Symbolism of Umāsadāśivamūrti
Greetings Satya Aman,
You wrote:
Please explain the detailed symbolism of the deity.
The image is a depiction of Śiva in his Sadāśiva form, specifically of Umasadāśiva in association with Umā or Pārvatī. This image is taken from an illustrated manuscript of Utpaladeva’s Śivastotravali. Despite the profundity of Utpaladeva’s poetry, it contains little by way of the explication of the iconography of Sadāśiva. As such it appears that the artist drew also upon the imagery contained in the Āgamas which would have undoubtedly been familiar to Utpaladeva’s audience. Included below are some quotations from Utpaladeva’s Śivastotravali to provide the immediate context of the image, the Śiva Purana to describe the origin of Sadāśiva, and the Kamika Agama which contains a repository of canonical symbols used for meditation together with a traditional interpretation. Most of these symbols correspond to our image. There are also many additional layers of meaning associated with the five faces (and sixth hidden face) but perhaps we can save these for a future investigation.
Take Care,
Desmond
From the Fourteenth “Song of Glorification” of Utpaladeva’s Śivastotravali:
1. In the presence of my Master, repository of the most magnificent wealth, let me relish the nectar of chanting glorifications again and again.
2. May you be glorified, the one Rudra, the one Siva, the Great God, the Great Lord, Beloved of Parvati, Firstborn of All the Gods.
3. May you be glorified, Lord of the Three Worlds, bearing on your forehead the unique third eye. May you be glorified, who bear on your throat the mark of deadly poison, having swallowed the afflictions of the afflicted.
4. May you be glorified, in whose hand glistens the sharp trident symbolic of the three powers. May you be glorified, whose most venerable lotus feet can fulfill a desire the moment it arises.
5. May you be glorified, whose transcendental form radiates manifold splendor. May you be glorified, whose forehead bears ashes and in a single tuft of whose hair flows the stream of Ganga.
6. May you be glorified, anointed with moonlight reflected in the vast ocean of milk. May you be glorified, O Lord whose ornaments are snakes dazzling with jewels begotten at your touch.
7. May you be glorified, O worthy refuge of the only immortal crescent of the moon. May you be glorified, ever consecrated as the lord of the universe with the waters of Ganga. May you be glorified, the mere touch of whose feet has made sacred the entire bovine family.
From Śiva Purana, Chapter 6:
16-18. The Being, having no form of its own, wished to create, in the course of its own sport, an auspicious form of its own endowed with all power, form that goes everywhere, that has all forms, that sees all, that is the cause of all, that should be respected by all, that is at the beginning of all, that bestows everything, and that sanctifies everything should be created (So it wished) and hence created that form of Ishvara of pure nature. The original Being without a second, with neither beginning nor end, that illuminates everything, that is in the form of Cit (pure knowledge), that which is termed Supreme Brahman, the all-pervasive and undecaying, vanished. The manifest form of the formless Being is SadaSiva. Scholars of the ancient and succeeding ages have sung of it as Ishvara.
The supreme Purusa is Siva. He is called Sambhu. He has no other lord over Him. He holds the Mandakini (Ganga) on His head, and the crescent moon on His forehead. He has three eyes. He has five faces. He is always joyful. He has ten arms. He holds the trident. He is as pure and white as camphor. His body is entirely dusted with the ash.
Kamika Agama, Purvah Padah, vv. 328-340:
In invoking the presence of the supreme Lord in the Linga which is of the nature of absolutely pure realm, the Guru should ideate the form associated with 38 kalas and designed with brahma mantras and anga mantras. This is the form of Sadasiva and its lineaments are now told for the purpose of effective meditation. Meditation is essential for the attainment of all the goals and for such meditation, the exact form may be depicted in a thick cloth and such other materials.
Five faces; ten shoulders; effulgence of crystal; three eyes; tranquil composure; crest adorned with the crescent moon; locks of matted hair bound with serpent; mounted on the lion-throne constituted of mantras; seated on the white lotus (designed on the throne); adorned with various ornaments such as the ear-rings, karnika, hara, kati sutra, bandhana, keyura, kataka, channavira and others; eternal age of sixteen years; supremely beautiful and auspiciously charming; face beautified with gentle smile; holding the trident, parasu (axe), khadga (sword), vajra (thunderbolt-staff) and fire in His right hands; holding the abhaya-mudra (gesture of fearlessness), pasa (noose), ghanta (bell), naga (tree) and ankusa (elephant goad) in His left hands. Or, the weapons held in the hands are told in a different way. Varada-mudra (gesture of boons), abhaya-mudra (gesture of fearlessness), khadvanga (skull-club), sakti (spear) and sula (spike) in the right hands; damaru (drum), sarpa (snake), aksha mala (garland of rudhraksha) and indivara-flower in the left hands. Lord Sadasiva should be meditated as associated with these lineaments. (330-334)
His three eyes are to be considered as symbolizing the three powers - iccha, jnana and kriya; the cresecent moon denotes His power of all-knowing; ten hands represent the ten directions; the trident denotes His three qualities - sattva, rajas and tamas functioning in the pure realm; parasu denotes His nature of eterenal existence; khadga represents His invincible prowess; vajra denotes His state of unshakable firmness; fire denotes His destructive power, the power which incinerates the roots and knots of bondage and the luminous power which illumines the objects of the worlds for the sake of those existing in the pure maya; the naga denotes the power of supporting and sustatining everything and the power of disposing the things allocated to all the beings; pasa denotes the three bonds- maya, karma and mala; the ghanta represents the the nuture of basic sound which makes known the the form constituted of mantra; abhaya-mudra denotes His power of protecting all the worlds; ankusa represents the power of regulating and meting out the enjoyments obtainable to the souls according to their karmic fruits and controlling the souls to experience only those pertaining to them. In this way, the weapons held in His ten hands should be understood as representative of the power relevant to each of them. (335-340)