The Temple of Muktesvara -Iconography

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The Temple of Muktesvara -Iconography

his body. áiva is omnipresent and He occupies the whole universe. The temple represents áiva. So the left part is reserved to his áakti. In almost all the temples of K¡½¡mukhas and P¡¿upatas the goddess is represented in the northern gable-ends, e. g. in the Ka·aÆb®¿vara temple in Ra¶¶iha½½i K®d¡r®¿vara in Ba½½ig¡ve, S°man¡th®¿vara at Hara½aha½½i etc. So in Mukte¿vara temple also the goddess is shown on the north.
She is holding tri¿£la, akÀam¡l¡, ·amaru and m¡tulu´ga fruit in upper and lower right and left hands respectively. She is adorned with ru¸·am¡l¡ along with other ornaments. The animal carved on the pedestal looks like a jackal. Or is it a dog? By the side of the goddess are two lady-accompanyists, one on the right playing an instrument of percussion resembling a m¤daÆga and the other to the left playing on cymbals. It is also interesting to note that a skull is fixed on both tri¿£la and ·amaru. The head on the tri¿£la can be identified with the head of Vi¿vaks®na but what about the one on ·amaru?

ICONOGRAPHY

The temple of Mukte¿vara has been the victim of vandalism. Originally it was an extremely rich temple in sculptured icons. A good number of statues have disappeared. Numerous empty mo

ICONOGRAPHY

The temple of Muktevara has been the victim of vandalism. Originally it was an extremely rich temple in sculptured icons. A good number of statues have disappeared. Numerous empty mortises, obviously made for the tenons of sculptured stelae, are testimonies to prove that the whole external wall of the temple was adorned with bracket figures. Mortises are seen on the base of the capitals of practically all the thin pilasters on the outer wall of the main monument. They were probably the place for the base of bracket figures, the top of which was engaged in the lower face of the eave (kapota) above them. Sculptured panels in the gable-ends of the tower have also disappeared, wherever they were detachable. There must have been more than a hundred figures decorating the external walls. Adding the stelae plundered in other parts of the monument, the total number of lost sculptures raises to some hundred and sixty. This loss must have occurred before 1866, as none of those presumed icons are seen on Pigou and Dixon’s photograph.

Temple of Muktvara, cella Muktvara Linga.
The Li´ga which goes by the name of Muktevara is in the sanctum sanctorum and is an udbhavamfrti. It is a very small cylindrical stone with its p¡¸ipe0jha. almost at the ground level. By and large Li´gas of udbhavamfrti type are placed on low sockets whereas Li´gas installed by human beings are on an elevated pejha. Virfp¡kaali´ga at Haapi, Mukte¿vara at Cau·ad¡napura and Sa¸gamvara at K£·alasa´gama in Bij¡pura district are a few among the best examples of svayaÆbh£ or udbhava Li´gas, whereas B¤had¢¿vara in Tanj¡vur and Ga´gaiko¸·ac°Lapuram are the best examples of man made Li´gas.

Ragamaapa, Saptamatrka.
Like in most of the temples built during this period, a panel of Saptamit is has been installed in a niche in the ra´gama¸·apa. By and large this panel is found to the left, when the devotee stands facing the main deity in the sanctum sanctorum. According to Ajit¡gama and Mayamata the Mother goddesses should be installed in villages or in temples. Mayamata states that the goddesses should be installed either facing north or east and should be near the main entrance. To the áaivas the temple represents Kail¡sa. According to Rudrak°¶isaÆhit¡ in áivapur¡¸a the fort gates of Kail¡sa are guarded by Bhairavas. Each of the goddesses stands there as the áakti of the guardian. As these áaktis are none but the consorts of main gods such as Brahm¡, ViÀ¸u, Mah®¿vara, Indra, Var¡ha and so on, they must have the same vehicles and attributes. As they are the áaktis and their energy is primordial in the protection of the fort they must be worshipped first. This idea has been depicted on the stone in the fo rm of a panel. On either side of the panel are seated, in the beginning áiva as V¢¸¡dharam£rti playing on the v¢¸¡ and Ga¸®¿a at the other end. These goddesses were highly revered in temples to áiva built by K¡l¡mukhas, and P¡¿upatas.
On entering the temple from the southern entrance the panel is found in a niche in southwestern corner facing north. The goddesses are Br¡hm¢, M¡h®¿var¢, Kaum¡r¢, VaiÀ¸av¢, V¡r¡h¢, Indr¡¸¢ and C¡mu¸·¡. Images of their vehicles are carved at the foot of each one. All the goddesses are in seated position. The panel is in a very good state of preservation. Only it needs a good cleaning.
Texts and treatises on iconography prescribe the order of the goddesses as given above. On the panel VaiÀ¸av¢ should have the fifth place. In Mukte¿vara temple Kaum¡r¢ is placed in the third position, i. e. áiva V¢¸¡dhara, Br¡hm¢, Kaum¡r¢, M¡h®¿var¢, VaiÀ¸av¢ etc. The reason for this alteration is unknown.

