Vyakhyana Daksinamurti

As an expounder of Shastras Daksinamurti is represented as seated on a secluded spot on the Himalayas, under a banyan tree, on a seat covered with a tiger’s skin; or seated on a white lotus (padmasana).Three eyed and four armed he is usually shown sitting in virasana with his right leg dangling and many a times resting on the apasmara-purusa. His front right hand is in jnana mudra and front left hand is either in varada or danda mudra. The other two hands hold aksamala and agni(fire)/sarpa (snake).Sometimes he is shown holding a book too. His hair is matted and his jatas sometimes are seen to be held together with a patta-bandha and often the smiling face of goddess ganga can be seen in middle of his jatabhara.The face is shown calm and relaxed and his gaze is fixed upon the tip of his nose in a meditative pose. Interestingly surrounding this teacher-god are seen rishis, his disciples usually seven in number.

Different texts give different names of these rishis but interestingly most of them are directly related to Pasupata school of thought as can be gauged from the chart.

Name of the text	Rishis mentioned
Amsumadbhedagama	Narada, Jamadagni, Vasishta, Bhrigu, Bharadvaja, Sanaka, Agastya
Kamikagama	Kausika, Kasyapa, Bharadvaja, Atri, Gautama
Karanagama	Agastya,Pulastya, Visvamitra, Angirasa

Texts mention that these rishis should have a jatamukuta on their heads, the garland of rudraksa seeds round their neck and white yajnopavitas on their person and their bodies should be completely covered with ashes^[1] .

This image of Siva as daksinamurti has a lot in common with Lakulisa murtis seen all over the country.

[Illustration 32. Siva as Daksinamurti, Kailashnath, Kanchipuram, Pallava, 8^th CE]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Ibid p.278-280