The gigantic size of this granite Shiva murti befits the grandeur of his persona in the Hindu pantheon, where not only mortals, but Lord Brahma and Vishnu exalt Rudra as the Supreme Wisdom. This massiveness of the base rock that gives us the divine experience of seeing (Darshana) Shiva must have made it a challenge for the sculptor to cut, carve and etch all the details, but kudos to his trained hands that have betrayed the hardness of granite. Smiling captivatingly, Lord Shiva seems to have entered the hard-to-cut granite stone with magical ease.
Bhagwan Shiva reveals himself in this granite statue in a two-armed form, holding a tall Trishula (trident) with his damru (drum) tied to its neck. His right hand adorned with a floral motif is raised in the “Abhaya Mudra”- the gesture of fearlessness. Whether it is Shiva’s strong grip on his trident or the compassion in his Abhaya Mudra, the master sculptor’s skilled eye has focused on the secondary elements such as fingers, resulting in an otherworldly visual experience. Shiva has his hair tied in an imposing Jata Mukut (crown of matted hair), embellished with Rudraksha beads- a quintessential part of Shiva’s ornamentation, which is also used in his necklace, armlets, and bracelets. The gushing flow of Maa Ganga is arrested in granite on Gangadhara (one who holds Ganga) Shiva’s head, accompanied by Chandra, the crescent moon.
Tripunda- the mark made from the ashes of the funeral pyre adorns Shiva’s forehead underlining that supreme wisdom (which is centered between the brows) comes from the acknowledgment of death, decay, and destruction as a part of the wheel of life (Jeevan Chakra). The Naga (serpent) around Shiva’s neck symbolizes time and Kundalini and catches the eye with its lithesome body that stunningly beautifies the sturdy torso of Nageshwara (Lord of Serpents). Baghacharma (skin of tiger) forms the attire of Shiva, wrapping him in a short dhoti and angavastrama. Near the hem of the Baghacharma, bumps on this granite Shiva statue represent the knee bones, another evidence of the painstaking attention to detail by the maker of this monolithic artwork.
In the Sampada-Sthanaka (standing straight) posture, Shiva stands on an inverted lotus pedestal which is attached to the feet of this monumental granite statue. The Lotus, which is the symbol of the human heart is perhaps the best possible seat for Shiva, who resides within the lotus mind. Shiva is unfathomable compassion incarnate by infusing the creation with his presence as “Karunavatrama”.
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