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cichlasoma
02 August 2008, 03:03 AM
Namaste.
Could anybody tell me, what's Parvati-side of Lord Ardhanarishvara holding in her hand in the following two pictures, please?
Thanks in advance.

Srikantha
02 August 2008, 05:16 AM
Stab in the dark:
Its called a Kumbha, the female side normally holds a lotus [predominant in south Indian iconography] or a kumbha [northern style].

No clue as to what the implications are of the Kumbha, perhaps it would be appropriate to consult some texts written about this Murti. It is perhaps one of the most studied forms aside from Bhairava and Rudra.

cichlasoma
02 August 2008, 07:20 AM
Thanks.
As Kumbha should generally stand for a womb ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumbha ), it'd make sense. Yet, do you recognize, what she actually holds in the picture? (Is it a pot covered with something?)

Srikantha
02 August 2008, 09:14 AM
kumbha m. a jar , pitcher , waterpot , ewer , small water-jar [often ifc. (f. %{A}) e.g. %{chidra-k-} , a perforated pitcher R. ; %{Ama-k-} , a jar of unbaked clay Pan5cat.
[Monier Williams http://webapps.uni-koeln.de/tamil (http://webapps.uni-koeln.de/tamil/%5D)]


I'd say they drew it as an ewer [consistent with traditional view of Ardhanarishwara]. Ardhanariswhara like Nataraja, has become more of an artistic icon than a religious one, more people make and buy statues/paintaings as works of art, than those who would adore them exclusively as a religious icon [Perform ritualistic worship to is]. So there are two distinct contexts of symbolism and iconography, one may be the artist's prerogative; the other a formula from scripture/tradition.

In relation to interpreting iconography it is best to study the context, origin of the icon [source material]. Looking at the context implies text, tradition and history (leading to the symbol and perhaps even reinventing it). Otherwise all of us would be singing that the phallus and the yoni are exclusively fertility symbols and just leave it at that.