vAyu-worship in gujarAt

ICONOGRAPHY OF VAYU AND VAYU-WORSHIP IN GUJARAT
by M. R. MAJMUDĀR

Aniconic worship

The gods of the Ṛgveda, whose number is stated to be thirty-three, were worshipped not in temples but in the open air on a sacrificial ground. When Agni, as Fire before the eye of the worshipper, was prayed to, any definite image was out of question; Of Vāta (wind) poet of the Ṛgveda says: “One hears him, roaring, but his form one does not see”. The Rgveda does not contain any evidence of iconographic representations of any of the gods.

In the Vedas, the principal places are assigned to Agni, Vāyu or Indra and Surya, who appear to have been regarded as the triad of deities in whom the Supreme Spirit was especially revealed-Agni, Vāyu and Surya being respectively the rulers of the earth, the air and the heaven.

Distinct traits

Apart from the phenomena over which these gods rule, the gods were differentiated mainly by the weapons they wield or by the animals which draw their cars. Hence, Marut was shown by his banner which he waves in the air, and the deer, the swiftest of the animals is his ‘vāhana’. In the Vedas, the cars of gods, though generally drawn by horses are also described as yoked with various other animals’ such as the antelopes of the Maruts and the goats of Puṣan. In the case of Marut, the post-Vedic ‘vāhana’ has not changed.

1. A list of ten such animals is given in Nighantu, and repeated in Bṛhad-devata.

According to the Agama texts: “The ‘vāhana’ or vehicle of the personified weaver of ‘bāṇa’ is the wind, Vāyu, and his banner is the feather”. In the Śaiva Agamas the Murtisvara Śiva of Vāyu-tattva is Kāla, and he is the husband of Kāli. Parā Śakti assumes the form of Kāli as Vāyu-ākāra.

The Vahanas in Indian sculpture are marks of identification, laid down in the Rgveda. The second way of distinguishing a god was by his weapons. Originally a single weapon was sufficient for the identification of a god, a ‘vajra’ for Indra, a ‘cakra’ for Visnu, a ’triśula’ for Śiva and a ‘dhvaja’ for Vāyu or Marut.+++(4)+++ The number of distinguishing symbols, however, gradually increased in the course of time; this is evident from later sculptures. Vāyu is referred to as ‘darśata’ (of pleasing appearance) in hymns which could only mean that Vāyu-images were made to look beautiful.

Vāta, Vāyu, connections

Vāyu images are generally four-armed. Vāta and Vāyu both denote Vedic deities. But Vāyu is chiefly the ‘god’, and Vāta the ’element’. Vāyu is celebrated alone in one whole hymn, in parts of others, and in about half a dozen hymns conjointly with Indra ( Indra-Vāyū ).

Vāta is associated with Parjanya, whose connection with the thunderstorm is much more vivid than that of Indra. Different sets of epithets are applied to the two wind-gods, those belonging to Vāta being chiefly expressive of the physical attributes of swiftness and violence.

Vāyu is said to have given birth to the Maruts or winds by the rivers of Heaven. Few references are made to Vāyu’s origin. The worlds are said to have generated him for wealth. In the Puruṣasūkta, he is said to have sprung from the breath of the Purușa.

The ‘Aitareya Brāhmaṇa’ tells a story of how in a race which the gods ran for the first draught of Soma, Vāyu reached the goal first and Indra second. Vāta, as the ordinary name of wind, is celebrated in a more concrete manner. Shattering everything and thundering his din, he passes on. He goes along whirling up the dust of the earth. He wanders in the air on his paths. He does not rest even a day. One hears him roaring, but one does not see him. The place of his birth is unknown. He is the breath of the gods and is worshipped with oblations.

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In Adh. II of the ‘Durgā Māhātmya’ from the Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa it is mentioned that for the killing of Mahiṣāsura, the essence of energy or light that every Devata has, emanated from his body, and led to the making of the perfect form of Goddess Mahādevi. Among the particular limbs of the goddess formed from the essence of energy contributed by the various gods, the ears are mentioned as having been formed from the quota of Anila, the wind (‘śravaṇāvanilasya ca’ II, 18).

