Srikumar महाराज🇮🇳☸️

101 days ago

Understanding the various figures seen in a Surya murti panel ☀️ Usha and Pratyusha represent dawn and are depicted as the two female figures carrying bows and arrows, symbolising the removal of darkness with their arrows of light. Pingala is identified with Agni, the deity of fire. In several iconography texts, Danda is identified with Skanda, establishing an important connection between Kartikeya and Surya worship. The Bhavishya Purana narrates that when Surya scorched the asuras with his intense radiance, they attacked him in anger. The devas then came to Surya’s aid by placing Skanda on his left and Agni on his right. Since Skanda punishes evil, he came to be known as Dandanayaka, while Agni, due to his reddish-yellow hue, became associated with the name Pingala. Some iconographic traditions also identify Danda with Yama. These intricate Surya panels beautifully preserve layers of symbolism, theology, and cosmic philosophy within Hindu temple art. 🌞