365bet娱乐

Shiva is the supreme god, one of the three members of the Hindu Trinity. The Vedic counterpart of Shiva was Rudra. with the evidence of archaeological data, the scholars have opined that the worship of Siva-Pasupati was in vogue among the early Indus Valley people of the Pre-historic period. The great importance of this deity is suggested by his various names such as Pasupati, Bhutapati, Mahadeva, Mahe svar a etc. He is the lord of all created beings, he is the greatest of the gods. A number of Saivagamas and Tantras are devoted to this supreme deity. Saivism is a very ancient religion. The sculptures of Siva and Sivalingas are innumerable and have been found all over India. The The From a fairly early period the Saivas used to place the emblem of Shiva as the principal object of their worship. linga form has been universally adopted by the devotees. Agni Purana, Chapter 53 and the Matsya Purana, Chapter 263, describe the essential points of the Phallic emblem. The Vismudharmottara Chapter 74 also gives some details about linga.

212 The linga proper is divided into 'acala' and 'cala'. The 'cala' variety is of six typos in accordance with the substances. They are made of Ratnas, metals etc. The Agni Purana, Chapter 54, V. 13 says about this 'cala' type. The fallic emblems made of the precious stones known as the Maharatna, shall measure six fingers each; those made of the other gems shall have a length or height of nine fingers each; those of gold shall measure twelve fingers and the rest fifteen fingers. The fallic emblem of the 'cala' class, those usually worshipped in a household, shall measure upto fifteen fingers. The Manusa or man-made lingas form the largest group of the Sthira-lingas and are made up of three parts known as Brahma-bhaga, Visnu-bhaga and Rudra-bhaga (or pujabhaga). According to the Agni Purana (Chapter 53, 1 - 4), a rectangular block of stone is to be marked as divided length-wise into two equal divisions, the lower half of which is to be divided in its turn into eight equal parts. Three such parts are to be left out and the remaining five should be divided breadthwise into three parts, the first of which is to be called Brahma-bhaga, the second Vismu-bhaga and the last or the lowest part being known as the Shiva-bhaga, which shall be larger than the other two parts and over whose four angles of division at the upper extremity, a square is to be drawn, thus dividing the part known as Visnubhaga into an octagonal block. The Purana says, "Divide the same again into a block containing thirty two sides, and then the same again into one of sixty four and then turn it

213 into a round shaped block and then cut out the head of the fallic emblem in the shape of an umbrella, with a breadth equal to the half of the linga divided into eight equal parts. The purana further adds that a Linga which has a breadth equal to three fourth of its length is to be deemed as the grantor of all desires. The pillar or prop part of such a fallic emblem shall be quarter of the entire length of the latter." The Matsya Purana (263. 12 - 21) mentions that the size of the phallus should be according to the size of the temple or vice-versa. On an even square pit the Brahma-sutra (sacred thread) should be placed and to the left of it should be located the phallus of Shiva. Eight divisions should be made below the naval; three should be discarded and the rest should be made into a square. The centre of the Linga should be made octagonal and the head should be made round. The naval of the phallus is to be made into a circular knot. Thus the upper portion of the phallus of Shiva is round, the lower portion of Brahma should be made square and the central one Vaisnava portion should be octagonal. It is further said that the square portion should be buried in the ground and the central one should be kept in water. One may make a phallus of ruby, diamond, crystal, clay, wood according to one's choice and means. The Linga pithas (pedestals) are also described by the Puranas. Pitha is the 'adhara' of the Linga. The pithas or pindikas can have various shapes. According to the Agni Purana, the different dimensions of the pedestal should be made according

