Page:South-Indian Images of Gods and Goddesses.djvu/274

 have protruding canine teeth, when Saiva, and narrow waists; are beautiful in form, but disfigured in the face (fig. I55). 1 Figures of Dvarapalas are sometimes also found to have four arms and to hold the Saiva or the Vaishnava symbols according as they are placed in Siva or Vishnu temples. The fine image (fig. 156) of a Dvarapala from Dharasuram, Tanjore district, which has four arms and is probably Saiva, is stated to have been brought as a trophy from Kalyanapura (i.e., Kalyana in the Nizam's Dominions), by the Chola king Rajadhiraja I, in the middle of the eleventh century A.D. Entrances into the shrines of goddesses are attended by Dvarapalikas just as those of the gods are guarded by Dvarapalas.

Saints and Sages are also not infrequently figured in temples. The latter include the Vedic rishis and the authors of the early sacred literature of the Hindus, represented as old men, serene and unmindful of mundane affairs. The sacred thread, braided hair, flowing beards and moustaches form the special features cf rishi images. They are seated in a meditative posture with the rosary or book and the water- pot or staff in their hands. The seven famous sages Gautama, Bharadvaja, Visvamitra, Kasyapa, Jamadagni, Vasishtha and Atri are occasionally also represented with their wives, while Narada, Agastya, Bhrigu, Angiras, etc., are surrounded by their disciples- Narada (fig. 157) is distinguished from other sages by the vina which he holds in his hands, being always engaged in singing the praises of Vishnu. In Purdnas he is described as fond of setting up one against the other and creating quarrels. Hence in common parlance Narada represents a tale-bearer. Agastya (fig. 158) is dwarfish in stature and pot-bellied. 2 He is supposed to have migrated from north to south and to have dwelt there permanently and developed the Tamil language of which he is said to be the first grammarian. Kapila, the founder of the Sankhya system of Hindu philosophy, holds a water-pot on his lap and has in his two hands the conch and the discus. 3 Dhanvantari,

1 In the Silpasara the Dvarapalas of Siva temples are stated to be Nandi and Mahakala at the eastern entrance ; Bhringi and Vinayaka at the southern entrance ; the sacred Bull a ; id Skanda at the western entrance and Chandi at the northern.

2 A bron/.e illustration from Nallur is given in the Madras Archaeological Survey Report for 19*1-12, Plate A, fig. 2.

3 In Visvakarma, Part I, Plate 52, a totally different form of Kapila, from Ceylon, is given. Perhaps he is not identical with the sage described here.