This story is the subject matter of the exquisite poem Kirātārjuniya 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 Pārvati 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 Pārvati 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 Kāranāgama 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 Kāranāgama. It may be noted that the historic "Arjuna's Penance" at Mahābalipuram is supposed to represent the Mahābhārata story related above. [2]
XXI
Ānugraha-
Mūrti.Chandēsānugrahamūrti is a form of Siva which was assumed by him in order to confer blessings on his fervent devotee Chandēsa described in the sequel. [3] His figures are occasionally found depicted in some of the South-Indian temples. From Gangaikondasōlapuram in the Trichinopoly district comes a beautiful illustration (fig. 93) of the story.
- ↑ Dr. Ananda K. Coomaraswami publishes an image of Siva from Tanjore in his Art Jouinal Visvakarma (Fart II, No. 28). In this the positions of the four hands indicate the nature of the weapons that must have been held by them. Although the image is called Gangādhara by Dr. Coomaraswami, the poses of the fingers suggest that the image must be one of Kirātārjuna, possibly the very idol mentioned in the Tanjore inscriptions, since its two fore-arms are so adjusted as to receive into them the bow and the arrow. The upper arms in this case must have held the axe and the deer. Mr. R. D. Banerji describes in the Director-General's Archeological Survey Report for 1911-12, pp. 161 ff., certain sculptures from Chandimau which relate to this story of Arjuna's fight with Siva. These are attributed by Mr. Banerji to the Gupta period.
- ↑ Havell's Ideals of Indian Art, pp. 147 to 151.
- ↑ Sec p. 161, below
