Ardhanarishvara: A Profound Symbol of Indian Philosophy

A Curated Collection of Artworks and Books of Lord Shiva as Ardhanarishvara  [Click here]( to view in browser.   [Logo](  [STATUES]( [PAINTINGS]( [BOOKS]( [JEWELRY]( [TEXTILES](  [The opening verse of the Raghuvamsam of Kalidasa gives a profound exposition of Ardhanarishvara in the following words: "vagarthaviva sampriktau vagartha-pratipattaye, jagatah pitarau vande parvati-parameshvara." This verse compares the literary fusion of meaning (artha, masculine) and the speech which utters it (vach, feminine) to the harmonious union of Shiva-Parvati in which, although as inextricably conjoined as a word is with its meaning, the couple yet retain their individual significance.](   Padmasana Ardhanarishvara This seated Ardhanrishvara depicts the coming together of the first yoga-guru, Lord Adinath, and the first yoga-shishya, Devi Parvati. Note the signature padmasana of their stance - upturned heels gathered in a straight line below the navel and the knees-and-hip trifecta resting on the ground.    Ascetic Ardhanarishvara This superfine marble sculpture captures the beauty of Ardhanrishvara with great finesse and skill. The iconography has been done with a great deal to precision and attention to detail - the congruence of their adornments, the symmetry of composure and hair, the signature karnakundalas.      Ardha-Narishvara Shiva with Child Ganesha in Lap The verse that the artist has inscribed on the top of the folio authenticates this form of Lord Shiva as Ardha-narishvara. As illustrates this text, his one half is ash-grey with ashes smeared over it, houses fearful serpents, holds river Ganga in the coiffure, wears the garland of skulls on the neck, and loin-skin, as part of his ensemble, on the shoulder, decorates his head with crescent, and forehead, with the ‘tri-punda’ – auspicious mark in Shaivite tradition, and the ‘tri-netra’ – third eye, and the other half consists of a feminine face, well dressed hair, and beautiful figure adorned with various ornaments and holds child Ganesha whom gods, kings and all on the earth worship.    Dancing Ardhanarishvara The dancing Ardhanarishvara is the most telling deity of Hindu philosophy. It is not only the confluence of purush and prakriti, of the male and the female, of energy and matter; but a powerful symbol of existence as a process. Two halves each of Lord Shiva and His wife, Parvati, meet to strike up a dance that is expressive of the two basic, complementary tendencies of the mind: wrath and bliss. Shiva expresses wrath in His tandava, while Parvati expresses bliss in Her lasya. While lasya is the spiritual progenitor of existence as we know it, tandava is the all-important destruction of the same. The dancing Ardhanarishvara is the very picture of what Virginia Woolf considered "the best mind", neither woman-manly nor man-womanly.      All is Nothing But Shiva and Parvati (Ardhanarishvara) All that is expressed by masculine gender words is nothing but Lord Shiva. All that is expressed by feminine gender words is none other than goddess Parvati. (Linga Purana II.11.19).    Bhadrasana Ardhanarishvara This gentle watercolour depicts the two deities as one, seated in bhadrasana on a mat of tiger-skin. They are the primordial yogis, Lord Shiva having imparted the knowledge of yoga to His Parvat; in fact, Yogadarshana is the applied aspect of the more theoretical Sankhyadarshana. He wields a trishool; She, a noose. A sliver of the moon graces His matted locks, while Her gorgeous curls are held in place by a bejewelled crown. He is bare-bodied but for the loincloth, in stark contrast to which She is drawing the pallu of Her saree over Her torso with Her anterior hand.      Ardhanarishvara (Shiva - Shakti) The right half of the figure is packed with factors of male physiognomy and most of Shaivite attributes and the left half with those of a woman and the attributes of Shiva's spouse Parvati. The right side has two arms - the two of Shiva's four, and the left just one, obviously one of Parvati's two arms. Upto thigh level figure's right leg is without cloth but the left representing part of Parvati's figure is elegantly covered with decently plated saree. The job of the artist-caster must have been quite challenging. On one hand he was required to discover out of the most conflicting and diverse elements - the masculine and feminine, the unity of his figure's form and on the other with as much distinction, precision, and minuteness he had to create his contrasts, and in both he has so well excelled.    Nritya Ardhanarishvara The tradition of stone-carving in Mahabalipuram traces its origins in the Pallava period. Fashioned from karuppu kal (black granite), the process involved is time-intensive and speaks volumes about the skill and temperament of the sculptors. Multiple rounds of stenciling and chiselling call for the attention of up to 50 craftsmen on a single work of art such as this one. Note the graciousness of the curves at each juncture of the deity’s roopa, the dynamism of the silhouette - these are the hallmarks of the region’s devotional handiwork.      The Harmony of the Sexes (Ardhanarishvara) In the mundane world all men and women reflect the duality expressed in the concept of Ardhanarishvara. Every man and woman contains within himself or herself both male and female principles. A man is a man only because of the excess in him of the principle of masculinity, and a woman is a woman because of the predominance of the principle of femininity.    