War in Ancient India c6.s6.t3.16

c6.s6.t3.16

Another manifestation of Śiva is Vīrabhadra, an image of which stands on the Kalmunda with Bhadrakālī in the Perur temple, in Coimbatore District. It agrees with the description in literature.¹⁷³ He has one head but thirty-two hands, matted hair, and three eyes. In the sixteen hands on his right side he wears respectively the symbol of protection from fear (abhayaprada), sword, trident, cakra, damaru, bow, arrow, ploughshare, lotus, scad of knowledge, barbed spear, dagger, rudrākṣamālā, khaṭvāṅga, club and battle-axe. In those on the left side he wears respectively the symbol of blessing, a piece of wood, the hammer, the goad, the noose, the snake, the fire, the deer, the bell, the bow, the gun, the lotus, a water pot, the shield, and others.