And further, in the equipment of the Mahādevi with corresponding weapons ( ayudha ) by the devas, it has been mentioned that Marut gave a bow and a quiver, filled with arrows (maruto dattavānścāpam bāṇapūrṇe tatheṣudhi, II 22 ).

Hanumān, the son of Vāyu, is connected with the wind that yearly brings rain, or with the clouds that send down rain. He is worshipped as the universal tutelary god in all villages.

The Hanumān of the Rāmāyaṇa is the son of the wind-god; and hence his other name Marutātmaja or Māruti; like all monkeys, he can assume any desired form; he is ‘camarūpin’ like the clouds. Like the clouds. he flies through the air, hundreds of miles beyond the sea, for finding out Sītā, and he finds her. From the distant south, from which the monsoon comes forward, Sītā is brought back; and indeed, Rāma succeeds in doing this, only with the help of the monkeys, the rain clouds.¹

Iconography

According to texts on Hindu iconography, Vāyu should be a youthful person of powerful constitution, of black colour and possessing two or more hands. His eyes must be red and his garments white. He should have a wavy, curved brow and be adorned with all ornaments. In his right hand, it is stated, there should be a ‘dhvaja’ ( banner ) and in the left a ‘daṇḍa’ (staff). It might also mean that the right hand should be held in the ‘patākā-hasta’ pose. Some authorities prescribe the ‘ankuśa’ in the right hand of this deity. His hair should be dishevelled, and he may be seated either on a ‘simhāsana’ or on a deer. The latter is more often met with in sculptures as vehicle of Vāyu. He should also appear to be in haste to move very quickly.

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Vāyu’s attributes are indefinite. Vāyu has a shining car drawn by a team or a pair of red (rohita) or ruddy (aruṇa) steeds. This team consists of eleven, a hundred or even a thousand horses yoked at his will. The attribute ’niyutvat’ ( drawn by a team) often occurs with reference to Vāyu or his cars. Vāyu’s car, wherein Indra is his companion, has a golden seat and touches the sky.

Like the other gods, Vāyu is fond of Soma to which he is often invited to come with his team and the first draught of which he obtains as his share for he is the swiftest of the gods.+++(4)+++

The ‘Viṣṇudharmottara’ states that the colour both of the body and the garment of Vāyu should be sky-blue and that he should carry in his hands the ‘cakra’ and a ‘dhvaja’. Vāyu should have his mouth open. To his left should be seated his consort. In the ‘Kavaca’ text from the Vārāha Purāṇa, appended to the popular ‘Durgā-māhātmya’ (glories of the Goddess Durgā) in the Markandeya Purāṇa, the female energy of Vāyu-Vāyavī is described to have a deer as her conveyance (vāyavyām [rakṣatu] mṛga-vāhani).

According to the Mānasollāsa, Vāyu is described as with two hands, one being ‘varada’, the other holding the banner; with a ‘mukuṭa’ and ‘kuṇḍalas.’

According to the ‘Rūpa-maṇḍana" and the ‘Devatāmūrti Prakaraṇa, both the texts having been compiled by Sūtradhara Maṇḍana from western India, Vāyu is made a full-fledged god with four arms, one ‘varada’, the others holding respectively a ‘dhvaja’ or ‘daṇḍa’, a’ patākā’ and a ‘kamaṇḍalu’.

