Dakshina Murti is one of the unusual forms of Shiva, the Destroyer among the hindu trinity. <br> <br>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. <br> <br>His ears adorn earrings - male earring in right and female in left, signifying his completeness as Brahman. <br> <br>In his top two hands he bears a <em>damaru</em> (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. <br> <br>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. <br> <br>Shiva is surrounded by four of the seven celestial sages who have approached him for the <em>brahma vidya</em> (ultimate knowledge). <br> <br>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 <em>jivatman</em> (being) and the <em>paramatman </em>(supreme being) within the body.
