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Starting a thread of sketches/drawings that I have started as a hobby.
Gharapuri/Elephanta Sadāśiva.
Gharapuri/Elephanta Sadāśiva.
Today's attempt from the Kailāśanātha temple at Kanchipuram.
Please guess what is represented here.
Please guess what is represented here.
Dancing Martanda Bhairava (as identified by Prof. Nagaswamy) from Darasuram Airavateshwara temple.
Liṅgōdbhavamūrti from... well... every Śiva temple.
Today's sketch: Ardhanarishvara
Me happy!
Today's sketch Adiguru!
Dakshinamurthi!
Dakshinamurthi!
From the benign to the furious. Today's sketch: Gajāsurasaṃhāramūrtī
Inspired by the Tanjore Painting hanging in the seating area of the lower level in Chennai airport, today's attempt:
Ūrdhva Tāṇḍava.
Ūrdhva Tāṇḍava.
Today something different.
May Kanchi Kamakshi Amman save us all from this pandemic.
May Kanchi Kamakshi Amman save us all from this pandemic.
My Lord dances... Yours?
रमन्ते सर्वे जनाः गुणैः अस्मिन् इति रामः।
"In whom everyone takes delight for his virtuousness, thus he is Rāma."
In nāmasankīrtanas, the lord is generally introduced so.
Today's sketch is a version of Utsavamūrtī of Kōdaṇḍa Rāma.
#RamaNavami
"In whom everyone takes delight for his virtuousness, thus he is Rāma."
In nāmasankīrtanas, the lord is generally introduced so.
Today's sketch is a version of Utsavamūrtī of Kōdaṇḍa Rāma.
#RamaNavami
The lord who measured the worlds, UlagaLanda PerumAL.
Trivikrama.
Trivikrama.
Today no sketch. But trying a new direction with help from the missus.
Utsavamūrtī version of Kōdaṇḍa Rāma painted.
Utsavamūrtī version of Kōdaṇḍa Rāma painted.
Today I sketched the Lord who emerged from a pillar so his devotee's word was kept true.
सत्यं विधातुं निज-भृत्य भाषितं
व्याप्तिं च भूतेष्वखिलेषु चात्मनः |
अदृश्यतात्यद्भुत रूपं उद्वहन्
स्तम्भे सभायां न मृगं न मानुषं ||
सत्यं विधातुं निज-भृत्य भाषितं
व्याप्तिं च भूतेष्वखिलेषु चात्मनः |
अदृश्यतात्यद्भुत रूपं उद्वहन्
स्तम्भे सभायां न मृगं न मानुषं ||
O great Varāha, just as the earth that was formerly sunk into the waters had been lifted up from the nether-worlds, so also you rescue me from the ocean of misery.
Something a little more fun today! 
Based on the cover of ACK's issue on Hanuman!
Based on the cover of ACK's issue on Hanuman!
Today's sketch: Depiction of a panel from my favourite temple, Kanchi Kailāśanāthar.
Kirātārjunīya.
Kirātārjunīya.
From today, I will be sketching each of five faces or aspects of Lord Śiva.
Today, Īśānamūrtī.
Today, Īśānamūrtī.
2nd face or aspect of Lord Śiva, Tatpuruṣamūrtī.
ॐ तत्पुरुषाय विद्महे
महादेवाय धीमहि
तन्नो रुद्रः प्रचोदयात्॥
ॐ तत्पुरुषाय विद्महे
महादेवाय धीमहि
तन्नो रुद्रः प्रचोदयात्॥
3rd aspect: Aghōramūrtī.
अघोरेभ्योऽथ घोरेभ्यो अघोरघोरेतरेभ्यः।
सर्वतः शर्वः सर्वेभ्यो नमस्ते रुद्र रूपेभ्यः॥
I bow to those not terrible and those who are terrible,
And to those who are both terrible and not terrible.
Everywhere and always, Śarva, I bow to all Thy Rudra forms.
अघोरेभ्योऽथ घोरेभ्यो अघोरघोरेतरेभ्यः।
सर्वतः शर्वः सर्वेभ्यो नमस्ते रुद्र रूपेभ्यः॥
I bow to those not terrible and those who are terrible,
And to those who are both terrible and not terrible.
Everywhere and always, Śarva, I bow to all Thy Rudra forms.
4th aspect: Vāmadeva
I bow to the Noble One, the Eldest;
to the Best, to Rudra and to Time,
I bow to the Incomprehensible,
to Strength,
To the Causer of various forces,
and to the Extender of Strength.
I bow to the Subduer of all beings,
and to the One who kindles the Light.
I bow to the Noble One, the Eldest;
to the Best, to Rudra and to Time,
I bow to the Incomprehensible,
to Strength,
To the Causer of various forces,
and to the Extender of Strength.
I bow to the Subduer of all beings,
and to the One who kindles the Light.
5th form of Lord Śiva: Sadyojāta
सद्योजातं प्रपद्यामि सद्योजाताय वै नमो नमः।
भवे भवे नाति भवे भवस्व मां भवोद्भवाय नमः॥
I take refuge in the First Born,
verily I bow to the First Born
Do not consign me to birth after birth
Guide me beyond birth,
I bow to the Causer of birth.
