In Hinduism

Shilpashastra (iconography)

Source: Shodhganga: The significance of the mūla-beras (śilpa)

Akilāṇṭeśvarī is the name of a deity depicted in the Jambukeswarar Temple in Tiruvānaikoyil (Thiruvanaikaval) which is one of the Pañcasabhā or “five halls where Śiva is said to have danced”.—Śrī Akilāṇṭeśvarī is the name of the chief goddess in the Jambukeśvara Temple. She is the consort of Jambukeśvara, the mūla-bera, who is in the form of liṅga. Akilāṇṭeśvarī is found in samapada-sthanaka with four hands. The upper hands hold flowers in kataka-hasta. The lower right hand is in abhaya and the lower left hand is in varada-hasta. A parrot is found sitting on the abhaya-hasta. On the way to Akilāṇṭeśvarī’s sannidhi, there is the image of Prasanna Vināyaka. Vināyaka is found seated in lalitāsana with the same attributes as discussed earlier. As the devotee enters the main temple, to the left of the entrance of the main temple, there is the sannidhi for Naṭarāja. [...] To the right is the sannidhi for Murukan.

Akilānṭeśvarī is also depicted in the Thillai Nataraja Temple in Cidambaram (Chidambaram).—Śrī Akilānṭeśvarī is found with four arms. The upper right hand holds the discus in kaṭaka-hasta. The upper left hand holds the conch in kaṭaka-hasta. The lower right hand is in kaṭaka-hasta and the lower left hand is in abhaya-hasta.

context information

Shilpashastra (शिल्पशास्त्र, śilpaśāstra) represents the ancient Indian science (shastra) of creative arts (shilpa) such as sculpture, iconography and painting. Closely related to Vastushastra (architecture), they often share the same literature.

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