Author:

Pubali Ghosh
Research Scholar
Department of History
University of North Bengal
Darjeeling, West Bengal,India

Email: ghoshpubali22@gmail.com

Abstract:: Indian religious sculpture uses syncretism as a visual form of theology to resolve three main issues which include inter-religious disputes and complex philosophical matters and regional cultural conflicts. Artists developed composite deities during the Gupta period and beyond through their creation of Hindu deities which included Harihara and Trimūrti and Ardhanārīśvara and Śiva Viṣṇu Lokeśvara. The Deviliṅga or Apitakuca type stands as the most hidden member of this group. The aniconic liṅga of Śiva functions as the main component of the sculpture while a four-armed goddess bust in dhyāna-mudrā emerges from its shaft The sculpture exists in the Kagajipara artwork which belongs to present-day Bangladesh. The article interprets this image through the Skanda Purāṇa Arunacalamāhātmya which depicts Apitakuca-Pārvatī who achieves complete union with her husband through meditation at Arunācala while she simultaneously projects her energy as Śakti from the liṅga-mountain. The figure uses dhyāna-mudrā and rosary and book to connect with Buddhist tantric goddesses who include Cundā and Prajñāpāramitā the Deviliṅga connects Hinduism and Buddhism at the border between two faiths during the late Pāla-Sena period in Bengal. The comparison shows that Ardhanārīśvara shows gender balance through its depiction of a modern human body which contains two distinct sexes but Apitakuca shows mystical powers which flow from the inner part of the liṅga which demonstrates the basic bond between Śiva and Śakti.

Key Words:: Apitakuca, Arunacalamāhātmya, Ardhanārīśvara, Deviliṅga, Śiva–Śakti,etc.