The Beauty Of Ardhanarishvara The brass Ardhanarishvara that you see here comes with a stoney, etched-in finish. The colour is a deep, polished brown, punctuated with the pale etchings of the garments, the shringar, and the crown. The arms of the deity make as if strumming on a musical instrument. The Lord Shiva is chaturbhujadhari, while the Devi Parvati is dvibhujadhari. In sharp contrast to each other are His flaying jata and Her gathered locks; His broad, muscular torso and Her soft, curvaceous one; His ascetic’s loincloth and Her silken dhoti covering the entirety of Her long legs.      Large Ardhanarishvara (Shiva Shakti) - Brocadeless Thangka In the painting the four-armed Ardhanarishvara is shown standing on a lotus above the water in Agni. It is said that primeval parents first revealed themselves in the Agni at the creation of the world when all was perfect void and from which at his own will the primordial parents was produced.    Ardhanarishvara (Shiva-Shakti), With The Towering Jatamukuta While the silhouette juts out in the shape of a broad shoulder on Shiva's side, it descends into a soft curve on Parvati's. Note the finesse of Her fingers, giving it away that She plays some divine melody on Her veena. One of Shiva's hands rests on the back of His trusty Nandi, a popular stance of the deity, while the other holds up the goad of dharma. Luxuriant adornments, starting from the neck to the navel, wind around the undulations of the torso that is skilfully carved in accordance with the essence of each deity that makes up the composite.      Nandi Muzzling The Feet Of Ardhanarishvara Of all the folk art forms in India, patachitra is the most complex. The natural pigments that are used for the chitras look great on this patta. While themes usually revolve around Jagannatha of Puri (for the obvious reasons) and avataras of Krishna, this patachitra depicts Ardhanarishvara instead. The deity stands on a blooming lotus with the seated Nandi muzzling Shiva's feet. Parvati's saree is long and flowing, while Shiva is draped in an austere tigerskin. Her shringar is ampler and more feminine than the grim bands of rudraksha on His limbs. The curves of Her anatomy are more defined, Her thick straight tresses cascade down Her back while His wavey locks are flying in the wind. His jatamukuta is complemented by Her luxuriant crown. Winged celestial beauties floating amidst the clouds on either side of the patachitra on top complete the composition.    Ardharishvara, The Sammelana Of Purusha Va Prakrti The South has been the home of India’s rich bronze tradition since the patronage of the art-loving Cholas. Handpicked from Swamimalai, this Ardharishvara is a fine example of that age-old tradition. In fact, the Ardhanarishvara deity is as one-of-a-kind and venerable as the medium itself.      Shiva and Durga At the feet of Shiva sits Nandi, the bull that is his associated vehicle. At the other side is the fierce lion, belonging to Durga. This beautiful androgyne image portrays the coming together of Parvati as Durga with her lord, the togetherness of female and male and the oneness of prakriti and purusha.    The Most Sacred and Auspicious of All Divine Forms This Ardhanarishvara image is exceptional in its saumya-roop. The entire figure is in a posture of dance. But for a goad, it does not carry any weapons. Snakes, which are an integral part of his iconography, are missing, and so his garland of skulls and other attributes that are ferocious. In absolute ease his lower right arm appears to be placed on his Nandi. In the statue, two forms united, not to reveal distinction but rather to dilute it completely.      Large Size Ardhanarishvara (Shiva Shakti) This quite a tall brass statue in the tradition of great Chola bronzes of South represents the Ardhanarishvara, that is, half male and half female, form of Lord Shiva. The master caster has packed the right half of the statue with factors of male physiognomy and the most of Shaivite attributes and the left half with those of a woman and the attributes of Shiva's spouse Parvati. The magnificence of caster's art lies in discovering the unity of his form in ever the most conflicting and diverse elements, the masculine and feminine, and what is more, the unity is superb and the distinction, precision, and minuteness with which he has created his contrasts as unique. He has adhered to tradition but with quite innovative strides. The feminine half representing Parvati prominently holds in one of her or his hands a large lotus, the emblem of Lakshmi, symbolizing the ultimate fusion of all female elements in her as that of the male and female elements in her lord, the Ardhanarishvara.     [Ardhanarishvara (Shiva and Parvati)](  [Ardhanarishvara (Shiva and Parvati)]( Brass Statue   [Ardhanarishvara](  [Ardhanarishvara]( Wood Carving From South India     [Twin-hued Ardhanarishvara](  [Twin-hued Ardhanarishvara]( Brass Statue   [Dancing Ardhanarishvara: Half-Copper, Half-Bronze](  [Dancing Ardhanarishvara: Half-Copper, Half-Bronze]( Bronze and Copper Statue from Swamimalai     [Ardhanarishvara - The Half Male and Half Female Form of Shiva with Floral Aureole](  [Ardhanarishvara - The Half Male and Half Female Form of Shiva with Floral Aureole]( Brass Statue   [Ardhanarishvara (Shiva-Shakti)](  [Ardhanarishvara (Shiva-Shakti)]( Brass Statue      [Books on Ardhanarishvara](   [Ardhanarisvara (Ardhanarishvara) in Art and Literature](  [Ardhanarisvara (Ardhanarishvara) in Art and Literature]( Hardcover   [अर्धनारीश्वरस्तोत्रम् - Ardhanarishvara Stotra](  [अर्धनारीश्वरस्तोत्रम् - Ardhanarishvara Stotra]( PAPERBACK       Exotic India Art 2573 Hamline Ave N Suite A, Roseville, MN 55113 USA  [icon-facebook]( [icon-twitter](  Sent to {EMAIL} | [Unsubscribe]( at any time. 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