Ra´gama¸·apa, S£rya. | Ra´gama¸·apa, east facade, to the north of the porch, áurya.
Facing south is an image of Sun god S£rya placed on a pedestal on which seven horses have been represented. Sun, according to áivapur¡¸a is the disc of áiva. So the worship of Sun god was very popular when the L¡ku½a¿aiva movement was quite fervent. In many temples such as Brahm®¿vara temple at Abl£ru, áiva temple at Mattiha½½i etc. a special sanctum sanctorum was built for the Sun god.
However, the statue of Sun god in the Mukte¿vara temple at Cau·ad¡napura is not original. It has been saved from further damage and decay from the neighbouring village NarasiÆhapura temple. Probably, there must have been a statue of S£rya in Mukte¿vara temple also. But, that statue had been lost. As the seat of the Sun god seems to be in its original place the statue must have been stolen, leaving the empty p¢¶ha (pedestal) in situ. The image of Sun god hailing from elsewhere has filled up the vacant seat. This is an interesting piece of sculpture. S£rya is carved standing under snake hood.

Nandin, temple of Some¿vara at Haralahalli.
There is a beautiful couchant Nandin facing west, placed near the eastern door. Nandin or bull is the vehicle of áiva. According to Pur¡¸as and Ëgamas, at the time of pralaya (deluge) when Dharma in distress went to see áiva, the Lord assured him protection and advised him to be there as his mount. So, Dharma transformed itself into a Nandin or bull and stood there at His service. The four feet of Nandin represent: tapas, jµ¡na, yajµa and d¡na (Citras£tra of ViÀ¸udharmottara, ed. by C. Shivaramamurthy, p. 36).
In every temple dedicated to áiva an image of Nandin is installed either at the entrance of the temple complex or in one of the ma¸·apas which are contiguous to the main shrine. In Mukte¿vara temple at Cau·ad¡napura also there is a beautifully hewn image of Nandin with exquisitely decorated with bells.
The first level is the wall of the vim¡na and ra´gama¸·apa, bearing a series of niches and pilasters. The central niches were containing sculptures in the round or stelae, for the purpose of worship. They have disappeared. There remain only sculptures in low relief carved from the core of the wall.
Icons in low relief are carved in regular places. The prominent places are the niches in the angles of the vim¡na. The secondary places are the spaces in-between niches, in the centre of festoons issuing of lion heads, above the pillar-superstructure architectural motifs. In all the niches the same icon of V¢rabhadra or ár¢ka¸¶ha is found. In other places a few major deities are seen, Sarasvat¢, Ga¸e¿a and K¤À¸a on the vim¡na, Mahe¿vara on the ra´gama¸·apa; the rest is semi-gods or saints, ascetics and attendants.
On the base of the doorjambs in the southern entrance there is an attendant and a dv¡rap¡la holding ·amaru, n¡ga, gad¡, akÀam¡l¡ (on the left), another (on the right) holding arrow, severed head, gad¡ and akÀam¡l¡ and an attendant. For the eastern door there is a masculine dv¡rap¡la on the left, a feminine one on the right.

