For the first time, I saw the statue of Ardhanrishwara in the Khajuraho temple. It made me curious, and I was searching for more information about the sculpture. Later, I was informed that another sculpture was located in Haridwar in someone's private collection. Unfortunately, the person refused to admit the same. From several resources, I finally found the inner meaning of this sculpture. Here, I am about to discuss the painting Ardhanarishvara, but Before proceeding with this discussion, I want to introduce the sculpture. The sculpture depicts a human figure with half-male and half-female. The ward' Ardh' means Half, and 'Narishwara' means God and nature(Prakriti, considered female).
Ancient Hindu mythology affirmed that God is eternal without any sexual clarification since it's incorporeal. We recognized all the deities constituted within such absolute power in several forms, such as Shiva, Narayana, etc.
Pursuing such a concept, ancient Hindu sages produced an ideal figurative form of God that was neither a male nor a female. Because in the perspective of Hindu theology, no one is a complete idol in all terms. The Theology says that once upon a time when God desired to be numerous, the supreme power got divided into numerous particles and produced countless forms in this universe. However, the main characters were male and female in all forms. Therefore, nothing can be created or made possible without the cooperation or the power of both.
Upon profound observation of our surrounding nature, Hindu sages affirmed that inside the infinite creation of God, all have the zeal to meet each other once again. In the subconscious mind, we have a thirst because we are incomplete, and it will be forever. They even clarified that only God is absolute. All of us came from it. We will be complete if we can return to our actual destination anyway. The eagerness to meet each other is a tiny start to going ahead toward God.
The figurative form of Ardhanarishwara is described the same. Such a figure is neither male nor female. Such an insignificant factor (male or female) is not enough to explain that supreme, infinite power. You can describe it as a mother, as Jesus described it as a father, and he was the son of him. All is possible with this figurative form of the Almighty Creator.
Now tell me, what do you think about this artwork? Is the artwork described the same as discussed? On both sides, I placed calligraphy on the chants of Lord Shiva and Durga. Actually, Hindu ideology demonstrates Lord Shiva and Durga in a single figurative structure.
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