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Home > Temples of Kerala > Deities Past and Present Deities Past and PresentThere are different schools on the evolution of idol worship. Over the centuries the manifestations of God's blessings passed through three distinct stages viz (i) multiplicity of gods based on prakrthi (nature); (ii) concept of single God based on a definite sankalpa and (iii) period of revival or new interpretations of theosophy with particular reference to Advaitha philosophy. All these stages are significant as they clearly spell out the mode of worship in me last few centuries. Man is the greatest beneficiary of nature. Therefore for material gains or for getting solace, nature worship was the order of the day in very ancient times for which there was multiplicity of Gods falling under three distinct spheres - terrestrial, atmospheric and celestial. The terrestrial deities according to Rg-Veda were Agni, Prthhvi, etc while the atmospheric deities were represented by Indra, Vaayu,Maruths, Rudra, Parjanya et al. The celestial or heavenly deities were symbolised by Soorya, Dyaus, Aswins, Savithr, Mithra, Pooshaana, Soma et al. Among these three spheres the important deities reckoned were Agni, Indra, Vaayu and Sun and they were considered as adhishtaana Devathas (soverign deities) in their respective spheres. The tenth mandala (IV. 130.3) of Rg-Veda mentions the word prathima (which has the sense of an image). Further Rg-Veda (1-139) mentions about 33 Devathas, 11 each in each sphere. Yajur and Saama Vedas also state about the limbs, particularly hands of Devathas, which indicate the physical forms of man in Gods. Yajur-Veda, particularly Vaajasneyee-samhitha of Sukla - Yajur- Veda, gives a number of references which indicate an image. The Sun God has been called Hiranyapaani or one whose hands are made of gold. This alludes to the fact that the hands of the Sun God (no doubt an image) once broken by the iconoclasm of demons, were replaced by a pair of golden arms by the gods75. Similarly there is a statement in Yajur-Veda-samhitha(Sukla-Yajur-Veda 5.8) that the body of Agni is made of iron or silver or gold. This implies that image worship started from the Vedic period and later the images were multiplied during the period of early Puraanaas and Silpa- saasthras. But the emergence of a common place of worship, temple, was of later origin. There is a school believing that totemism also led to have a formal place of worship at a later stage. Atharva- Veda describes folklore and different crafts. Since the Rg- Vedic period till Maha-Puraanaas there had been very stray references about images. A great gulf or gap had been there in this mediatory stage, about images but some stray references found in Braahmanas can be taken up as the gap-filler. . The Hindu Gods of present day were not so important in Rg-Vedic period. Indra was very prominent. Of 1028 sookthas in Rg-Veda about 250 relate to Indra. Next in importance were Agni and Varuna. There are no references of Devi-pooja or Linga-pooja in Vedas. Further it is noted that the Rg-Vedic deities of Agni, Indra, Soorya, Savithar, Pooshaana, Varuna, Purusha, Prajaapathi, Brahma, Vishnu, Vaayu, Rudra, Maruths, Aswins, Soma, Yama, Brahaspathi, Ushaas, Adithi and Prthhvi continued to survive in the later literature and art. The important vedic, post-vedic (Pauraanic) and non-vedic deities and symbols 76 are as follows.
Rt-Rev. Whitehead77 held that the animal sacrifice as practiced in the village was not so much a propitiatory gift to the deity, as bom of a desire for communion with the totem spirit. Whitehead says further that his theory explains the origin of stones and images as objects of worship. The totem animal was killed in order to shed the blood and thus secure the presence of the totem deity at a particular spot, which then became sacred or taboo, to violate which would be a grievous offence. Accordingly the spot was marked by a simple heap of stones, or an upright stone pillar which would perhaps be sprinkled with the blood. Then totemism gradually died out and gave place to higher religious ideas and anthropomorphic conceptions of a deity78. During the early period there was fusion of Aryan and Pre-Aryan cultures and the 'temple' was perhaps just a sacred spot indicated by an enclosure, a tree, a stone heap or pillar and had little show of architecture or sculpture. It is believed that divinities worshipped in the early centuries of A.D were Vishnu, Siva and Durga. The cave temples in Southern Kera!a viz Vizhinjam and Madavoorppara (Aiyroorppara) in Thiruvananthapuram district, Kottukkal (near Aayur) in Kollam district and Kaviyiir (near Thiruvalla) in Alappuzha district were inspired by Saivite movements of Pandya country while those cave temples viz.at Thrikkur (near Ollur) and Irunilakkod (near Mullurkkara) of Thrissur district and Bhraanthanpara