Friday, December 18, 2015

Airavatesvara Temple, Darasuram – Depiction of Stories of Shaiva Saints in Temple

Airavatesvara Temple, Darasuram – Depiction of Stories of Shaiva Saints in Temple
Of particular interest and narrative force at the Darasuram temple is a series of stories concerning Saiva saints, illustrated in miniature panels as the top line of the base of the vimana and the mandapa. Many of these are explained by means of labels incised in characters of the period, and some of these are detailed below:

Many scenes present graphic depictions of Appar, the great saint who converted Mahendra-Varman Pallava, and who is always represented holding a spud against his shoulder. Then there is the story of Tirumular, bathing with his wife in the tank beside the temple. This is followed by the story of a saint who was fond of feeding Saiva devotees. Once Siva tested the saint by coming to him at midnight in the guise of a Brahmana and demanding food, the saint did not hesitate to feed him. The label for this story reads: Ilaiyamarangudi Marar Kadai.
The next panel shows a saint clothed in lion-skin, carrying a rod in his hand and standing before a scale. On one side of the scale there are two figures of a man and woman in adoration, while Siva and Parvati, on Nandi, grant them darshana. There is also a scene of a king offering his sword to a young Saiva saint, clothed in lion-skin and carrying a staff.

The devotion of Kannappanayanar is illustrated in a panel that shows him plucking out his own eye with an arrow, as an offering. Markandeya appears next with Yama's noose wrapped not only around the adoring saint's neck, but also around the linga itself.
Beyond this is the story of a woman having her hair cut off as a saint watches; Siva with his consort are seen riding their bull high up in the sky. Next, there is a representation of a saint playing the flute near an elephant in a forest, surrounded by cows, when Siva and Parvati visit him on their bull.

The next scene shows a devotee carefully preparing a garland, and then adoring Siva, seated in front of a temple and holding a rosary.
The next scene shows the legend of Nanda, the great saint who bathed in the tank and walked though fire to access the portals of Chidambaram temple. Siva and Parvati are shown on the bull, granting Nanda darshana. This story is labeled: Tirunalai-povar kadai.

The next scene shows the story of Tirukkuripputondar, the saintly washer man from Kanchi, whose sincerity was tested by Siva. Siva is shown in the guise of an old Brahmana, holding a staff and demanding his clothes, which could not be washed by that evening because of a storm.
Then follow scenes from the life of Chandesa. The boy-saint is shown bathing a linga under a tree with the milk of his cows. When his father interrupts him with anger, Chandesa not brooking interference cuts off his father's legs with an axe. For this he is rewarded by a Saiva saint, who winds a garland on his head. Chandesa is shown seated reverently at the feet of Siva and Parvati while he is adorned with the garland. The inscription reads: Saynallurpillaiyar kadai.

Next is the story of Tirujnanasambanda, the boy-saint who overcame the Jainas, by performing the miracle of floating a manuscript against the current of a stream. The Jainas are shown impaled, while the saint is depicted as a very small boy, holding cymbals and being adored by a devotee from behind. Three nude Jainas, holding flowers and other objects, are shown standing; their intention is probably to throw these objects into the stream and perform a miracle. The king is at the centre of the panel, and beyond him are the impaled, defeated Jainas.

Another carving shows a devotee who was commanded by an aerial voice to find ghee to light the lamps at the Siva temple at Tiruvalur (indicated by a bull). Having failed to do so, he is shown filling a vessel with water from a lotus-pond full of fish and birds. The inscription clearly reads: Naminandi Adigal.
Then there is the story of the boy-saint Sambandar, described as Aludaiyapillaiyar in the inscription. His father is questioning the boy, who points to Siva and Parvati on Nandi and explains that they fed him with divine milk.
Beyond this is the legend of the warrior Kalikkamanayanar, choosing to die on his bed rather than be cured of paralysis by Sundara-murti. Sundara-murti, in turn, attempts suicide rather than return without curing the warrior. Eventually, the one is brought to life and the other prevented from killing himself. The inscription reads: eyarkon Kalikkamandar.

Now appear two priests, the Homa fire between them, and the label: Somasimaranar.
Next there is a saint adoring Siva with a garland. This is the story of a Jaina who was so lost in the worship of Siva that he did not notice when he used bricks instead of flowers. It is labeled: Sakkiyanar.

This is followed by the legend of another great Saiva devotee, who served his son's flesh to Siva when the deity came to him in disguise and demanded this ghastly food. When it was cooked, the guest refused to eat in the house of a childless couple. Finally, Siva appeared before them and restored the child to life, and the mother was greatly joyful. The label reads: Siruttondar kadai.

Labeled Seramanperumal kadai is a depiction of Sera man, the Chera king, going to Kailasa on an elephant. Beyond this are a number of scholars and a king. The inscription, in two strips, reads: Poyyadimaiyillada pulavar and Kurruvanar - all Saiva saints.

The next story is described as Puga/cholanar. Here a saintly Chola king is so filled with sorrow at the sight of the head of a Siva devotee in heads piled before him by his victorious commander that, to expiate the sin, he takes this enemy's head on his own and enters the fire, when Siva and Parvati appear on Nandi to bless him.

Beyond this is a scene from the life of a king who was fond of rewarding Saiva saints irrespective of their sincerity. He is shown in the company of six pandaram saints. The label reads: Narasingamunaiyaraiyar.

Next comes the story of Adipattan, a fisherman from Nagapattinam who would offer the best fish from his daily catch to Siva. One day he caught only a single fish, but offered even that willingly, at which Siva appeared with his consort on his bull and blessed him. The inscription reads: Adibattar kadai.

