against the bull and is not mounted on it, the Kasyapa-Silpa
calls him Vrishavahana. In this case the elbow (kurpara) of the right hand of Siva rests on the head of the bull as in the illus- trations (figs. 70 and /l). 1 The Mayamata also gives the same description, but adds that the bull stands behind the seat on which the god and goddess sit. The right lower hand of Siva holds the trident while the two upper hands hold the axe and the deer.
XIII
Chandrasekharamurti ~ (the crescent-crested lord) may, according to the Kasyapa-Silpa of the Amsumat-Tantra, be represented in two different forms, either alone or in company of the goddess Gaurl. When alone, he stands on the pe- destal with level feet (samapada), holding the antelope and the kettle-drum (or, axe) in his back arms and presenting the abhaya and the varada postures in the fore-arms. The cres- cent decorates the jatamakuta of the god, either on its right side or on the left. In other respects the image is a pleas- ing representation (fig. 72) of the general form of Rudra described above. When accompanied by the goddess he may also be seated (fig. 73). The right lower hand shows the abhaya posture and the left lower passes round the back of the yielding goddess and touches her breasts. Some Agamas do not permit the hand to be stretched so far, but only up to the left arm of the goddess. The illustration from Bagali (fig. 74) answers to this description but holds the trident and the kettle-drum in the upper hands instead of the axe and the deer. The goddess also with her right hand touches the right side of the waist-band of the god from the back and holds a flower in her left. She may also be seen passing her hand over his shoulder. Such figures of Chandrasekhara are called Alinganamurti or the embracing form. They are also known as Pradoshamurti, since in all well-maintained Siva temples,
1 The illustrations given show two and four hands respectively for Siva, who standing with his legs crossed and leaning against the back of the bull, has the kurpara of his right hand placed on the head of the bull. A fine image from Ceylon figured as No. 29 in Part II of Visvakarma is evidently one of Vrisha- rudha as described in the Mayamata. The trident in the right lower hand, the bull and the goddess are missing.
2 The great Chola king Rajaraja I is represented in the Tanjore inscriptions to have been devoted particularly to this form of Siva. The figures of the king and of Chandrasekhara receiving worship from him, were set up by the manager of the temple before the close of the 2gth year of that king, i.e., before A, D. 1013-14.