Thanks to all of the Indological sleuths who responded to my query,
both on- and off-list. The collective knowledge of the scholars here
is astounding.

I should have mentioned that Kurma Purana 2.7.7 includes "vIrANAM
vIrabhadro 'haM." It therefore seems a little less likely to me that
"gaNeSAnAM ca vIrakaH" only three verses later at 2.7.10 would be a
repeated reference to Virabhadra. However, the identification of
Viraka with the half-bull, half-man form of Nandin, suggested by Drs.
Roebuck and Törzsök, makes a lot of sense.

Based on your responses, it also seems there is a dissertation waiting
to be written on the mythology and iconography of Nandin/Viraka. If
someone can point me to an article on Nandin that discusses this
humanoid form, I'd be grateful.

My annotated translation of the Isvara Gita (Kurma Purana 2.1-2.11),
including this verse about vIraka, will be available from SUNY Press
in 2014.

All the best,

Andrew
___________________________________
Andrew J. Nicholson
Associate Professor
Dept. of Asian and Asian American Studies
and Dept. of Philosophy
SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY 11794-5343  USA
Tel: (631) 632-4030  Fax: (631) 632-4098

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