story related above.²