Post No. 15,294
Date uploaded in London – 21 December 2025
Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com
Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge.
this is a non- commercial blog. Thanks for your great pictures.
tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
xxxx
சிவபெருமானுடைய வடிவங்களில் வேறு சில மூர்த்திகளையும் காண்போம் :லிங்கோத்பவர் ஏகபாத மூர்த்தி , ஊர்த்வ தாண்டவர், கால சம்ஹார மூர்த்தி
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LINGODBHAVA
Lingodbhava is a familiar figure of Siva on the west wall of the central shrine of Siva temples in tamil Nadu. As his name implies, he is represented within a huge linga, the portion of the feet below the ankles being hidden in the linga. Brahma in the form of a swan is seen soaring up on the left side of Siva; while on the right side, Vishnu is delving below into the depths of the earth in the form of a boar.
The swan and the boar are in some pictures found to be half man and half animal.
On the east main gopura/ tower of the Chidambaram temple is an image of Lingodbhava surrounded by flames of fire.
Also these gods, i.e. Brahma and Vishnu stand on either side of Siva with folded hands.
The figure emanating from the middle of the linga has four hands and hold in its back arms the axe and the antelope and in the front hands, the Abhaya and Varada postures.
In Thanjavur inscriptions Lingodbhava is mentioned by the name Lingapuranadeva.
Story of Lingodbhava
A dispute arose between Brahma and Vishnu as to who is the greater of the two. Siva told them that whoever first saw the top or the bottom of his own fiery linga form and came back to report, he would be considered greater. Brahma soared on his swan to see the top of the Siva linga, while as a boar Vishnu dug down and down to see its bottom. Ages passed away and neither came to his goal.
At last Brahma saw one ketaki flower coming down; it had fallen from Siva’s head ages ago. Brahma suborned it to give false evidence and then came back and uttered a lie that he had seen the top of the linga, citing the ketaki flower as its witness. Sive knew the lie and cursed Brahma that he should thenceforward go without any worship in temples. Brahma had five heads at that time. Sive cut off the head that uttered a lie. The flower ketaki too, which abetted the crime, was excluded from the flowers dear to Siva.
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EKAPADAMURTI
Images called Ekapadamurti or Ekapada Trimurti show gods Brahma and Vishnu , with folded hands and characteristic symbols, are represented as proceeding out of the body of Siva at his waist as in the Tiruvotriyur sculpture or from behind his knee as in the image of Tiruvanaikkaval; they are either developments of Lingodbhava wherein the superiority of Siva over the two other members of the Hindu triad was established or an invention of the Hindu sculptor.
The Karanagama (kaarana aagama) mentions Ekapadamurti as one of the sportive forms of Siva and describes him as having one foot, three eyes and four arms in which are seen the tanka and deer and the Varada and Abhaya postures..
On the right and left sides of Siva, almost touching his shoulders, are Brahma and Vishnu holding their symbolical weapons in two hands and worshipping Siva with the other two.
The single foot, which is the characteristic feature of these figures , is in the case of Tiruvanaikkaval image , placed on the back of the bull. in it are also seen the vehicle of bBahma, the swan, at the right bottom and at the corresponding left bottom , the standing Garuda vehicle of Vishnu and a sage, perhaps Narada.
Apparently Ekapadamurti has to be connected with Aja Ekapad, a name given in the Rig Veda to one of the Ekadasa Rudras
Tamil version follows
To be continued……………………..
Tags- Hinduism through 500 Pictures in Tamil and English-33; படங்கள் மூலம் இந்து மதம் கற்போம்-33, Lingodbhava, Ekapadamurti
Tamil and Vedas 