South-Indian Images of Gods and Goddesses |
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Agamas Ardhanari Arjuna arrow Bhairava body Brahma Brahmanas bull called central shrine century A.D. chakra Chamunda Chandesa Chidambaram Chōla conch Conjeeveram consort Daksha dance decorated demon described devotees Dhārāsuram discus district Durgā eight arms face figure form of Siva form of Vishnu four arms four hands Ganapati garland Garuda Gauri goddess gods hair hands hold head Hēmādri Hindu illustration inscriptions jatāmakuta Kālī Kasyapa-Silpa kettle-drum Krishna Kumbakonam Lakshmi left side linga lotus lower hand Madras Mahabalipuram Mahābhārata mandapa Mayamata mentioned metal Namakkal Narasimha Nataraja noose ornaments Pallava Pārvatī pedestal placed Plate protruding teeth represented rides right hand right side rosary round sacred sages Saiva Sakti seated seen serpent Seven Pagodas shows Silparatna Silpasangraha Silpasara Siva temple Skanda skull sometimes Southern India standing sword symbols Tanjore tanka three eyes Tiruvottiyur trident Tripurantaka Trivikrama upper hands Vaishnava varada vehicle Virabhadra Vishnu waist water-pot weapons wears worship
Popular passages
Page 73 - The ignorant, who need a visible sign, worship &va through a 'mark' or 'type' — which is the proper meaning of the word 'Linga' — of wood, or stone; but the wise look upon this outward emblem as nothing, and contemplate, in their minds, the invisible, inscrutable type, which is Siva himself. Whatever may have been the origin of this form of...
Page 73 - a mark" or 'type,' which is the proper meaning of the word 'linga,' of wood or stone ; but the wise look upon this outward emblem as nothing, and contemplate in their minds the invisible inscrutable type, which is Siva himself. Whatever may have been the origin of this form of worship in India, the notion upon which it was founded, according to the impure fancies of European writers, is not to be read even in the Saiva Purana.
Page 73 - mark' or 'type' — which is the proper meaning of the word 'Linga' — of wood, or stone; but the wise look upon this outward emblem as nothing, and contemplate, in their minds, the invisible, inscrutable type, which is Siva himself. Whatever may have been the origin of this form of worship in India, the notions upon which it was founded, according to the impure fancies of European writers, are not to be traced in even the Saiva Puranas.
Page 30 - Vedas and begged of Bali for three feet of land on which he could sit and meditate on Brahman undisturbed. The generous Bali granted the request. But what was his astonishment when he saw the cunning God grow to a height transcending the world taking at one step the whole earth, covering the sky with the next and demanding of Bali to show him room for the third. True to his promise, Bali offered his own head, on which the God placed his foot and sent him down to the lower regions. Greatly pleased...
Page 223 - There she was told that she would kill Sumbha and Nisumbha and would be worshipped by animal sacrifices. There is given a hymn to Apya (Durga) in which she is represented as the goddess of Sabaras, Pulindas, Barbaras and other wild tribes, and as fond of wine and flesh. The goddess that killed the buffalo-demon, was, according to the Markandeya-Purana (ch.
Page 79 - The cloth, partly tied round the waist and partly thrown over the left shoulder, flies up in the air.
Page 79 - Ganga and the crescent moon are seen on the locks. '-The ecstatic and violent nature of the dance described as anandatandava in the sequel, whirling quickly round on one leg is indicated...
Page 32 - ... further ; the foremost arm on the right supports the lintel while the remaining three hold the discus, club and the sword. Of the arms on the left side two hold the bow and the shield ; the third has the conch and the fourth is pointed towards Brahma seated on the lotus. This Brahma has four hands. He reverently touches with one of his hands the toe of the uplifted leg of Trivikrama and with another touches the finger of the God pointed towards him. On the corresponding right side of Trivikrama...