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ELEPHANTA CAVES PART 8 - SHIVA as RUDRA – ANDHAKASURAVADHAMURTHY -GHARAPURI -

GHARAPURI  - ELEPHANTA CAVES 8


SHIVA as RUDRA – ANDHAKASURAVADHAMURTHY – slayer of ANDHAKASURA -ANDHAKA-RIPU – The killer of ANDHAKA.



SHIVA as RUDRA , AGHORA or BHAIRAVA

Out of the sweat from the palms of PARVATHI, when she closed the eyes of SHIVA, was born ANDHAKA. Born blind and ugly, SHIVA gave the child to HIRANYAKSHA the Asura. Born out of darkness, he was called ANDHAKASURA as per the SHIVA PURANA. As per the HARIVAMSA PURANA he supposed to have been born as a Daitya  to Rishi Kashyap & his wife Diti.


He did penance to BRAMHA and got a boon to rule over all the three worlds and to die only at the hands of SHIVA. Intoxicated by the power he started torturing all living beings and wanted to usurp the most beautiful woman PARVATHI from SHIVA to marry her, without realizing that PARVATHI was his mother.


In the battle, with SHIVA, the LORD pierces ANDHAKASURA with his TRISHUL(Trident), but every drop of his blood which fell on earth created another demon-clone like him. Shiva created Kali to drink the blood before it fell to the ground. Realizing his end, ANDHAKASURA asks for mercy from SHIVA, who makes him his gana.

ANDHAKASURA VADHA 
                                           


In the Panel an angry lord SHIVA (11 feet 6 inches) in the form of BHAIRAVA or RUDRA or AGHORA impales ANDHAKASURA and collects his blood in a bowl, to prevent him from multiplying. The Rishis,  Apsaras and Ganas watching LORD RUDRA in awe.


The UGRA (Fierce) expressions, along with a skull and a crescent on his crown is a cobra with its hood opened, the jaws with canine projectile, large swollen eyes with rage, a RUNDA-MALA or a garland of skulls flowing from his left shoulder to his left  torso is  amazing.


Ashtabhuja ( Eight armed), The front right and left arm seem to be holding the spear which penetrates Andhakasura, the second-right holding a sword, the third-right seem to be holding an Asura upside down by his legs. The Fourth-right and the fourth-left arms are holding the skin of the Elephant or Gaja-Charma, which looks like a backdrop screen, except for the elephant face behind the sword with its drooping trunk and a tusk .( Lord Shiva is also known as Krittivasa – or the wearer of animal hide. The second-left arm is holding a bowl under the Asura to collect his blood and the third-left hand has a bell to denote the moment of good over evil.  The panel is so mutilated or damaged that the assumptions of some of the specifics can only be deduced when compared to similar panels in Ellora caves.



Sword and the elephant




Bell & the Bowl


 An interesting relief on top of the panel depicts a peculiar and interesting stupa like a structure with a curved groove in the middle, being carried by two flying figures and being worshipped by two figures in each side.  It probably signifies a Shiva shrine with a Linga in the centre. The extreme end depicts Mithuna’s or divine couple.
Linga Shrine being carried by flying celestials

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Location: Elephanta Island, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra

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