Rudra-Shiva concept (Study)
by Maumita Bhattacharjee | 2018 | 54,352 words
This page relates ‘Shiva as Ardhanarishvara� of the study on the Rudra-Shiva concept in the Vedic and Puranic literature, starting with the concept of God as contemplated by the Rishis (Vedic sages). These pages further deal with the aspects, legends, iconography and eulology of Rudra-Shiva as found in the Samhitas, Brahamanas, Aranyakas, Upanishads Sutras and Puranas. The final chapters deal with descriptions of his greatness, various incarnations and epithets.
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2.37. Ś as īś
desired to create progeny but he was unable to create beings. Then began to perform penance thinking that lord Ś will be united with Śپ. Ś, satisfied by ’s austere penance, appeared before him assuming the form of half male and half female.[1] ī is Ś’s left half.[2] In the Matsya Purāṇa, the physical appearance of the īś form of lord Ś is depicted very beautifully. The right half is of Ś and the left half is of ī. In one half of the image, on the head of the lord, a crescent moon is present and in the other half of the image, the figure of goddess ī is beautifully portrayed. One half of the head has braided hair and on the other half, a partition is made in the hair of the head and a tilaka is marked on the forehead. On the right ear, serpent ܰ쾱 is arrayed and the left ear is arrayed by an ear-ring. A skull or trident is placed in the right hand and a mirror or a lotus is in the left hand of the body. The right part is covered with tiger’s skin, the right arm is adorned with serpents and the left part is covered with beautiful clothes decorated with numerous jewels. His left arm is decked with armlets and gems, a girdle is put on the half part of the waist. The right foot is placed on a lotus and the left foot is embellished with gems and ornaments.[3]