[INDOLOGY] dhanus/dhavin (Sagittarius)

[Petra Kieffer-Pülz]

> Am 18.11.2016 um 19:20 schrieb Nagaraj Paturi <nagarajpaturi at gmail.com>:
> 
> http://tamilnadu-favtourism.blogspot.in/2015/11/gangaikonda-cholapuram-sculptures.html <http://tamilnadu-favtourism.blogspot.in/2015/11/gangaikonda-cholapuram-sculptures.html>
> 
> has under
> 
> Gangaikonda Cholapuram - Sculptures
> The Solar Altar
> The solar altar called Saura pitha in agamic texts is in the form of a full blown lotus on a square pedestal in two tiers. The upper tier carries eight deities portrayed at eight directions. They are considered the eight planets, which, including the central lotus representing Surya (sun) constitute the Navagrahas, (nine planets) worshipped by the Hindus for the bestowal of good fortune and the removal of obstacles. The lower tier is modelled as a chariot with wheels on either side, drawn by seven horses. Aruna the Charioteer of Surya is shown driving the horses. The seven horses are said to represent the seven days of the week. The wheels are ornamented with twelve petals, representing the twelve months of a year. At the corners are seen flying celestials, gandharvas carrying flower garlands.
> The Agamic texts specify the worship of Surya in the form of a lotus altar. Evidently this is a representation of Saura pitha, solar altar, intended for daily worship. This elegant piece is also decidedly a Chalukyan sculpture, probably brought here as a war trophy. In recent years, it has assumed great significance as a large number of devotees worship it as Navagraha for the fulfillment of their vows. When the planet Saturn changes its position once in 27 months, nearly a million people offer worship to this altar.
> Rajendra Chola-I (1012-1044 A.D) is also called Gangaikonda Cholan . (http://www.kumbakonam.info/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=90&Itemid=184 <http://www.kumbakonam.info/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=90&Itemid=184>)
> 
> 
> On Fri, Nov 18, 2016 at 11:39 PM, Nagaraj Paturi <nagarajpaturi at gmail.com <mailto:nagarajpaturi at gmail.com>> wrote:
> Image search yielded the word Saura pITha  and 13 th Century as time period and Andhra Pradesh as place.
> 
> https://www.flickr.com/photos/301202/15265329686 <https://www.flickr.com/photos/301202/15265329686>
> 
> On Fri, Nov 18, 2016 at 10:43 PM, Bill Mak <bill.m.mak at gmail.com <mailto:bill.m.mak at gmail.com>> wrote:
> Dear colleagues,
> 
> A colleague of mine is looking for a high-resolution image of dhanus/dhavin (Sagittarius) in Indian sculpture, mural or manuscript. I came across an image from the internet which gives the description: "C. Saura Sect of Hinduism. Zodiac Wheel. Dolerite. Andhra Pradesh, India”:
> http://www.billmak.com/?attachment_id=1924 <http://www.billmak.com/?attachment_id=1924>
> 
> Could anyone confirm the provenance of this piece or any other similar object?
> 
> Textually, I am also curious about the variants dhanu/dhanvin. Sphujidhvaja in his Yavanajātaka gave dhanus, dhanurdhara and dhavin. Varāhamihira in addition gave the Sanskritized greek term taukṣika (from τοξότης). I am curious which form the modern Indian languages took - the bow, the archer/centaur or both?
> 
> Best regards,
> 
> Bill
> 
> -- 
> Bill M. Mak, PhD
> 
> Visiting research scholar
> Institute for the Study of the Ancient World (ISAW)
> New York University
> 15 East 84th Street
> New York, NY 10028
> US
> 
> Associate Professor
> Institute for Research in Humanities, Kyoto University
> Yoshidahonmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan 606-8501
> 〒606-8501 京都市左京区吉田本町
> 京都大学人文科学研究所
> 
> email: mak at zinbun.kyoto-u.ac.jp <mailto:mak at zinbun.kyoto-u.ac.jp>
> Tel:+81-75-753-6961
> Fax:+81-75-753-6903
> 
> copies of my publications may be found at:
> http://www.billmak.com <http://www.billmak.com/>
> 
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> 
> -- 
> Nagaraj Paturi
>  
> Hyderabad, Telangana, INDIA.
>  
> Former Senior Professor of Cultural Studies
>  
> FLAME School of Communication and FLAME School of  Liberal Education,
>  
> (Pune, Maharashtra, INDIA )
>  
>  
>  
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Nagaraj Paturi
>  
> Hyderabad, Telangana, INDIA.
>  
> Former Senior Professor of Cultural Studies
>  
> FLAME School of Communication and FLAME School of  Liberal Education,
>  
> (Pune, Maharashtra, INDIA )
>  
>  
>  
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