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icons

The worship of images of divinities is probably

very ancient among the original inhabitants of

the Indian subcontinent. In the VEDAS of the ARY-

ANS there is no mention of image worship, and it

seems unquestionable that the image worship of

later Hinduism is a Brahminization or Vediciza-

tion of a common indigenous practice.

In India, icons are made from special materi-

als—specially selected and shaped stone, metal,

or wood. Icons are installed in temples or other

locations with special rituals. First, the icon is

consecrated and brought to life. Usually, this

involves the transfer of the power of the divinity

from a container, a clay pot with water and a palm

frond in it, through a string that is tied to the icon.

MANTRAS are used to empower the icon or bring

the divinity to life within it.

Bare stone is not by itself an icon; only when

the deity has been implanted within it does the

image gain potency. Once the life breath (PRANA)

has been established in the iconic deity, its eyes

are painted in or finally formed; this prepares

the icon for DARSHAN, the meeting of its eyes with

those of its worshippers. An anthropomorphic

icon is treated in its context as a royal human

being—awakened early in the morning, sung to,

bathed, clothed, fed, fanned, and entertained.

Such activity is carried out throughout the day

until the deity is put to bed. Icons that do not have

a basically human form, such as the SHIVA LINGAM,

are usually treated the same way, as though the

god where present in them.

When a temple or icon is decommissioned,

another careful ritual must be performed to

remove the life from the image, lest it become

angry at not being treated properly.

Further reading: Jitendra Nath Banerjea, The Develop-

ment of Hindu Iconography (New Delhi: Munshiram

Manoharlal, 1985); T. G. Gopinatha Rao, Elements of

Hindu Iconography, 4 vols. (Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass,

1997); Eva Rudy Jansen, The Hindu Book of Imagery: The

Gods and Their Symbols. (Holland: Binkey Kok, 1995);

Margaret Stutley, An Illustrated Dictionary of Hindu Ico-

nography (Boston: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1985).

ida See NADI.

Ilankovatikal (c. second century C.E.)

Ilankovatikal (Venerable ascetic prince) was the

author of the Tamil Jain classic Silappatikaram

I