The auspicious one, who holds the place of a destroyer and transformer in the cosmic trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva sits here in his peaceful poise, with the eyes closed in deep meditation and hand raised high to bless devotees of power, strength, and courage. The sculptor has realistically carved out this beneficent aspect of Lord Shiva that creates an aura of peace and purity, the moment you look at this Shiva brass sculpture.
The high curved tiger pedestal is etched with accurate skin lines which complement the précised carvings of Shiva’s garbs indicative of his victory over animal instincts. Notice the accuracy of fierce expressions formed by the tiger underneath Shiva that contrast to the calm and composed face features of the Lord.
Sculptor’s immense control over his skills and creativity can be analyzed by the superfine patterns on the serpent’s body that coils around Shiva’s neck and the beauty of dual-layered rudraksha mala on the neck, armlets and bracelets can be appreciated by the way it is carved. Rudraksha is a powerful symbol of Shiva as it is said, that when Shiva was immersed in his blissful self, tears ran through his eyes and fell on the ground, thus forming a seed which grew to be a tree and was known as rudraksha. Third eye on forehead, crescent moon, miniature Ganga face visible from within his matted locks and the damru (drum) entangled trishul (trident) are some of the iconic Shiva symbols which sculptor has keenly taken care of while carving them out.
The rear image of this Shiva sculpture displays the amazingly carved hair strands of Lord Shiva that form a matted bun on top of his head and the remaining ones let loose at the back. This benevolent posture of Shiva represents his ‘bhava’ form, where he protects the humble mendicants and rules over beauty and divinity.
The Atharva Veda mentions those manifestations of Shiva that rule the directions of space (see P. Banerjee, Early Indian Religions, p.30). The various aspects of Shiva in this regard are:
a). Bhava (The Originator of Things) - As Bhava, Shiva rules over the east, the direction of beauty and of the sun. In this form he protects the humble, wanderers (mendicants or nomads), the excommunicated, and the excluded, etc.
b). Sharva (The Archer) - Ruler of the south, the direction of death and of the ancestors.
c). Pashupati (Lord of the Animals) - Rules over the west, the direction of night and of magic.
d). Ugra (The Terrible) - Rules over the north, the direction of the moon.
e). Rudra (Lord of Tears) - Rules over the nether regions.
f). Ishana (The Supreme Sovereign) - Rules over the vault of heaven and the gods.
Rudra, Sharva, and Ugra are the destructive aspects of Shiva, whilst Bhava, Pashupati, and Ishana are his benevolent aspects.
Here the sculptor has sought to delineate Shiva in his benevolent aspect of 'Bhava,' or the 'Source of all things he is seated on a tiger skin and the head of the dead animal can be seen hanging over the symbolic mound which signifies the Mount Kailash, whose summit serves as his abode. The ornaments adorning him (armlets, bracelets and necklaces) are made up of the sacred rudraksh beads. In addition, he wears an amuletic choker and also a serpent coils himself around his neck, raising its venomous hood at Shiva's right shoulder.
Shiva's attire is composed solely of an animal-skin loincloth, worn typically by sadhus and mendicants. The sacred thread crosses his body diagonally. His right hand is raised in the mudra of blessing. Inscribed over the palm is AUM, Hinduism's holiest mantra. The trident stands majestically in the background and tied to it is the damaru, the hourglass-shaped drum, Shiva's favorite musical instrument. The swirls of his hair are tied in a high knot, perceptible there is a distinctly feminine face. She is Ganga, and the whirls symbolize her scared waters.
For practicing Yoga and for performing beneficent rites, one must always face east. Indeed, temples dedicated to the beneficent aspects of a god, always open to the east.
This is what the Linga Purana says about Shiva as Bhava:
"Bhava, the knower of the Veda says, is the all-powerful god. He is the nature of the life of the worlds. His consort is called Peace-of-the-Night (Uma) by the sages, his son is the planet, Venus. He is the reservoir of the seed of the seven worlds; he is the protector of the seven worlds." (Linga Purana 2.13.5-6.).
References:
Banerjee, P. Early Indian Religions: Delhi, 1973.
How to keep a Brass statue well-maintained?
Brass statues are known and appreciated for their exquisite beauty and luster. The brilliant bright gold appearance of Brass makes it appropriate for casting aesthetic statues and sculptures. Brass is a metal alloy composed mainly of copper and zinc. This chemical composition makes brass a highly durable and corrosion-resistant material. Due to these properties, Brass statues and sculptures can be kept both indoors as well as outdoors. They also last for many decades without losing all their natural shine.
Brass statues can withstand even harsh weather conditions very well due to their corrosion-resistance properties. However, maintaining the luster and natural beauty of brass statues is essential if you want to prolong their life and appearance.
In case you have a colored brass statue, you may apply mustard oil using a soft brush or clean cloth on the brass portion while for the colored portion of the statue, you may use coconut oil with a cotton cloth.
Brass idols of Hindu Gods and Goddesses are especially known for their intricate and detailed work of art. Nepalese sculptures are famous for small brass idols portraying Buddhist deities. These sculptures are beautified with gold gilding and inlay of precious or semi-precious stones. Religious brass statues can be kept at home altars. You can keep a decorative brass statue in your garden or roof to embellish the area and fill it with divinity.
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