Page:South-Indian Images of Gods and Goddesses.djvu/113

Rh fore-legs, a little below the knee. The front arms are in this case, stretched out and rest freely on the knees, while the back arms hold the rosary and the water pot. The illustration (fig. 56) differs, however, in the symbols. In this, the upper hands hold the water-pot and the antelope and the lower hands the rosary (with jnāna-mudrā) and the book. A fine old picture (fig. 57) coming from Tiruvengavāsal (Pudukkōttai State) shows Dakshināmūrti in a different position and with different symbols.

Lingōdbhava "the linga-manifestation," is a familiar figure of Siva seen on the west wall of the central shrine of Siva temples built in Chōla times. As his name implies, he is represented within a huge linga, the portion of the feet below the ankles being hidden in the linga. Brahmā in the form of a swan is seen soaring up on the left side of Siva ; while, on the right side, Vishnu is delving below into the depths of the earth in the form of a boar. Also these gods (i.e., Brahmā and Vishnu) in their true glory stand on either side of Siva with folded hands. The figure emanating from the middle of the linga (fig. 58) has four hands like Chandrasēkhara (described below) and holds in its back arms the axe and the antelope and in the front hands, the abhaya and the varada postures. In the illustration given, the left hand is, however, seen resting freely on the waist. In the Tanjore inscriptions, Lingōdbhava is mentioned by the name Lingapurānadēva, i.e., the god of the Linga-Purāna which describes the greatness of the linga. The story runs that a dispute arose between Brahmā and Vishnu as to who is the greater of the two. Siva told them that whoever first saw the top or the bottom of his own fiery linga-form and came back to report, he would be considered the greater. Brahmā soared on his swan to see the top of the Siva-linga, while Vishnu as a boar dug down and down to see its bottom. Ages passed away and neither came to his goal. At last Brahmā saw one kētaki flower coming down. It had fallen from Siva's head ages ago. Brahmā suborned it to give false evidence and then came back and uttered a lie, saying that he had seen the top of the linga, citing the ketaki flower as his witness. Siva knew the lie and cursed Brahmā that he should thenceforward go without any worship in temples. Brahma had five heads at this time.