“वरं ध्वज-पताकाञ्च
कमण्डलु करें दधत्
मृगारूढो हरिद्वर्णः
पवनो वायु-दिक्पतिः"

— रुपमण्डने, अ, २, श्लो, २६ ।

" वरं ध्वजपताकाञ्च
कमण्डलु तथा करे ।
मृगारूढं प्रकर्तव्यं
वायुदेवं मरुद्दिशि ॥ "

• देवता-मूर्ति-प्रकरणे, अ, ४, श्लो, ६४ ।

According to all Jaina authorities on iconography, Vāyu rides a deer. Some Svetambara texts give him the attribute of a ‘vajra’, others give him a banner.[^3]

३। cf. “ॐ नमः श्री-वायवे
वायव्य-दिगधोशाय धूमराङ्गाय रक्ताम्बराय हरिणवाहनाय ध्वजप्रहरणाय -
आधारदिनकरे । '

also ct. " वायुं सितवर्णं मृगवाहनं वज्राङ्गं कृतपाणिं - निर्वाणकलिकायां ।

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The Digambara account of him differs from this only in the substitute of a wooden weapon ( a broken branch of a tree )’. Thus we see that the Jaina Vāyu differs not essentially from the Brahmanic Vāyu; only the assignment of the attribute of a ‘vajra’ seems to be new. Similarly, the symbol of a wooden weapon, attributed by the Digambaras is another feature unknown to Brahmanism. The Yakṣa of Padmaprabhā who presents some affinity with Vāyu is Kusuma, who likewise rides a deer according to both the Jaina sects, and the Yakṣiṇi is called Manovegā from her antelope-conveyance.

Dikpālas

In the Hindu cosmos, the eight quarters of the universe are governed by eight Guardian deities, beginning with Indra; they are known by the name of Dikpālas. Vāyu is assigned the guardianship of the north- west region of the universe. These eight deities have prominent positions in the Vedas, long before Viṣṇu and Śiva became supreme in Hindu belief.

As the ocean was considered to form the western limits of India, Varuna, the lord of waters was put in charge of the western direction ; and Vāyu was made the guardian of the north-west corner, as the wind- currents from the western ocean passed towards the north.

१। " एकस्थापि पश्चिमोत्तरदिशि हारावली-भूषणं
वायुं तुरङ्ग-कुरङ्गम-पृष्ठ-गमनं हस्तस्थवृत्तायुधम् । "

• देवपूजायाम् ।

cf. also “खुर-कषित-कुलं ग्राव-सारङ्ग-युग्मम् ।
व्यालोलद्गावयन्तं त्रिजगद्-असु-धृति व्यग्रम् उग्र-द्रुमाख्यम् ॥”

• प्रतिष्ठासारोवार ।

The ten Dikpālas, are found to be sculptured on the ceilings of the ‘maṇḍapa’ of a temple, just as those on the cave-temples at Badāmi. But very rarely are independent temples dedicated to each of these guardians. These are assigned their respective subordinate positions as attendant- gods on the main temple, with a view to protect the temple itself.

Gujarāt

Gujarāt is a land of sub-castes for various reasons; the exclusiveness consequent on foreign invasions and the influx of foreign settlers in the land of Gujarāt has necessitated separate castes and sub-castes among Brahmins, Vaisyas and even some of the Śūdras.

The traditions of a particular section or sect, under such circumstances were formulated in a sort of Purāṇa works; and it is not surprising that we have an ‘Audicya Prakāśa’ for the Brahmin settlers from the north in Gujarāt, a ‘Śrimal Purāṇa’ for original inhabitants from Śrimāla or Bhinnamāla, a ‘Moḍheraka Purāṇa’ for the Moḍha Brahmins, Vaisyas, and even oilmen from their habitat at Moḍhera (North Gujarāt), and an ‘Anāvila Purāṇa’ for the Anāvila Brahmins in the South of Gujarāt.

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The ‘Vāyu Purāṇa’, not the one of the eighteen principal Purāṇas but a fragmentary medieval Sanskrit text in 14 ‘adhyāyas’, comprising of 572 ‘slokas’ describes the original habitat of Brahmins and Vaiśyas, which was a place named Vāyaḍa, a few miles north of Paṭṭan, in North Gujarāt. A notable sect of Jaina Sadhus is also known from this place as the ‘Vāyada gaccha’ as early as the 12th century.