Vim¡na, west facade, V¢rabhadra or árikantha.
Images of a figure holding kha·ga, khe¶aka, bow and arrow in lower and upper right and left hands have been carved on three sides of the vim¡na on its wall or p¡da. Taking into consideration these attributes, these images can be identified with V¢rabhadra. But the personnage is adorned with a kind of dhot¢ draped in the fashion of pants called in Kanna·a calla¸a. Fine designs of checks and other decorative motifs have been shown clearly on the dress. In his Elements of Hindu Iconography Gopinatha Rao writes that ár¢ka¸¶ha has the same attributes as V¢rabhadra, but distinguishes them on the basis of their dresses. ár¢ka¸¶ha wears a dhot¢ with citra on it. Citra may be interpreted as “design, embroidery (kas£ti), coloured” On the basis of this the images of Mukte¿vara temple can be identified with ár¢ka¸ha and not with V¢rabhadra.
In the architectural motif of pillar-superstructure and lion-head motif, is seen a small relief of dancing Ga¸e¿a. His emblems are not very distinct. They are probably the elephant goad in the upper right hand, the broken tusk in the lower right hand, the sweetmeat in the lower left one. In the upper left hand, the emblem does not look like the noose, generally placed there. But it looks like either a mace or a lotus.

North wall of ra´gama¸·apa, north-west angle, sitting áiva.
A seated figure of áiva comes repeatedly in this monument. It is also on the lintels of the southern and eastern doors. His attributes are: tri¿£la and akÀam¡l¡ in the right upper and lower hands; ·amaru and m¡tulu´ga in upper and lower left hands respectively.

Vim¡na South facade, to the east of the central niche yak¿a.
According to Ëgamas and Pur¡¸as, Kubera, the treasurer of Gods, the chief of yakÀas is supposed to be the friend of áiva. Kub®ra is known for his invaluable nine kinds of treasures. Amongst them are two, áankhanidhi and Padmanidhi, which are most important. They decorate the external walls of the shrine. They are represented in the form of seated human figures with big stomach, holding either a ¿ankha (conch) or padma (lotus). Their big belly is the sign of prosperity.
The tiny icon in the festoon motif is that of a sage, sitting and worshipping a Li´ga which he holds himself in his left hand. This is the original practice of V¢ra¿aiva-s. We know from several inscriptions that the saint áivadeva introduced the mode of worship of Basava, whose disciple he is, and whom he declares to imitate. We know from the same source that he renovated a temple up to its finial. As it is not uncommon that the benefactor of a temple is represented in the pose of worshipper, we may do the hypothesis that this image of a V¢ra¿aiva worshipper is áivadeva himself. There are two such icons of a V¢ra¿aiva worshipper, respectively on the south and north wall of the ra´gama¸·apa. One may add the scene of worship on top of the inscription III.
The fact that this monument bears representations of V¢ra¿aiva worshippers suggests that it is the temple alluded to in the inscription III as renovated by áivadeva.
In similar locations, notably on the left of the previous ones, are also images of sitting sages. They have very similar pose, dress and countenance, but the gesture of the hands is indistinct and cannot be identified as holding a Li´ga for worship. These may be yogins in meditation.
The second level is the frieze of roofs which runs all around the monument, above the large protruding eave topping the wall of the vim¡na and ra´gama¸·apa.
The only prominent places for icons are the central dormer windows (n¡sik¡) in that frieze of roofs. In each one a sculptured stela was installed. All of them have disappeared. The secondary places allocated to iconic representations are the small dormer windows which are parts of the side and corner roofs (kar¸ak£¶a, paµjara).
The major deities are V¢rabhadra, Mahe¿vara, K¡ma and S£rya. S£rya has a noteworthy presence at this level; he is seen three times. Images of yakÀas, or nidhis are numerous. A figure holding a garland and a flying figure can be taken as celestial beings. A nude figure with serpents is unidentified. A few images of monkeys are the only reference to this world.
The third level, counted thus from the ground, is the middle frieze of roofs on the tower.
There are three prominent locations, the central gable-ends on south, west and north. They are allocated to low-relief sculptures of áiva, standing and of terrific aspect on the south, sitting and serene on the west, and of P¡rvat¢ dancing on the north.
In secondary locations Mahe¿vara in terrific and serene form, the goddess appear again. A place is given to K¤À¸a and two images of ascetic and worshipper are seen.
On the south, in the central gable-end there is a standing image of áiva holding in his upper and lower right hands tri¿£la and kha·ga or da¸·a, then ·amaru and m¡tulu´ga in his upper and lower left hands. A skull is hanging to his left hand carved just below the fruit. A dog is licking the blood dripping out of the skull. By the side of áiva are carved two skeleton-like male bh£tas or vampires. When there is kha·ga there must be kh®¶aka. In the absence of kh®¶aka the attribute in the hands of áiva here can be taken as da´·a or lagu·a. In Karn¡¶aka images of áiva with lagu·a are frequently met with in the temples of this period. The image of áiva in Mukte¿vara temple can be identified with áiva Lagu·¢¿vara. It is bedecked with all sorts of ornaments including vaijayant¢h¡ra
On the west side of the vim¡na, in the central dormer-window (bhadra n¡sik¡),
an image of seated áiva has been represented. He holds in the right upper and lower hands tri¿£la with skull, and akÀam¡l¡ in
abhayahasta; in the left hands upper and lower ·amaru with skull and m¡tulu´ga fruit. Here the image is adorned with kir¢¶amuku¶a
and all kinds of ornaments. Below his seat is seated Nandin with profile facing north. Can this image be identified with Sadyoj
¡tam£rti? There are cauri bearers on either side of the main image. The same icon is represented on the north wall in smaller
size, in the motif of the lion head and makara.

