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Shiva

Shiva. Lord of Dance. The Vital Form & Symbolism Four hands represent the four cardinal directions. He is dancing, with his left foot elegantly raised and the right foot on a prostrate figure — 'Apasmara Purusha', the personification of illusion and ignorance over whom Shiva triumphs.

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Shiva

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  1. Shiva Lord of Dance

  2. The Vital Form & Symbolism • Four hands represent the four cardinal directions. • He is dancing, with his left foot elegantly raised and the right foot on a prostrate figure — 'Apasmara Purusha', the personification of illusion and ignorance over whom Shiva triumphs. • The upper left hand holds a flame, the lower left hand points down to the dwarf, who is shown holding a cobra. • The upper right hand holds an hourglass drum or dumroo that stands for the male-female vital principle, the lower shows the gesture of assertion: "Be without fear.“ • Snakes that stand for egotism, are seen uncoiling from his arms, legs, and hair, which is braided and bejewelled. • His matted locks are whirling as he dances within an arch of flames representing the endless cycle of birth and death. • On his head is a skull, which symbolises his conquest over death. • Goddess Ganga, the epitome of the holy river Ganges, also sits on his hairdo. • His third eye is symbolic of his omniscience, insight, and enlightenment. • The whole idol rests on a lotus pedestal, the symbol of the creative forces of the universe. • The Significance of Shiva's DanceThis cosmic dance of Shiva is called 'Anandatandava,' meaning the Dance of Bliss, and symbolizes the cosmic cycles of creation and destruction, as well as the daily rhythm of birth and death. The dance is a pictorial allegory of the five principle manifestations of eternal energy — creation, destruction, preservation, salvation, and illusion.

  3. Vishnu

  4. Vishnu • According to various Purana, Vishnu is the ultimate omnipresent reality, is shapeless and omnipresent. However, a strict iconography governs his representation, whether in pictures, icons, or idols: • He is to be depicted as a four-armed male-form: The four arms indicate his all-powerful and all-pervasive nature. The physical existence of Vishnu is represented by the two arms in the front while the two arms at the back represent his presence in the spiritual world. The Upanishad titled Gopal Uttartapani describes the four arms of Vishnu. • The color of his skin has to be new-cloud-like-blue: The blue color indicates his all-pervasive nature, blue being the color of the infinite sky as well as the infinite ocean on which he resides. • He has the mark of sage Bhrigu's feet on his chest. • Also on his chest is the srivatsa mark, symbolising his consort Lakshmi. • Around his neck, he wears the auspicious "Kaustubha" jewel, and a garland of flowers (vanamaalaa). • A crown should adorn his head: The crown symbolizes his supreme authority. • He is to shown wearing two earrings: The earrings represent inherent opposites in creation - knowledge and ignorance; happiness and unhappiness; pleasure and pain. • He is shielded by Ananta: the immortal and infinite snake

  5. Vishnu continued • Vishnu is always to be depicted holding the four attributes associated with him, being: • A conch shell or Shankhya, named "Panchajanya", held by the upper left hand, which represents creativity. The Panchajanya is the originator of the five elements or Panchabhoota - water, fire, air, earth and sky or space. The sound that evolves from blowing this conch is the primeval sound of creation. • The chakra, a sharp-spinning discus-like weapon, named "Sudarshana", held by the upper right hand, which symbolizes the mind. The name Sudarshana is derived from two words - Su, which means good, and Darshan, which means vision. The chakra as a weapon thus indicates the necessity of destroying one's ego and illusory self-existence and developing the vision to identify the eternal truth. The discus has six spokes and symbolizes a lotus with six petals, thus representing the power that controls all six seasons. • A mace or Gada, named "Kaumodaki", held by the lower left hand, which represents individual existence. The mace symbolizes the primeval force from which all mental and physical strength is derived. • A lotus flower or Padma, held by the lower right hand, which represents liberation or dispersion. The lotus symbolizes the power from which the universe emerges. It represents the concentration of truth or Satya, the originator of the rules of conduct or Dharma, and knowledge or Gyana in a single symbol.

  6. Krishna (Vishnu)

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