Dakshinamoorthy - Kerala Mural Archive

Detail Photos

Deity: Shiva Location: Chemmanthatta Mahadeva Temple Theme: Non-narrative Visual Feature: Background pattern Visual Feature: Facial expression detail Visual Feature: Hand gesture (mudra)Visual Feature: Ornamentation

A white-skinned Siva in the form of Dakshinamoorthy sits atop a tiger-skin pedestal under the banyan tree. He has four arms, of which two upper arms hold the deer and axe on the right and left sides respectively. His left hand is folded in vyakhyana mudra while his right hand rests on his thighs. He wears a red and green lower garment and tiger skin. He has a red upper garment. His one leg is folded, while his other leg hangs down. Above his head is an ornate crown with a little bit of matted locks jutting up like that of a hermit. He wears the crescent moon and Ganga on his head. There is a squirrel, lizard, peacock and parrot atop the banyan tree under which he is resting. Two snakes are also seen on the tree branch balancing the Veda manuscript. There are three figures underneath Dakshinamoorthy, one on the left is white-skinned while the other two are green-skinned. The central figure is holding the vyakhyana mudra on his right hand while his left hand holds a manuscript. The other two figures hold the vyakhyana mudra on their left hand.

Iconography

Primary Deity/Figure: Shiva
Secondary Figures: Three unidentified figures
Iconographic Form: Dakshinamoorthy (a form of Shiva)
Iconographic Attributes: White skin; seated on tiger-skin pedestal under a banyan tree; four arms; upper right arm holds deer; upper left arm holds axe; left hand in vyakhyana mudra; right hand resting on thigh; red and green lower garment; tiger skin; red upper garment; one leg folded, other leg hanging down; ornate crown with matted locks jutting up like a hermit's; crescent moon on head; Ganga on head; squirrel, lizard, peacock, and parrot on the banyan tree; two snakes on a tree branch balancing a Veda manuscript; three seated figures beneath him — one white-skinned to the left, two green-skinned; central figure's right hand in vyakhyana mudra, left hand holding a manuscript; the other two figures' left hand in vyakhyana mudra
Rasa: Shanta

Spatial & Architectural

Zone within Temple: Sanctum
Position in Pradakshina Sequence: 6
Adjacent Panels: Sreekrishnaleela, Ganapathi pooja

Narrative

Textual Source: Non-narrative
Mythological Tale: Dakshinamurthy is Shiva in his form as the supreme teacher, seated facing south beneath a tree, imparting the highest knowledge to a gathering of aged sages not through speech but through silence and gesture. This form is the source of the guru shishya tradition central to South Indian transmission of knowledge, and murals of it are often placed near the southern approach of a temple.
Episode: Non-narrative

Condition & Documentation

Condition: Fair
Deterioration Type: Plaster loss
Restoration Status: Unrestored
Documentation Type: DSLR full panel
Permission Basis: Combined permission
Date of Documentation: 12/08/2024
Artist: Unknown
Identifier: CMT_P006
Rights / Notes: These images may not be reproduced, redistributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior permission.