ICONOGRAPHY…

Vim¡na tower seen from north east, north facade.
In the north, the goddess is represented on the central panel. The goddess, being the áakti of áiva, occupies the left or v¡ma part of

Vim¡na wall, west facade K¤À¸a.
Another feature of this ¿aiva temple is an image of ViÀ¸u-K¤À¸a. When áiva stood on one foot as Ekap¡dam£rti, ViÀ¸u emanated from his left side. An image of V®¸ug°p¡lak¤À¸a proves that this belief was deeply rooted in the minds of the people. An image of V®¸ug°p¡lak¤À¸a shines on the west wall and on the tower of Mukt®¿vara too, on the north side at the third level.
The fourth level, counted thus from the ground, is the top frieze of roofs on the tower. This level is above the top of the ¿ukan¡s¢ and consequently its four sides are of same architectural structure. There is a dormer-window (bhadra n¡sik¡) in the centre on each direction.
These prominent places are allocated to the dancing goddess, two times, Mahe¿vara and on the east to S£rya.on of stelae, which have disappeared. The presence of an image of S£rya in the east dormer-window of the tower, just behind, suggests that there may have been a larger icon of the same in the ¿ukan¡s¢ also. This is a frequent location for this deity.
In secondary locations on the tower are seen celestial yakÀas and terrestrial figures, dancers and monkeys.
On the south and west sides, in the central dormer-window (bhadra n¡sik¡) is seen the same image of a dancing goddess holding tri¿£la, akÀam¡l¡, ·amaru and m¡tulu´ga fruit in upper and lower right and left hands respectively.

North wall of ra´gama¸·apa, sitting áiva.
The ¿ukan¡s¢ is topped on its east side by a large dormer-window with three compartments. That was the place for the installati
In Karn¡¶aka this fruit occurs frequently in the sculptures of monuments of this period. It is also seen, but rarely in other places outside Karn¡¶aka. M¡tulu´ga or m¡dala is taken by some as referring to the pomegranate (Gopinatha Rao vol. I pt. 2 p. 336). But the fruit we see on the sculptures does not have the smooth skin of a pomegranate. On the contrary it is uneven. Seeing the stylised image of this fruit, some other modern scholars are of the opinion that it is maize. But maize entered India with its colonisation by Europeans. So, this identification also does not hold good. Others think that it represents the s¢t¡phala. Here also is a problem. According to B. G. L. Svami, one of the renowned botanists of Karn¡¶aka, in his book Namma ho¶¶eyalli dakÀi¸a am®rike, this fruit is foreign to India. According to him it was also brought from South America and introduced to the Indian soil by westerners.
Another common identification, and probably the surest one, is the fruit of the citron tree, Citrus medica (Gopinath Rao vol. II pt. 1 p. 133). In Kanna·a it is called m¡dala, which is a tadbhava of m¡tulu´ga. It grows well in Karn¡¶aka. It is eatable and popularly used for medicine. It is prescribed as good to soothe pitta. The different shapes of the fruit seen in sculpture are closer to this fruit than to any other.
Or can it be taken literally as mukt¡phala “a fruit with pearls”?

