It must be noted that NandTsa is a favourite deity of the

Saiva puritans, the so-called Lingayatas or Vlra-Saivas.

Bhringi, Bhringiriti or Bhringlsa is similarly a fervent BHRINGISA. devotee of Siva. So exclusive was he in his devotion that he is said to have ignored the goddess who was part and parcel of Siva. His sole business in life, to which he had pledged himself, was ever to circumambulate the linga of Siva and no one else. To test his faith the god assumed the hermaphrodite form of Ardhanari in which the goddess, as already described, is not separated from the god. Bhringi was not baffled ; but assuming the form of a bee (bhringa) he bored into the united body and continued still to go round and round the Siva half of the hermaphrodite. The goddess Parvatl was enraged and cursed him to become emaciated day after day. Bhringi, accordingly, grew very thin and was unable to support himself. With the grace of Siva he secured a third leg which supported him. Thus Bhringi is represented in pictures with three legs (fig. I05). 1 An image of Bhringlsa with three arms and three legs is stated to have been set up in the temple at Tanjore by a subordinate of Rajaraja I in the eleventh century A.D.

Jvaradeva of Saiva mythology, who is supposed to have JVARADEVA. been the destroyer of the demon Bhasmasura, is described in the Agamas as having three legs, three heads, six arms, nine eyes, and a dejected appearance. An image from Bhavani in the Coimbatore district (fig. 106) answers to this description of Jvaradeva.

Ganapati, Ganesa or Vinayaka, the popular " belly god," GANAPATI, is, as his name indicates, the chief of the Saiva ganas. He is said to be the eldest son of Siva and Parvatl, to have three eyes, an elephant's head 3 and ears and four arms. In the

1 The Vamana-/'r5tf states that Bhringi was the name conferred by Siva on the demon Andhaka after the latter had proved himself to be a staunch devotee of Si%'a. Bhringi is represented with an emaciated body holding the staff in one hand and the rosary in the other. His eyes are ever directed towards Siva.

2 One of the popular stories explaining how Ganapati came to have the elephant's head is as follows : Once upon a time when Parvati went to bathe, she made a figure of the turmeric which had been smeared over her body, gave it life and limbs and appointed it to keep watch at the door. Siva came to see Parvatl but was stopped at the door by the newly created guard. Siva in anger cut off the head of the figure. The goddess entreated him to revive her child. He agreed and said that the head of any living body sleeping with the head placed northward might be severed at once and placed on the trunk of the turmeric figure. Afl elephant was found sleeping in the way described. Its head was accordingly cut