Page:South-Indian Images of Gods and Goddesses.djvu/75

Rh The Silpasāra mentions an image called Garuda-Nārāyana wherein Vishnu is seen riding on Garuda, holding a bow and  arrow, conch and discus. An illustration from Chidambaram (fig. 35), which is mutilated, is apparently one of Garuda-Nārāyana. On a pillar in the Rāmasvāmin temple at Kumba-kōnam is a fine representation of this form of Vishnu in the attitude of blessing the elephant gajēndra) after rescuing it from the attack of a crocodile. The scene is generally known as Gajēndra-mōksha (fig. 36).

Figures of Vishnu, with four arms seated in a meditative posture, are probably those of Yōgēsvara-Vishnu, described by Hēmādri as seated on a lotus, with eyes half-closed and directed towards the tip of the nose. An image (fig. 37) from the ruined Vishnu temple at Hūvinahadagalli (Bellary district) illustrates this form. Another image, probably of this same form of Vishnu but seated on the serpent couch, comes from Kumbakōnam (fig. 38). Here the god is bathed by two goddesses with pots in their hands.

The twenty-four well-known names of Vishnu repeated by the Brāhmanas in their daily prayer known as sandhyāvandana, are represented each by a standing figure of the god with four hands holding the four symbols sankha (conch), chakra (discus), gada (club) and padma (lotus), in different combinations. Consequently we may often find in Vishnu temples images named Trivikrama, Vāmana, Padmanābha, Narasimha or Krishna represented as plain standing figures of Vishnu, without reference to any of the Purānic scenes connected with these gods. Four of the above mentioned twenty- four forms, viz., Vāsudēva, Sankarshana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha are sometimes represented by different weapons.

The two illustrations in the accompanying plates (figs. 39 and 40) show another form of standing Vishnu, known as Pānduranga or Vithōba. The characteristic feature of the image is that it has two arms which, being bent at the elbow, are placed on its hips. A poem in praise of this form of Vishnu, entitled Pāndurangāshtaka, is attributed to Sankarāchārya of about the eighth century A.D.

Hayagrlva is still another form of standing Vishnu, represented with the head of a horse. Hēmādri describes him as having a white complexion, and placing his feet on the hands of the goddess Earth. He has eight hands, in four of which are held the Vaishnavite symbols conch, discus, club and lotus. With the others he carries the four Vēdas personified. The Pāncharātrāgama mentions only four hands in which are seen the conch, rosary, book and the jnāna-mudrā.