ZivacUDAmaNi

[mrabe at artic.edu]

In the vAyalUr inscription (EI vol. XVII, p. 149) Pallava king
narasiMhavarman II, rAjasiMha (690-728) assumes the  biruda,
mahezvara-zikhAmaNi-dauptimauliH.  Rendered literally by its editor, H.
Krishna Sastri as "one whose diadem shines with the head-jewel, viz.
Mahezvara (Ziva)," he supposed that this "rather perplexing" title might
allude (like "ZivacUDAmaNi ") to an image of Siva, or a linga affixed to
the king's crown.     Others have disputed this claim, taking such phrases
as purely metaphorical (presumably for prostrations to the feet of deity).

Question:  are there any textual (or visual?) sources that might
corroborate either practice, particularly the former which sounds
reminiscent of the dhyAni buddha images that frequent the crowns of
bodhisattvas?  Any thoughts, even half-remembered citations, negative
evidence or speculation will be much appreciated.

Michael Rabe
Saint Xavier University
&
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
mrabe at artic.edu