The Hindu deity Shiva as destroyer of the three cities of the demons

The Hindu Deity Shiva

Shiva is the supreme deity for many Hindus. His divine personality is very complex and embodies contradictions. In these sculptures and others in Galleries 1 and 4, the great god is shown as a family man, a conqueror of demons, a fierce or gentle ascetic, or, more abstractly, as the Absolute embodied in a pillar-like phallic emblem.

Shiva is conventionally represented with certain physical characteristics that convey various aspects of his divine power, such as a third eye in the middle of the forehead, and four or more arms. He usually appears as a yogi, or ascetic, with the long dreadlock-like locks of his hair tied on top of his head. He sometimes wears a crescent moon or skull at the front of his hairdress. He is also associated with certain animals (snakes, and his faithful mount, the bull Nandi), and may carry identifying objects such a trident, an axe, an antelope, or a small drum.

Not all of these characteristics and attributes are shown in every image of Shiva. Some are particular to a certain form of the god, and the popularity of others varies by region.

This sculpture shows Shiva in the act of destruction— shooting a single arrow to destroy three demon cities. In the story, three demons practice such severe selfdenial that they earn a favor from the deity Brahma. They ask “that they could not be slain by any creatures, ever.” Brahma says that there is no complete immortality and tells them to ask for a different favor. They then ask that we may establish three cities and wander over this world by your grace. Then, after a thousand years, we will come together and these cities will become one, and the blessed lord, Shiva, will destroy these united cities with a single arrow, and that will be our death.*

Shiva is shown at the moment when the three cities unite, shooting the single obliterating arrow. In addition to the bow at upper right, in most of his other nine hands he holds a variety of other weapons. His left foot rests on the back of a demon. Behind his other foot can be seen his son, the elephant-headed Ganesha.

*Adapted from Wendy O’Flaherty’s translations in Hindu Myths, 1975.