The particular section of Brahmins and Vaisyas which is known to have Vāyaḍa as its original place, has amongst its families the worship of Vāyu as the traditional family-god, at times with his consort, the Vāyavī devī. As members of this section of the population of Gujarāt gradually migrated towards the South, they carried their religious and social traditions with them; and this explains the existence of several temples of Vāyu all over Gujarāt.

The original temple of Vāyu-devatā, it is believed, was situated at Vayaḍa, with a beautiful step-well by its side, which when falling on bad times, had the images removed and established at Paṭṭan, the flourishing town in the neighbourhood. Vayaḍa is now a deserted village.

These images located at Paṭṭan are not of stone but of metal. The Guardian of the north-west quarter is accompanied by his consort Vāyavi, the Añjani of the Rāmāyaṇa, and the mother of Hanumān. Vāyu, as the father of Bhima, in the Mahābhārata testifies to the post- Vedic importance of Vāyu. The face of Vayavi-devī is monkey like and she is two-armed. The four arms of Vāyu hold ‘akṣasūtra’, a ‘dhvaja’, a ‘varada mudrā’ (pose) and a ‘kamaṇḍalu’ respectively, starting from the lower right hand. The antelope is shown at the feet, at the left hand corner.

An image of Vāyu in stone, placed in a niche at the north-west corner of a main temple at Vaḍanagar, 13th century, is shown to hold something resembling a lotus-stalk in the upper left hand, in place of a simple ‘varada’ pose. The ‘vāhana’ is shown to the right, in this case. An image of Vāyu from the temple at Broach (inscribed Samvat 1510) shows the lower right hand with ‘varada’, the upper one holding the ‘akṣasūtra’; the upper left hand holds the ‘dhvaja’, and the lower one the ‘kamaṇḍalu’. The ‘vāhana’ is seen behind the image.

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The Vāyu-temple at Baroda houses both Vāyu and Vāyavi. The Vāyu image in white marble, is identical to the one described as one from Broach, which is however of black granite. Vāyavi-devi, is in a sitting posture, as if she were riding a deer. With one of her four hands she holds a child, very probably Māruti.

The illustration on p. 108 is from a painting on cloth, of the ten Guardians of the universe, not later than the 17th century A.D. Its importance is iconographical rather than aesthetic. The figure of Vāyu holds banners in the two upper hands, the lower right holding an ‘akṣasūtra’ and the lower left a ‘kamaṇḍalu’. The antelope in great speed, is shown running towards the right.

Temples of Vāyu are in actual worship at Bhuj in Cutch, Cambay Ahmedābād, Broach, Surat and Andheri. This fact suggests the idea, behind these temples all of which are situated in close proximity to the Western and the Arabian Sea. The devout and flourishing worship of Vāyu as a family-deity (‘kula-devatā’) in a particular section of the Vaisyas in Gujarāt evokes many cultural associations. It is also noteworthy that invariably the image of Visnu is also installed in a Vāyu-temple, who equally shares the devotion of these Vaisyas.

The Nagara-seṭhas of Broach who are worshippers of Vāyu have been known to carry on extensive trade by sea with Arabia, Iran and other parts situated in the north-west direction to the coast of Gujarāt and Kāṭhiāwār.

This ancient maritime trade of some of the merchants of Gujarāt with countries situated in the north-west corner of the Arabian Sea partly explains the existence in Gujarāt of the uncommon worship of Vāyu, who is the protector or ‘dikpala’ of that quarter.

Vāyu is naturally propitiated in order that the winds may be congenial to their journey and trade and that the ships might have good speed; the conveyance of the antelope and the symbol of a banner are mentioned among the the distinguishing features of the Protector of the North-west.

The co-existence of a Viṣṇu-image with Vāyu is explained by the fact that Lord Kṛṣṇa, who later in life settled in Saurāṣṭra, has his seat at Dwärkä in the farther west. He is also known as Jagannārāyaṇa, the Jagat Bet of Muslim times.