Description
Dakshina Murti is one of the unusual forms of Shiva, the Destroyer among the hindu trinity.
Shiva is shown as a young teacher, quiet and serene, seated under a banyan tree. His hair is bound as a halo around and tied at two levels. He bears in his hair a Datura flower, crescent moon, skull, snake and Ganga.
His ears adorn earrings – male earring in right and female in left, signifying his completeness as Brahman.
In his top two hands he bears a damaru (drum) with a snake twirled around it and the flame of destruction. One of his lower hands is raised in Gyana Mudra and the other holds scriptures.
His left foot is gracefully placed on his right thigh while the right foot crushes a dwarf under it. The dwarf represents all the ignorance in the world that remains ever subdued by Shiva.
Shiva is surrounded by four of the seven celestial sages who have approached him for the brahma vidya (ultimate knowledge).
The tree under which Shiva sits is beautifully crafted with leaves shown prominently. The two birds on the tree might be a representation of the great Upanishadic concept of the jivatman (being) and the paramatman (supreme being) within the body.
Special Comments
The tree behind the statue is detachable.
"The statue was created using the Madhuchishtavidhana (Lost-Wax method)".
Since the wax model of the statue is destroyed during the making process, every statue made with this method is unique. No copy of such pieces can ever be made.