{"id":735,"date":"2017-02-12T18:16:02","date_gmt":"2017-02-12T18:16:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/?p=735"},"modified":"2017-02-12T18:16:02","modified_gmt":"2017-02-12T18:16:02","slug":"seen-the-trimurti-at-elephanta-caves-its-not-elephanta-and-its-not-the-trimurti","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/?p=735","title":{"rendered":"Seen the Trimurti at Elephanta Caves?  It\u2019s not Elephanta! And it\u2019s not the Trimurti!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t\t<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-735 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><ul class='gallery-list clearfix'>\n<li class='gallery-item'>\r\n\t\t\t<span class='gallery-icon landscape'>\r\n\t\t\t\t<a class='boxer' rel='gallery' title='At the Gateway !!' href='https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/IMG-20170205-WA0071.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/IMG-20170205-WA0071-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/IMG-20170205-WA0071-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/IMG-20170205-WA0071-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\r\n\t\t\t<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t<p class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption'>\r\n\t\t\t\tAt the Gateway !!\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class='gallery-item'>\r\n\t\t\t<span class='gallery-icon landscape'>\r\n\t\t\t\t<a class='boxer' rel='gallery' title='They arrive !' href='https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/IMG-20170205-WA0093.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/IMG-20170205-WA0093-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/IMG-20170205-WA0093-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/IMG-20170205-WA0093-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\r\n\t\t\t<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t<p class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption'>\r\n\t\t\t\tThey arrive !\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class='gallery-item'>\r\n\t\t\t<span class='gallery-icon portrait'>\r\n\t\t\t\t<a class='boxer' rel='gallery' title='Students in rapt attention !!' href='https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/IMG-20170205-WA0097.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/IMG-20170205-WA0097-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/IMG-20170205-WA0097-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/IMG-20170205-WA0097-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\r\n\t\t\t<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t<p class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption'>\r\n\t\t\t\tStudents in rapt attention !!\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class='gallery-item'>\r\n\t\t\t<span class='gallery-icon landscape'>\r\n\t\t\t\t<a class='boxer' rel='gallery' title='Notes taking..' href='https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/IMG-20170205-WA0100.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/IMG-20170205-WA0100-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/IMG-20170205-WA0100-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/IMG-20170205-WA0100-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\r\n\t\t\t<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t<p class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption'>\r\n\t\t\t\tNotes taking..\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class='gallery-item'>\r\n\t\t\t<span class='gallery-icon landscape'>\r\n\t\t\t\t<a class='boxer' rel='gallery' title='Story time !!' href='https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/IMG-20170205-WA0105.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/IMG-20170205-WA0105-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/IMG-20170205-WA0105-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/IMG-20170205-WA0105-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\r\n\t\t\t<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t<p class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption'>\r\n\t\t\t\tStory time !!\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class='gallery-item'>\r\n\t\t\t<span class='gallery-icon portrait'>\r\n\t\t\t\t<a class='boxer' rel='gallery' title='Look at that beauty !' href='https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/IMG-20170205-WA0111.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/IMG-20170205-WA0111-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/IMG-20170205-WA0111-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/IMG-20170205-WA0111-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\r\n\t\t\t<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t<p class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption'>\r\n\t\t\t\tLook at that beauty !\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class='gallery-item'>\r\n\t\t\t<span class='gallery-icon landscape'>\r\n\t\t\t\t<a class='boxer' rel='gallery' title='Another story ??!!' href='https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/IMG-20170205-WA0133.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/IMG-20170205-WA0133-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/IMG-20170205-WA0133-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/IMG-20170205-WA0133-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\r\n\t\t\t<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t<p class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption'>\r\n\t\t\t\tAnother story ??!!\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class='gallery-item'>\r\n\t\t\t<span class='gallery-icon landscape'>\r\n\t\t\t\t<a class='boxer' rel='gallery' title='The herd marches in..' href='https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/IMG-20170205-WA0147.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/IMG-20170205-WA0147-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/IMG-20170205-WA0147-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/IMG-20170205-WA0147-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\r\n\t\t\t<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t<p class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption'>\r\n\t\t\t\tThe herd marches in..\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class='gallery-item'>\r\n\t\t\t<span class='gallery-icon landscape'>\r\n\t\t\t\t<a class='boxer' rel='gallery' title='One picture with the Trimurti.. oops !! with the Sadashiva !! ' href='https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/IMG-20170205-WA0231.