- 214 to its elevation. The pitha or the part actually occupied by the emblem should be of two such parts in height with a length commensurate with that of the linga. The internal space or cavity of the pitha (stool proper) should be divided into three parts, its breadth being equal to one sixth parts of its length. The belt or the girth round it should measure one third of its breadth and the depth of its cavity will be equal to or shall be 1/16 part of its belt with a gradual slope, the height of the stool being decorated with ornamental works. - 40 The pithas are of different varieties according to the number and form of the different kinds of mouldings. The Matsya purana (262. 6 - 7) mentions ten different kinds of seats with their characteristics. They are Sthandila, Vapi, Yaksi, Vedi, Mandala, Purnac andra, Vajra, Padma, Ardhasasi and Trikona. are found in the texts on Silpasastras. 41 The se In While describing the general characteristics of the pedestal, the Matsya Purana mentions that the five parts upto Jagat are imbedded within the earth; the other parts upto pattika are above the ground and on the upper most part of pattika, a passage is to be made for the outlet of water. the extant specimens of the Lingas also, the projecting portion of the pitha of the linga really served the very useful purpose of draining off the water profusely poured on its top to some distance from its base. The Visnudharmottara (Ch. 74) says, "the upper portion

215 of the Linga should be round and the portion below it eight sided and further below four-sided. The round portion of it should be made visible, the octagonal portion should be inserted in the Pindika and the square portion in the Brahmapitha. The line on the top of the Linga should be well rounded and curvated upwards. It should be double in length and perpendicular as in Brahmasutra. Siva is also represented in his human form in various types in a large mumber of sculptures. The Siva images are very popular and universally adored. The Matsya Purana Chapters 258 and 259 describe the varieties of Siva images such as Siva, Nataraja siva, Yogeshvara Shiva and Bhairava. First as a youth of sixteen as if witnessing a dance; second as a dancer with ten arms wearing the hide of an elephant; third a figure with sixteen hands representing the burning of the three cities; fourth of eight or four hands in the Yogesvara form and fifth of the Bhairava form. We have also prescriptions of the making of Ardhanarisvara image. be half man and half woman As the name indicates this form should left the right Shiva and Parvati. Emblems like Jatamukuta, crescent moon, sarpa-kundala, trisula and other weapons should be shown on the right half and on the left counterpart are karanda mukuta, tilaka mark, kapala, darpana etc. This is the Saumya and Santa murti of Siva. Many Indian sculptures depict this form. T.A.G. Rao has given eight illustrations of the Ardha nari svara sculptures found at Badami, Kumbakonam, Canjivaram,

216. Madura etc. Ardhanarisvara is shown in a composite image, right half shows as male and the left half as female at Mathura of 42 Kusana period. The ten-armed figure of Nataraja in the 43 Dacca Museum agrees to some extent with the description of ten armed 'Vaisakha-sthanaka' Nataraja given in the Matsya Purapa. A sixteen-armed figure of the god is also found at Badami, cave No.1. The four-armed Yogamurti of Siva is sculptured at many places. The Bhairava form of Shiva is of the ugra variety with its terrific face, pointed nose and teeth. (Tiksnanasagradasanah Karalavadano mahan). The finest figure of Bhairava hails from Khiching, belonging to the early medieval period." Chapter 59 of the Visnudharmottara describes the Bhairava form of Shiva. Bhairava should be made having round and tawny eyes, with a hanging belley, a terrible face with tusks and wide nostrils, and a garland of skulls and frightfully adorned on all sides with the snakes. He wears elephant skin. He has many arms, huge and long like sala trees, bearing all sorts of weapons and possessed of sharp and beautiful nails. The five-faced figure of Mahadeva is described in Chapter 44. Among the five faces of Pinakin - the bow carrierseated on a bull, the southern one is fierce while other faces are placid looking. All the faces except the Northern-one have three eyes. The fifth face should be on the top of his matted locks of hair. He should be represented with ten arms. In his right hands should be a rosary, trident, an arrow, a staff and a lotus and in the left hands there should be a citron, a

217 bow, a mirror, a waterpot and a skin. A Sadasiva murti in the Rajshahi Museum depicts a ten-armed and five-faced figure, seated in Padmasana. The five faces primarily represent 44 the five aspects of Siva; which are, according to the Visnudharmottera known as Sadyojata, Vamadeva, Aghora, Tatpurusa and Isana. Chapter 55 of the Visnudharmottara describes the Gaurishvara form of Shiva .