Shrine 7, V¢rabhadra, icon under worship.
In the temple enclosure there is a set of four shrines built contiguously one to another in the southwestern angle. All the four face the river, i. e. north. Two of them are double celled whereas the other two are single celled. A newly built common open pillared pavilion serves the purpose of mah¡ma¸·apa to all four of them. Starting from the east the first shrine has a sanctum sanctorum and an antechamber. There is a Li´ga in the sanctum and its pra¸¡La or outlet for the ablution water is to the right instead of the left. A statue of Nandin adorns the antechamber or ¿ukan¡s¢
Second shrine. This is a single sanctum with the image of V¢rabhadra which is still under worship (as a consequence we could not take the measurements of the statue). The fact that his right foot is turned towards west and the left faces north shows that the god is set to bring miscreants to heel. Both the legs are bending with protruding knees. Sword, arrow, bow and shield are held in his four hands from lower right to lower left hand respectively. His anklets are in the form of snakes. The Vaijayant¢h¡ra is so long that it almost touches the pedestal. yajµopav¢ta hangs to the right side. Many bracelets and necklaces adorn the deity. A high kir¢¶amuku¶a embellishes the head. On the pedestal are the images of devotees and warriors.
A li´g¡yat priest is in charge of conducting the rituals and p£j¡ in the temple. He always keeps a wooden stick by the side of the statue. He told us that it is a tradition to place it by the side of the god. During the course of our survey of temples of 10th to 12th centuries in this region. often we came across with this custom of placing a stick by the side of áivali´ga or V¢rabhadra. This may be one of the last lingering influences of L¡ku½a¿aivism.
The third sanctum is identical to the first one as having a cella and an antechamber. Like in the first, here too there is Li´ga in the cella and Nandin in the ¿ukan¡si. The only difference is that by the side of the doorjambs there are perforated windows with beautiful scrolls in the centre of which are dancing figures, blowing wind instruments etc.
The last shrine which is single-celled houses a seated goddess with eight hands of which the two front ones are mutilated. Her left foot rests on the seat folded in acute angle, whereas the hanging right leg rests on a skull. In fact four skulls have been carved on the pedestal. Her right hands from lower to upper hold sword, arrow and ·amaru. In the same way, the left lower to upper have been adorned with shield, bow and tri¿£la. She wears a high kir¢¶a, ear-rings, ru¸·am¡l¡ (garland of skulls), various necklaces, bracelets and anklets. She is bare chest. The lower part of her body is clad in a sari but draped in the fashion of a dhoti. Foliage motifs with the lion in the centre decorate the pedestal.

Stella bearing inscription III
The top portion of each stela, except the sixth and the seventh, is decorated with a Li´ga or a small replica of a temple with a Li´ga, a worshipper and a couchant Nandin. In most of the cases the Li´ga, in the replica of the temple, is covered with garlands of rudr¡kÀa. On the top of either side of the shrine are carved the sun and the crescent moon suggesting the eternity of the chart. Also a cow with a sucking calf represents K¡madh®nu which realises all desires. In the shrine there is a devotee engaged in worshipping the Li´ga. In the first two inscriptions of pre-áivadeva period, the devotee is carved in standing position, whereas in the other four, contemporaneous with áivadeva, he is in sitting position.
There is also a difference in the physiognomy of the worshippers. In the first two inscriptions they are in standing position and almost naked except a pagne on their loins. Their matted hair is tied up on their head forming a turban. They have beards like that of a he-goat (h°tina ga··a) or Brahman in sculptures. They are to be identified as K¡l¡mukha worshippers.

South wall of Ra´gama¸·apa.

