Chapter 4.6 - (j) Symbology of the dress

Coming to the dress which Lord Shiva wears, His wearing of the tiger’s skin, elephant’s skin and the lion’s skin as heroic feats has already been described in another place. Shiva, the Absolute depending on nothing, is represented as being nude. Therefore, He is called as ‘Nakkan’ (Nagna) from the time of Mohenjodaro. This is poetically described as wearing the Akas (space) as His clothes.

Next to this comes the form where He wears the loin cloth alone. The history of dresses and clothing of man shows us clearly that these were not at first intended to hide his nakedness but to bring into prominence certain parts of the body. Therefore, even the loin cloth does not go against his naked form. In the ceremony of begging prescribed in the Kapalika vrata, this want of clothes heightens the moral seriousness. The great beggar, coming to beg our souls and our love, has nothing but a loin cloth. This kind of idea makes His Absolute dependence on our love, glorious and beautiful in the eyes of worshippers. Our poet is, therefore, very much captivated by this idea of our Lord having nothing but loin cloth, which almost became an emblem of god-head. The waistband is a serpent and to this the loin cloth is tied up. ‘His dress is the loin cloth’—“Utaiyor kovanattar”, “Utai kovanavan” He is the Lord, rich in this dress of loin cloth—“Kovana ataiyutai ati-kal”. He has tied the loin cloth to the serpent—“Paitta pampu drttor kovanattotu” This serpent coming in as a waist-band is very often referred to. The poet calls this waist-band as a waistband of very great precious gem—“Ma manikkaccu” because of the tradition that the serpent possesses a ruby in its head. He also says that one end of this band has many heads referring to the tradition of the serpent possessing many hoods.

He calls this waist band “Araikkaccai”, “Arai nan”, ‘Kil’, “Pun nan”.™ ‘Pun’ or jewel emphasises its beauty. ‘Kaccv/ is a ribbon; ‘Nan' is a string. ‘Kit’ comes from the verb ‘Kil’ to tear. Strip of cloth is torn and used as a waist-band on ceremonial occasions even now. Our poet makes this clear by referring to “Tuni var foil”.

The verbs used are “arttal”; “Acaittal”; “Kattutal” “vikkutal”; “Carttutal”; “Punaital”.

‘Arttal’ comes from the root ‘ar’, to be full, spreading all over, to abide and stay there by making the whole thing beautiful and ultimately to adorn. ‘Artta’, therefore, is to make a thing adorn and, therefore, to bind a thing as an ornament. Therefore, the idea of ornament is suggested by this word ‘arttal’ ‘Acaittal’ is related to ‘acaital’, which is again related to ‘ayartal’ and has come to mean also to resting in a particular place and, therefore, ‘to be lying’. “Acaittal” is, therefore, to make it rest in a place without moving out. In this way, it has come to mean being tied up. Therefore, there is a suggestion of a rest to the ever-moving serpent. It is the stage of involution. The contrast between its movement and rest is brought about by the statement “Ur aravam araikkacaittan” It does not come to rest all at once. It dances with its hood before the complete rest and the poet speaks of “Araikkatarava”, ‘the Lord of the serpent which dances in His waist’. “Kattutal” is to fasten. But there is an underlying suggestion of making the serpent powerless. “Vikkutal” is the transitive form of “Vinkutal” and refers to the tightness of the tying, thus to make the serpent absolutely at rest and powerless. The word “(Mttutal” is used in the sense of putting on or adorning great persons. The Tamil Lexicon traces it to the word ‘carttu’. “Punaital” is to adorn.