Page:South-Indian Images of Gods and Goddesses.djvu/84

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SOUTH-INDIAN IMAGES

discus and the club and in the fourth exhibits the threatening finger-pose called tarjani. He is seated with his right leg hanging down from the pedestal and the left bent crosswise and placed on the same [fig. 160 (c), below].

Garuda.Vishnu's vehicle Garuda is installed in every Vaishnavite temple right opposite to the central shrine and is a standing human figure of stone or mortar, with a beak-shaped nose and with spreading wings proceeding from his back on either side. He has his two arms folded over the breast in a worshipping posture (fig. 42).^[1] When made into a processional image of metal, Garuda is represented as kneeling on the left knee, the right foot being firmly placed on the ground and a serpent decorating his head.^[2]

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Hanumān.Hanumān, the monkey-god, has been already referred to as a great devotee of Vishnu intimately connected with the incarnation Rāma-avatār. In Southern India he is very popular, even insignificant villages containing a shrine for Hanumān. He is represented in two postures.^[3] When included in the group of Rāma, Lakshmana and Sitā, he stands at a distance on one side, or opposite to them, in a humble and devotional attitude, with the two hands folded together, the tail hanging down close to his feet. ^[4]In shrines exclusively

↑ 1 According to the Silparatna, Garuda figures may also be shown with the two hands pointing the abhaya and the varada postures. Occasionally, Garuda may be made to carry in his right hand a pot of nectar. This is evidently a reference to the story that Garuda while young carried away from Indra the pot of nectar, in order to fulfil his mother's promise to Kadru, the mother of serpents.
↑ The Silpasangraha describes a form of Garuda who has fierce protruding teeth and eight arms in six of which he has the conch, discus, club, lotus and the nectar-pot while the others are stretched out to receive the feet of the Lord (Vishnu). It is further stated that the eight lords of serpents are worn as jewels by him, thus showing that Garuda had completely subdued the Nāgas. Garuda when represented with four arms is called Vainatēya. It may be noted that the bird Garuda is of Vēdic fame, his body being supposed to be completely made up of the Vēdas. A Vēdic sacrifice called Garuda-chayana is performed by offering oblations to the gods on a platform built in the shape of Garuda. Vishnu is sometimes known as Yajna-purusha the personified god of sacrifice.
↑ The Silparatna mentions a third posture in which Hanumān is described as a yōgin, teaching philosophy to a number of pupils who surround him.
↑ See above, fig. 23. Here, at the right end of the picture Hanumān is seen in a submissive attitude while another figure of his at the left end, carries in both hands two Sia.-lingas which Rāma had ordered him to bring for establishing at Rāmēsvaram, on his way back from Lankā. Visvakarma, Part VI, Plate 100, also gives a metallic figure of Hanumān from Ceylon, with his hands stretched out, indicating evidently a mixed feeling of wonder and despair.

[1] 1 According to the Silparatna, Garuda figures may also be shown with the two hands pointing the abhaya and the varada postures. Occasionally, Garuda may be made to carry in his right hand a pot of nectar. This is evidently a reference to the story that Garuda while young carried away from Indra the pot of nectar, in order to fulfil his mother's promise to Kadru, the mother of serpents.

[2] The Silpasangraha describes a form of Garuda who has fierce protruding teeth and eight arms in six of which he has the conch, discus, club, lotus and the nectar-pot while the others are stretched out to receive the feet of the Lord (Vishnu). It is further stated that the eight lords of serpents are worn as jewels by him, thus showing that Garuda had completely subdued the Nāgas. Garuda when represented with four arms is called Vainatēya. It may be noted that the bird Garuda is of Vēdic fame, his body being supposed to be completely made up of the Vēdas. A Vēdic sacrifice called Garuda-chayana is performed by offering oblations to the gods on a platform built in the shape of Garuda. Vishnu is sometimes known as Yajna-purusha the personified god of sacrifice.

[3] The Silparatna mentions a third posture in which Hanumān is described as a yōgin, teaching philosophy to a number of pupils who surround him.

[4] See above, fig. 23. Here, at the right end of the picture Hanumān is seen in a submissive attitude while another figure of his at the left end, carries in both hands two Sia.-lingas which Rāma had ordered him to bring for establishing at Rāmēsvaram, on his way back from Lankā. Visvakarma, Part VI, Plate 100, also gives a metallic figure of Hanumān from Ceylon, with his hands stretched out, indicating evidently a mixed feeling of wonder and despair.

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