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/IMG-20170205-WA0231-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/IMG-20170205-WA0231-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/IMG-20170205-WA0231-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\r\n\t\t\t<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t<p class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption'>\r\n\t\t\t\tOne picture with the Trimurti.. oops !! with the Sadashiva !! \r\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<p>\n<p>\u2018<em>This is the Panchamukhi Shiva, also known as Sad<\/em><em>\u0101shiva,<\/em>\u2019 says Dr. Prachi Moghe, Assistant Director at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan and Visiting Faculty at the Mumbai University, pointing to the famous sculpture that many recognise as the Trimurti of Elephanta caves.<\/p>\n<p><em>\u2018Panchamukhi?<\/em>\u2019 those gathered around her ask in surprise. <em>\u2018But there are only three faces!<\/em>\u2019<\/p>\n<p><em>\u2018Yes!\u2019 <\/em>nods Dr. Moghe. <em>\u2018While three faces are carved into the wall, two faces are unseen!<\/em>\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Facing the centre is the <strong>Sad<\/strong><strong>\u0101shiva,<\/strong> the Ultimate Divine Energy. While to the left is the <strong>Aghora-Shiva<\/strong> representing the divine power of dissolution, <strong>V<\/strong><strong>\u0101madeva<\/strong> to the right, represents the gentle form of sustenance. On the reverse and hence unseen, is the <strong>Tatpurusha-Shiva<\/strong> representing the power of concealment. And on the top and hence also unseen, is the <strong>Sadyojata-Shiva<\/strong> representing the power of creation.<\/p>\n<p>While this sculpture of Shiva, was interpreted earlier as the Trimurti or the three faced Shiva, scholars today agree that it is not the Trimurti but the Panchamukhi Shiva.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018<em>This is the ultimate supreme form of Shiva<\/em>,\u2019 explains Dr. Moghe. \u2018<em>Through form, it symbolizes the formless, the Nirguna, the Nir<\/em><em>\u0101kara.\u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p>This Panchamukhi sculpture occupies centre-stage in the most prominent and richly decorated Cave No. 1 of the islands, amidst many forms of Shiva which have been etched into its walls.<\/p>\n<p>While Natar\u0101ja maintains the cosmic balance with his splendid dance, Kaly\u0101nasundaram depicts how the ultimate can be attained through s\u0101dhana. While the Ardha-nar\u012bshwara Shiva teaches the world that both male and female principles are equally important, the R\u0101vana-anugraha Shiva reminds the devotee to always stay humble.<\/p>\n<p><em>\u2018These caves are one of the three main sites of the Pashupata cult in Mumbai<\/em>,\u2019 points out Dr. Moghe as she explains the significance of this remnant of ancient history, not far from the shores of the commercial hub of India.<\/p>\n<p>The Pashupata sect is one of the most ancient forms of Shaivism. Said to be founded by Lakulish\u0101 \u00a0in the 2<sup>nd<\/sup> century CE, it is distinct and different from popular mainstream Shaivism.<\/p>\n<p>While <em>pasu<\/em> refers to the individual soul, <em>pati<\/em> refers to the Lord and <em>pasa<\/em> are the fetters imposed on the soul keeping the individual soul from attaining the Divine. \u2018<em>When pasa is removed, the pasu can merge with the pati. This is the essence of the Pashupata cult<\/em>.\u2019 explains Dr. Moghe.<\/p>\n<p>The caves were a live site of worship until the British period. Prior to that, when the Portuguese arrived here in the 16<sup>th<\/sup> century, they found two massive stone elephants on the island. This is how the place came to be known as the Elephanta islands. The Portuguese disfigured and destroyed many of the sculptures on the island, using them as targets for shooting practice. One of the stone elephants can be seen today outside the front entrance of the Bhau Daji Lad Museum in Mumbai.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018<em>Mor<\/em><em>\u0101, Gh<\/em><em>\u0101r<\/em><em>\u0101 and Awas are the three sites of habitation on the island<\/em>,\u2019 explains Dr. Moghe. \u2018<em>The original name of the island is <\/em>Gh\u0101r\u0101puri<em>. Perhaps it was the capital of the Konkan Mauryas who ruled the region from the 2<sup>nd<\/sup> to the 3<sup>rd<\/sup> century CE.\u2019 <\/em>she adds.<\/p>\n<p>Few people know that the Gh\u0101r\u0101puri island was an ancient site of entreport. Traders stopped at the port here since the 2<sup>nd<\/sup> century BCE for rest and to refill supplies of fresh water. Archaeological remains of Roman amphorae dating to those times have been found on the island.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018<em>The caves were also an ancient Buddhist site. British records mention the presence of a stupa on the eastern side of the island<\/em>,\u2019 says Dr. Moghe. <em>\u2018In fact, I have seen the plinth of the stupa about 20 years ago.\u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p>But neither the stupa nor its plinth exist anymore. And that is a cause for concern.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018This island has seen so much!\u2019 says Dr. Moghe, \u2018but very little work has been done to uncover, document and preserve that rich history!\u2019<\/p>\n<p>While boat-loads of people from Mumbai throng to the Gh\u0101r\u0101puri caves for a picnic, few seem to realise that they have stepped into a veritable time machine that transports them back into an era that existed 2000 years earlier.<\/p>\n<p>So, take some time out to visit the Gh\u0101r\u0101puri islands and treat yourself to a passage into the past.\u00a0 And when you see the famous Panchamukhi Shiva at the centre of the Hall, you will know that what the eyes see, do not always represent the whole truth!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>An article by Mallika Iyer, student of Diploma in Comparative Mythology course, in response to the study tour conducted by Dr.Prachi Moghe to the Gharapuri caves on 5th February 2017 for the course students.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u2018This is the Panchamukhi Shiva, also known as Sad\u0101shiva,\u2019 says Dr. Prachi Moghe, Assistant Director at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan and Visiting Faculty at the Mumbai University, pointing to the famous sculpture that many recognise as the Trimurti of Elephanta caves. \u2018Panchamukhi?\u2019 those gathered around her ask in surprise. \u2018But there are only three faces!\u2019&nbsp;&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10,14],"tags":[26,25,24],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/735"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=735"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/735\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":749,"href":"https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/735\/revisions\/749"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=735"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=735"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sanskritbhavan.mu.ac.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=735"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}