| Ekapada | |
|---|---|
 Ekapada-Trimurti | |
| Affiliation | Form ofShiva or his fierce aspectBhairava |
Ekapada is the one-footed aspect of the Hindu godShiva. This form is primarily found inSouth India andOrissa, but also occasionally inRajasthan andNepal.
The Ekapada is primarily represented in three iconographical forms. In theEkapada-murti ("one-footed icon") form, he is depicted as one-legged and four-armed. In theEkapada-Trimurti ("one-footed Trinity") form, he is depicted with the torsos of the deitiesVishnu andBrahma, which together with Shiva form the Hindu Trinity (Trimurti), emanating from his sides, waist upwards and with one leg; however, sometimes, besides the central one leg of Shiva, two smaller legs of Vishnu and Brahma emerge from the sides. While some scriptures also call the latter configuration Ekapada-Trimurti, some refer it to asTripada-Trimurti ("three-footed Trinity"). In Orissa, where Ekapada is considered an aspect ofBhairava—the fearsome aspect of Shiva—the iconography of Ekapada-murti becomes more fierce, with motifs of blood sacrifice. This aspect is calledEkapada Bhairava ("one-footed Bhairava" or "the one-footed fierce one").
The Ekapada form of Shiva originated from theVedic deityAja Ekapada orAjaikapada, a name that Ekapada Bhairava still inherits. Ekapada represents theAxis Mundi (cosmic pillar of the universe) and portrays Shiva as the Supreme Lord, from whom Vishnu and Brahma originate. Ekapada is often accompanied by ascetic attendants, whose presence emphasizes his connection to severe penance.
TheAgama textAmsumadbhedagama mentions that Ekapada-Trimurti is similar to the Ekanetra and Ekarudra aspects of Shiva and is one of theVidyeshvara aspects. He wears ajata-mukuta (a headdress formed of piled, matted hair) and white silken garments. He has three eyes and a pacific appearance. He holds atrishula (trident) and a tanka (small hammer) in two of his four arms and gestures invarada mudra (the boon-giving gesture) andabhaya mudra (the gesture of reassurance).[1]
Another Agama text, theUttara-Karanagama, also describes Ekapada-Trimurti as one of the Vidyeshvaras. He stands erect (thesamabhanga posture) on his one leg on a lotus pedestal (padma pitha). He has three eyes and four arms and is clear as crystal in color. His back hands carry a trisula or mriga (deer) and a tanka and his four hands gesture in varada mudra and abhaya mudra. He wears ordinarykundala earrings or pearl ones and the jata-mukuta. From the right and left of his body emergeBrahma andVishnu respectively. They are shown from the waist up and have one of their legs bent held above the ground. Brahma and Vishnu are both four-armed and hold their front hands folded (inanjali mudra). In his back hands, the four-headed Brahma holds a sruk (a large wooden ladle used to offerghee in fire-sacrifice) and akamandalu (water-pot), while Vishnu—who is adorned with akirita-mukuta (conical crown)—holds ashankha (conch) andchakra. Ekapada is surrounded by a huge halo, encompassing all his three torsos. A third Agama text, theUttara-Kanikagama, mentions that the figures of Brahma and Vishnu are proportionally smaller, similar to the size prescribed for female deities.[2] It also associates the one leg of the divinity with theLinga, Shiva's aniconic symbol.[3] TheLinga Purana describes Shiva as "the lord who has one foot, four arms, three eyes and a trident ... who is stationed after creating Vishnu from his left side and four-headed Brahma from his right side."[3] In South Indian temples, the icon may be accompanied byyogis or ascetics worshipping it and by thevahanas of the Trinity: Brahma's hamsa (swan/goose), Vishnu'sgaruda (eagle-man), and Shiva'sNandi bull.[4]
Sometimes, when the legs of Vishnu and Shiva are seen, the icon is calledTripada-Trimurti ("three-legged trinity") as opposed to the icon when the legs of Vishnu and Shiva are not shown, when it is calledEkapada-Trimurti ("one-legged trinity"), although theUttara-Karanagama refers to the former asEkapada-Trimurti. When the icon is shown without the torsos of Vishnu and Brahma, it is simply calledEkapada-murti ("one-legged icon").[5] Another variation of Ekapada, called Mahesha-Ekapada, appears in an 8th-century relief inMahabalipuram, where he is one-legged and four-armed but also has three visible heads plus a head assumed at the back and top, making it a five-headed icon, resembling the five-headed form calledMahesha orSadashiva.[3]
In Orissa, the iconography of Ekapada is quite different from that in South India. Though he has his characteristic one leg, matted hair and crescent moon headgear, and ascetic attendants, here Ekapada is never depicted with the torsos of Vishnu and Brahma. He may be four-armed or two-armed and is considered a form ofBhairava, the fearsome aspect of Shiva. He sports a short beard and moustache, an open mouth with fangs, and bulging eyes with a wrathful expression. He is ithyphallic (with an erectphallus) and wears a tiger skin around his waist. He wears various ornaments and a longyajnopavita (sacred thread) across his chest. In later images, Ekapada tends to be more terrifying, with a `garland of skulls, serpentine ornaments and yajnopavita, and a corpse beneath his foot. Early images depict him with a varada mudra gesture and kamandalu; however, in later ones these are replaced by a damaru and a kapala. His other attributes may be anakshamala (rosary), a trishula, a serpent, a deer. His ascetic attendants may hold a trishula and sometimes he is accompanied by a female attendant and hisvahana Nandi.[6]
TheVishvakarma-shilpa mentions Ekapada as one of theRudras and describes his iconography as having 16 arms and holding in his left arms akhatvanga, an arrow, achakra, adamaru, a mudgara (a mallet-like weapon), an akshamala, and a trishula (trident), with one hand held in varada mudra, and with his right hands holding a bow, a ghanta (bell), akapala, a kaumudi (crescent moon), a ghata (pot), aparashu (battle-axe), andshakti (power), with one hand in Tarjanimudra (with raised or threatening forefinger symbolizing wrath).[7] However, no representation of a sixteen-armed Ekapada is found.