Another illustration shows a devotee who would feed Saiva saints, and even cut off his wife's hands when she hesitated to welcome and wash the feet of their old servant, now turned a recluse and shown standing at their door. He was consequently graced by a darshana of Siva and Parvati on their bull. The inscription reads: Kalikkambandar kadai.

Another saint is shown driving a pair of bulls to press oil. He would take this to the Siva temple beyond the river. One day he failed to get the required oil, so he tried to feed the lamps with his own blood by cutting off his head, until Siva appeared and blessed him. The fragmentary inscription reads: Kaliyanar.

The next story tells of Sattiyandar, a devotee of Siva, who would cut off the tongue of those who spoke ill of Saiva devotees.
A Pallava king who abandoned his throne to serve Siva is shown adoring temples at four different places. The inscription reads: Ayyadigal Kadavarkonar.

This is followed by a scene illustrating the story of Kanampulandar; a saint would light lamps in temples. Once, failing to obtain money by selling grass to buy ghee for the lamps, he first lit the grass itself and later his own locks of hair.
The next carving shows the famous author of Tirukkovai, who spent all his wealth in renovating temples and finally reached mount Kailasa. The inscription reads: Kariyar.

The next scene shows the Pandyan king Nedumaran, who was converted by his queen and minister. The inscription reads: Nedumaranar.
Beyond this is the sage Vayilar, seated with a rosary in his hand. Another scene shows a king cutting off his queen's hands with a sword. This is the story of a Pallava king who mutilated his queen for having inadvertently smelt a flower intended for Siva.
She had already had her nose cut off by a saint named Seruttunai for the same offence. The inscription reads: Kalanchinganar.
The adjacent panel shows Seruttunai cutting off the queen's nose, and is labeled Seruttunaiyandar.
Beyond this is the story of the saintly priest of the Srivilliputtur temple, who worshipped Siva even during a great famine. Growing increasingly weak, he once dropped his water-pot on a linga, and the god appeared and directed him to seek and find a coin daily near the bali-pitha, to sustain himself. The inscription reads: Pugalttunaiyar.
The next scene shows a warrior killing a child with his sword, while women shout in fear and crouch away from him. He then adores Siva with Parvati on Nandi. This illustrates the story of the commander of a Chola king who killed all his people, including babies, for having consumed paddy intended for Siva during a famine, when he was away in the battlefield. The inscription reads: Kolpuliyandar.
The next scene shows a saint adoring several other saints - an act considered as meritorious as adoring Siva himself. The inscription reads: Battaraippanivar.
The following scene shows devotees singing and sounding cymbals before a Siva temple. The label reads: Paramanaiye paduvar - which means their songs of praise are for Siva only. A similar scene shows a saint seated in contemplation near a temple from where the deity is taken out in procession, to the accompaniment of music and dance, towards the bali-pitha and Nandi.
The next scene shows saints adoring Siva at Tiruvarur. The inscription reads: Tiruvarurpirandar - which means that anyone born in the holy spot of Tiruvarur is saintly enough to be adored.
Beyond this there is a saint worshipping a linga, above which there is a bell hanging, and below a conch on a tripod, reminiscent of objects portrayed in Javanese sculpture. This and its inscription, Mukhalam Thirumeni tinduvar, glorify those who worship Siva thrice daily.
Another panel depicts the story of a Pandya king, and his queen Mangayarkarasi who, with the help of the boy-saint Sambandar, converted her husband to Saivism. The fragmentary inscription reads: Pandimadevi.
Then there is the story of the weaver-saint Nesandar, who would donate the produce of his loom to Saiva devotees.
A beautiful sculpture beyond this shows a king adoring a temple. This is a portrait of a Chola monarch who was ranked among the saints for his devotion. The inscription reads: Ko Singapperumal.
The next scene illustrates the story of a devotee and his wife who played musical instruments and sang near the Siva temple at Madurai.
The saint holds an early type of vina (interesting for the study of ancient musical instruments), and his wife plays cymbals. The inscription reads: Tirunilakantapperumbananar.
Beyond this are Sadaiyanar and Isainaniyar, father and mother of Sundara, whose story is illustrated in succeeding panels. Thus: an old Brahmana with a manuscript and umbrella in his hands talks to a princely youth. Inscribed Avana-olaikattinapadi, this illustrates how
Siva came disguised as a Brahmana to fetch the Sundara-murti, on the day of his marriage, to the temple at Thiruvennainallur. He carried a document that proved his claim over Sundara, as also over his father and grandfather. The following scene shows some Saiva saints and a youth sounding cymbals before a temple.
This illustrates the beginning of Sundara's career as a composer of hymns. The inscription reads: Udayanambiyai andukondaruliyapadi.
Next, a princely youth, evidently Sundara, is shown leading a king by a temple and directing him to cross a river to reach another Siva temple. The inscription reads: Udaiyanambikku ollenrarulinapadi.
The next scene shows Sundara, quite princely in appearance with a peacock-feather umbrella carried by an attendant, waylaid by dacoits and robbed of the wealth he received from the Chera king. The inscription reads: Udayanambiyai vedar valipparittavidam. Further up, a scene shows Sundara sounding cymbals near a temple, with a number of bags piled before him. This illustrates how the thieves were commanded by the deity to restore Sundara's wealth at Thirumurganpoondi. The inscription reads: Tirumuruganpundiyil perrapadi.
The last scene shows a woman receiving her child from the jaws of a crocodile in a tank adjoining a temple at Avinasi. The princely figure here is saint Sundara, his hands in adoration. The scene illustrates how, by singing a hymn, Sundara caused the crocodile to disgorge the child it had swallowed. The inscription reads Avinasiyandar mudalaivaipillai.