Stella bearing inscription III, áivadeva.
In the stelae of inscriptions III-VI, which belong to the time of áivadeva and the introduction of V¢ra¿aivism accomplished by him, there is a low-relief representation of Li´ga worship. For the inscription III, one sees the worshipper, sitting, clean-shaven, fully clad, passing his left arm around the Li´ga. This is a living illustration of stanza 10 read in the inscription below: “I will not embrace women with the arms which embrace the Li´ga, nor will I cast a greedy look on them, nor unite with them, nor give place to them in my thoughts, nor give attention to them” (thus) áivadeva, the undisturbed saint gave pledges to áa´kara. (10)” The saint is eulogised for his heroic vows. It is probably this vow, which is thus illustrated on the top. We may surmise that we have here a portrait of áivadeva. The figure is quite small and no specific feature is identifiable. But it appears very similar to the image of V¢ra¿aiva worshippers on the south and north walls of the ra´gama¸·apa. The difference is that on the stela is shown his worship of the temple Li´ga, whereas on the ra´gama¸·apa one sees his private worship of his iÀ¶ali´ga.
The architectural type of the temple shown on the inscription III is the type of the temple No. 2 of Kallideva.

Vim¡na wall, west facade K¤À¸a.
Another feature of this ¿aiva temple is an image of ViÀ¸u-K¤À¸a. When áiva stood on one foot as Ekap¡dam£rti, ViÀ¸u emanated from his left side. An image of V®¸ug°p¡lak¤À¸a proves that this belief was deeply rooted in the minds of the people. An image of V®¸ug°p¡lak¤À¸a shines on the west wall and on the tower of Mukt®¿vara too, on the north side at the third level.
The fourth level, counted thus from the ground, is the top frieze of roofs on the tower. This level is above the top of the ¿ukan¡s¢ and consequently its four sides are of same architectural structure. There is a dormer-window (bhadra n¡sik¡) in the centre on each direction.
These prominent places are allocated to the dancing goddess, two times, Mahe¿vara and on the east to S£rya.
The ¿ukan¡s¢ is topped on its east side by a large dormer-window with three compartments. That was the place for the installation of stelae, which have disappeared. The presence of an image of S£rya in the east dormer-window of the tower, just behind, suggests that there may have been a larger icon of the same in the ¿ukan¡s¢ also. This is a frequent location for this deity.
In secondary locations on the tower are seen celestial yakÀas and terrestrial figures, dancers and monkeys.
On the south and west sides, in the central dormer-window (bhadra n¡sik¡) is seen the same image of a dancing goddess holding tri¿£la, akÀam¡l¡, ·amaru and m¡tulu´ga fruit in upper and lower right and left hands respectively.

North wall of ra´gama¸·apa, sitting áiva.
In Karn¡¶aka this fruit occurs frequently in the sculptures of monuments of this period. It is also seen, but rarely in other places outside Karn¡¶aka. M¡tulu´ga or m¡dala is taken by some as referring to the pomegranate (Gopinatha Rao vol. I pt. 2 p. 336). But the fruit we see on the sculptures does not have the smooth skin of a pomegranate. On the contrary it is uneven. Seeing the stylised image of this fruit, some other modern scholars are of the opinion that it is maize. But maize entered India with its colonisation by Europeans. So, this identification also does not hold good. Others think that it represents the s¢t¡phala. Here also is a problem. According to B. G. L. Svami, one of the renowned botanists of Karn¡¶aka, in his book Namma ho¶¶eyalli dakÀi¸a am®rike, this fruit is foreign to India. According to him it was also brought from South America and introduced to the Indian soil by westerners.
Another common identification, and probably the surest one, is the fruit of the citron tree, Citrus medica (Gopinath Rao vol. II pt. 1 p. 133). In Kanna·a it is called m¡dala, which is a tadbhava of m¡tulu´ga. It grows well in Karn¡¶aka. It is eatable and popularly used for medicine. It is prescribed as good to soothe pitta. The different shapes of the fruit seen in sculpture are closer to this fruit than to any other.
Or can it be taken literally as mukt¡phala “a fruit with pearls”?

South wall of Ra´gama¸·apa.

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The Temple of Muktesvara -Iconography