सद्योजातं प्रपद्यामि सद्योजाताय वै नमो नमः।
भवे भवे नाति भवे भवस्व मां भवोद्भवाय नमः॥
I take refuge in the First Born,
verily I bow to the First Born
Do not consign me to birth after birth
Guide me beyond birth,
I bow to the Causer of birth.
After the 5 forms, I had to sketch the ever auspicious Sadāśiva!
नमस्ते अस्तु भगवन्
विश्वेश्वराय महादेवाय
त्र्यम्बकाय त्रिपुरान्तकाय
त्रिकाग्निकालाय कालाग्निरुद्राय
नीलकण्ठाय मृत्युंजयाय
सर्वेश्वराय सदाशिवाय
श्रीमन् महादेवाय नमः ।।
नमस्ते अस्तु भगवन्
विश्वेश्वराय महादेवाय
त्र्यम्बकाय त्रिपुरान्तकाय
त्रिकाग्निकालाय कालाग्निरुद्राय
नीलकण्ठाय मृत्युंजयाय
सर्वेश्वराय सदाशिवाय
श्रीमन् महादेवाय नमः ।।
From the ancient scriptures, the incomparable Vedas, You chose the nucleus of their essence (OM) and preached it to Lord SivA, Oh Master!
Without any interruption, You let me see Your lotus feet at the unique place, ThiruvEragam (SwAmimalai), Oh MurugA!
Without any interruption, You let me see Your lotus feet at the unique place, ThiruvEragam (SwAmimalai), Oh MurugA!
Just as the gaze of lotus-faced Gaurī
Is always on her beloved Gajānana,
Just so may the grace of Gaṇeśa
Always be on those who worship
The single-tusked one with devotion.
(Based on the vigraha in one of the niches in Tanjore Brihadishwara temple)
Is always on her beloved Gajānana,
Just so may the grace of Gaṇeśa
Always be on those who worship
The single-tusked one with devotion.
(Based on the vigraha in one of the niches in Tanjore Brihadishwara temple)
First attempt at a structural sketch. 
How does the inside of a typical Pallava style rock cut Śiva temple look like?
Like so.
Lion pillars and pilasters, two dvārapālakas, Liṅga with no āvuḍai or pīṭa, Sōmāskanda on the back wall of the Garbhagṛha.
Like so.
Lion pillars and pilasters, two dvārapālakas, Liṅga with no āvuḍai or pīṭa, Sōmāskanda on the back wall of the Garbhagṛha.
The elephant family from Arjuna's penance at Mahabs.
Sundareshwarar weds Meenakshi!
श्रीकृष्ण गोविन्द हरे मुरारे
हे नाथ नारायण वासुदेव।
जिह्वे पिबस्वामृतमेतदेव
गोविन्द दामोदर माधवेति।।
हे नाथ नारायण वासुदेव।
जिह्वे पिबस्वामृतमेतदेव
गोविन्द दामोदर माधवेति।।
The madanikās of Belur's Chennakeśava temple are perhaps the most beautiful danseuses ever sculpted in human history! There are 42 of them that the Hoysalas sculpted in the temple.
This one is the victorious huntress Jayaniṣādī, as christened by the great Kannada author DVG.
This one is the victorious huntress Jayaniṣādī, as christened by the great Kannada author DVG.
Continuing with the series: Mukura mugdhe/Darpana Sundari
Her smile grows beauteous as the moon, this creeper growing on kalpataru of beauty.
But even as Kama's wiles grow in her presence, with every glance into the mirror, she but falls in love only with herself.
Her smile grows beauteous as the moon, this creeper growing on kalpataru of beauty.
But even as Kama's wiles grow in her presence, with every glance into the mirror, she but falls in love only with herself.
I follow a young chap on insta who posts his metalwork creations.
He posted a wonderful hamsa lamp that I just couldn't resist sketching.
He posted a wonderful hamsa lamp that I just couldn't resist sketching.
Sūryād bhavanti̍
bhūtā̱ni
Sūryena pāli̍tāni tu |
Sūrye layam prā̎pnuvanti
Yaḥ sūryaḥ so’ha̍m
Eva̱ ca |
From the Sun arise all beings.
The Sun sustains them all.
Into the Sun they all vanish.
What the Sun is,
that I am.
bhūtā̱ni
Sūryena pāli̍tāni tu |
Sūrye layam prā̎pnuvanti
Yaḥ sūryaḥ so’ha̍m
Eva̱ ca |
From the Sun arise all beings.
The Sun sustains them all.
Into the Sun they all vanish.
What the Sun is,
that I am.
उग्रं वीरं महा-विष्णुं
ज्वलन्तं सर्वतोमुखम्।
नृसिम्हं भीषनम् भद्रं
मृत्यॊर् मृत्युं नमाम्यहम्॥
ज्वलन्तं सर्वतोमुखम्।
नृसिम्हं भीषनम् भद्रं
मृत्यॊर् मृत्युं नमाम्यहम्॥
Gate gate pāragate pārasaṃgate!
ଜୟ ଜଗନ୍ନାଥ !
I hope Puri Jagannath Yatra is never as empty, as it was this year, ever again.
Based on Gorrick's sketch.
I hope Puri Jagannath Yatra is never as empty, as it was this year, ever again.
Based on Gorrick's sketch.
