2.37. Śiva as Ardhanārīśvara

Brahmā desired to create progeny but he was unable to create beings. Then Brahmā began to perform penance thinking that lord Śiva will be united with Śakti. Śiva, satisfied by Brahmā’s austere penance, appeared before him assuming the form of half male and half female.^[1] Pārvatī is Śiva’s left half.^[2] In the Matsya Purāṇa, the physical appearance of the Ardhanārīśvara form of lord Śiva is depicted very beautifully. The right half is of Śiva and the left half is of Pārvatī. In one half of the image, on the head of the lord, a crescent moon is present and in the other half of the image, the figure of goddess Pārvatī is beautifully portrayed. One half of the head has braided hair and on the other half, a partition is made in the hair of the head and a tilaka is marked on the forehead. On the right ear, serpent Vāsuki is arrayed and the left ear is arrayed by an ear-ring. A skull or trident is placed in the right hand and a mirror or a lotus is in the left hand of the body. The right part is covered with tiger’s skin, the right arm is adorned with serpents and the left part is covered with beautiful clothes decorated with numerous jewels. His left arm is decked with armlets and gems, a girdle is put on the half part of the waist. The right foot is placed on a lotus and the left foot is embellished with gems and ornaments.^[3]