Bhagavan shiva vastram

A) Gajasamhara Murthi: Gajasamhara Murthi is one of the forms of Lord Siva's Twenty Five Maheshwara Murtis. Also it is one among 64 Murtis (Ashtashta Murtis) of Lord shiva. Gajasamhara Murthi is considered to be a very furious form of Lord Shiva, with the Shakti Herself frightened by the fury of the Lord. There was a demon Gajamukasura who after getting a lot of boons due to the tapas he did, started torturing the devotees in the city of Kashi. This demon had the form of an elephant. After slaying of Gajamukasuran Lord Siva skinned the elephant and using it as his angavastram (upper garment). (i) Darasuram Temple: Darasuram (Tamilnadu) has a dynamic relief carving of Siva’s jubilant dance of triumph after killing the elephant demon Gajasura. Having flayed the elephant, Shiva held its skin in his outstretched hands and danced a tempestuous dance. The exaggerated twist of his body dramatically conveys his frenzied movement. (ii) Sri Siva Vishnu Temple, Washington DC: There are the Siva Murthis on the East wall of the Vasantha Mandapam. Standing tall as Vishvaroopa, Siva slays the demon elephant by ripping open the skin of the elephant and covering Himself with. The elephant’s head is under Siva’s right foot and its detached body, tail and all, held high in a triumphant dance pose. (iii) Vizhuvur (near Mayiladuthurai): Gaja Samharamurti Tirukkovil: This sacred Saiva kshetra has a fantastic sthalapurana testifying to the belief that Lord Siva killed Gayasuran here and made his skin as His cloak, and has been wearing it since then. The story goes that a powerful demon terrorized the people of this region after getting innumerable boons from Lord Brahma. The victims sought the help of Lord Viswanatha of Banaras. Infuriated at the asurakrityas prepetrated on His bhaktas, He came down forthwith and destroyed him. Vizhuvur is the place where this incident occurred, and there is a Sivan Tirukkovil housing a beautiful bronze image of Lord Siva in the aspect of Gajasamharamurti B) Gaja Samharamurti in Tamil litrrature: (i) Description by Saint Manikkavachakar: One cannot but appreciate the sentiment of Saint Manikkavachakar, who described Shiva as a madman: "I shall call you madman draped in elephant skin, poison throated madman, madman dancing amid the trees of the burning ground, madman clad in tiger skin, madman who enslaved even me." (ii) Other references on Gaja Samharamurti: "..... Vezham urithu Umai anchakandu ...." ( Siva Skinned the elephant and Goddess Uma feared) ..... Thirunavukkarasar " ...... porthai angore yanaiyin erurithol ..." ( covering Himself with Elephant skin ) ...... Thirunavukkarasar "...... Maiyal yanaivann tholai melkondanan ..... " ( covering Himself with Elephant skin ) ...... Kantha Puranam, Dhathisi yuthira patalam " ........ Yanaiyai urithapere urivaiyal ....... " ( Elephant wasskinned) ... Ure thedu patalam 44, Sundar Kandam, Kambha Ramayanam C) Agama books on Gaja Samharamurti: (i) Subrapeda Agamam (ii) Amsumadpeda Agamam (iii) Silpa Ratnam D) References, Books (personal collection) (i) 'Maheswara Vadivangal' , Dr. R. Ramaseshan and R. Krishnan, Thirupugal Pathipagam, Chennai, 1992, page 74, total pages 172 (ii) 'Siva vadivangal' , M. Siavgurunatha pillai, Tamil University, Thanjavur, 1991, page 158 & 195, total pages 327