The evolution of Ekapada is unclear; however, most scholars agree that he emerged from the Vedic deity Aja Ekapada or Ajaikapada (asandhi of Aja and Ekapada).[8][9] The first mention of Aja Ekapada ("the one-footed unborn/unmanifested one") is found in theVedas (e.g. Rig Veda 02.031.06, 06.050.14, etc.), Hinduism's earliest scriptures. Aja Ekapada is closely associated with Ahi Budhnya ("serpent of the deep ocean"), appearing in juxtaposition with the latter in fiveRigvedic hymns and once without him.[10] According to V. S. Agrawala, Aja Ekapada and Ahi Budhnya appear to be twin aspects of the same deity.[9] According to another interpretation, Aja Ekapada appears to be an aerial deity since he is invoked as the supporter of the sky and the thundering flood. InYaska'sNaighantuka (a thesaurus), Aja Ekapada is mentioned with the deities of the celestial realms. TheAtharvaveda describes him as made of two worlds. TheTaittiriya Brahmana describes him as rising from the east.[10] The commentator of this text interprets Aja Ekapada as a form of the fire-godAgni,[10] as does the modern scholar V. S. Agrawala.[9] Durga on theNirukta interprets him to be the sun, and some scholars also consider him a solar deity. Some scholars associate him with storms and interpret Aja Ekapada as a lightning strike coming down on earth in a single streak. In theHindu epics, Aja Ekapada, spelled Ajaikapada, is described as one of the 11Rudras and an epithet of Shiva, an identification that still is in vogue and is reflected in most of his representations.[10] In the epicMahabharata, both Ajaikapada and Ahi Budhnya are described as Rudras.[11] The twin deities are characterized as guardians of the gold, withKubera, the treasurer of the gods.[10] SomePuranas describe Aja, Ekapada (Ekapat), and Ahirbudhnya as three different Rudras.[12] Ajaikapada is described as a Rudra in theLinga Purana too.[9][13] In most cases Shiva is the governing deity of the Rudras, including Aja-Ekapada.[9]
Ekapada icons are found in most of the important Shiva temples inSouth India,[14] "in some place or the other", at least carved on a pillar.[4] The Ekapada-Trimurti, found in South India, demonstrates the sectarian mission of theShaivas (sect of Shiva) to establish their Shiva as the Supreme God and to illustrate that Vishnu and Brahma emerged from him. A similarVaishnava (sect of Vishnu) icon depicts Vishnu in the central position and Shiva and Brahma emerging from his body.[15] According to another interpretation, the Ekapada icon is that of Shiva in severe penance. Two ascetic attendants, who bow in reverence, emphasize his ascetic nature. In this view, Ekapada is regarded as symbolizing "severe asceticism, the granting of wishes or boons, and absolution."[16] TheVishvakarma-shilpa describes the worship of Ekapada as giving material joys.[7]
The Ekapada appears as a secondary deity (avarana-devata) in the northern side niche of temples inOrissa, often next to the central niche depicting the goddessMahishasuramardini. In Orissa, these icons are known as Aja-Ekapada or Ajaikapada. The earliest Ekapada icons in Orissa date back to the 8th century CE and are also found at the entrance of acaitya or as a guardian-attendant of theSaptamatrika goddesses, as an aspect of Bhairava.[9] He remains the most popular aspect of Bhairava in Orissa,[16] and was also worshipped by theKapalika sect.[8] The Ekapada-murti icons found in theKalinga-era temples ofAndhra Pradesh mirror those in neighbouring Orissa.[18] In Orissa, Ekapada-Bhairava is essentially aTantric deity. Tantric texts explicitly associate him with the Vedic Aja Ekapada, fire/Agni, sacrifice,the cosmic pillar of the universe, and theYogini goddesses, who are also linked to the Saptamatrikas.[8] As a guardian of the Saptamatrikas, Ekapada became more terrible in appearance, with motifs of blood-sacrifice and his depictions limited to Tantric goddess temples. As Vaishnavism rose in Orissa, depictions of him became increasingly rare.[16] According to one theory, Ekapada may have inspired the popular Vaishnava icon ofJagannath, a deity depicted without legs but a single stump below the waist.[8][16]
Besides in South India and Orissa, images of Ekapada are also found inRajasthan andNepal, though rarely.[19]