at Thiruvegappura (near Pattambi) of Palakkad district had the influences of Cheras. The rock-cut temple at Kunnathurpadi in Payyavoor village in Taliparamba taluk dedicated to Sree Mutthappan (Maha Vishnu) is also worth mentioning. The rock-cut temple at Kallil (near Perumbavoor) of Ernakulam distric belongs to the period after 800 A.D. It was originally a Jain temple and late transformed into a Bhagavathi temple. A peculiar feature of these cave (rock-cut) temples is that the adhishtaana and idols are carved in the same single rock and no installation is done. The structural temples in the present form came into existence at a later period. From the ninth century onwards the sculptural aspects of the temples in Kerala and the shape of vigrahas took a well-defined form. Consequent! innumerable stone and metal idols of various divinities were made and extensively used. There are many references about the idols worshipped in the earlier works like Prapancha-saara Thanthra (9th century) isaanasiva Gurudeva Paddhatti(12th century Thanthra Samucchaya (15th century) Sesha Samucchaya (15th century Silparathna (16th century) etc. All these volumes give the names of various deities and their modes of worship. The main deities covered in each of them are as follows (i) Prapanchasaara Thanthra (Sankaracharya): (This volume covers topic on Vishnu-moortthis and Vishnu-Sakthis (Sakthis associated with Vaishnava names),Rudra-moortthis and Maathrs (with Saiva names). They are also grouped under letter of alphabet based on varnas, vowels and consonents. Among these deities the most prominent ones are Vishnu and his incarnations; different manifestations of Siva like Rudra, Dakshinamoortthi, Isaana, Thath-purusha, Aghora, Vaamadeva, Sadyogaatha Ardha-nareeswara et al. ; Sakthis like Durga, Uma, Klinna, Maathrukkal, Kaali Saraswathi et al (ii) Isaanasiva Gurudeva Paddhathi (lsaahasiva Gurudeva) : Vishnumoortthis, Vishnu-sakthis, Rudra (Siva) and Rudra-sakthi, are dealt with in this famous book. Among the Vaishnavite deities special mention is made of Vishnu Sree Krishna (in different forms), Narasimha, Varaaha Vaamaga et al. Siva manifestations include Mrthtunjaya, Thrayyambika, Dakshiamoortthi, Aghora moortthi, Rudra et al. Goddess Parvathi has been vividly described as Thripura Sakthi (with descriptive account of Thripura-chakra, an amulet wherein the Goddes is seated). The, other forms of Goddess are Thwaritha (Gouri), Nithyaclinna, Nithya (Vajra Prastthaarani, Maathrka-Malini, Durga (which include Vana-Durga), Soolini et al. Ganapathi is also described under different conceptions like Aamoda, Pramoda Sumukha, Durmukha, Vighna, Vigaayaka and also in seated postures with His consorts (Siddhi, Kaanthi, Samrddhi, Madagaavathi, Klinnaya and Kledani) on His lap. There are also descriptions on Maha Ganapathi, Siddhi-Vinayaka, Kshipra prasaada-Gapapathi, Ucchishta-Gapapathi, Subramanya, Saastha, Kubera, Kshethra paala, Chandeswara, Indra, Yakshas et al. A notable feature is the mention of demonic forces or evil spirits which include Paapini, Bhishans, Simhika, Dandini et al. The above list is not exhaustive but only illustrative. (iii) Thanthra Samucchaya (Chennas Narayanan. Namboothirippad): As stated earlier (paragraph 1.32) this immortal work, deals with seven deities Vishnu, Siva, Sankaranarayana , Durga, Subramanya, Gapapathi and Saastha (For further details refer foot note 34). (iv) Sesha Samucchaya (Chennas Sankaran Namboothirippad): The deities covered in this work are, Brahma, Sun (Adithya), Vysravana, Sree Krishna (Gosala Krishna), Saraswathi, Sree Bhagavathi, Gouri (Sree Parvathi), Agraja (Jaishta Bhagavathi), Bhadrakaali, Saptha-Maathrkkal (and also with Veerabhadra and Ganapathi) Kshethrapaalan, Bhairava Sivan (as per Rurujith Vidhaana), Dik-paalas et al (Detailed descriptions on the topics covered in this volume are given in f.n. 35). (v) Silparathna (Sree Kumar): The deities mentioned in this volume cover Maha Vishnu, Sudarsana Lakshmi Narayana, Thrivikrama, Hayagriva, Mathsya¬moortthi, Dhanvanthari, Sree Rama, Narasirhha, Sree Krishna, Varaaha, Rudra,Ekaadasi Rudras, Mrthyunjaya, Dakshinamoortthi, Dhoomavathi, Kaali, Bhelakhi,Maathangi,Sakthi-pranava, Vana-Durga, Thrylokya-Mohini, Ugraanee, Aswaarooda,Nithyaclinna, Thripura, Bhoomi, Soolini, Gaayathri, Gaayathri Thrishtapp, Moola Durga, Barhma, Sankaranarayana, Maha Ganapathi, Beeja-Ganapathi, Herambha-Gaapathi, Baala-Ganapathi, Subramanya, Saastha with Prabha and Sathyaka, Sesha (Naaga Raja), Naaga Yakshi, Soorya, Varuna, Vaayu, Hanuman, Veerabhadra, Kshethrapaala et al. (vi) Dhyaana Slokangal: (edited by Kanipayyoor Sankaran Namboothirippad): In this volume about six hundred divinities based on sankalpas (splendid conceptions) are classified by kalpa (relating to a class of deity). Prominent among them are as follows:
In addition to those mentioned above evil spirits like Gulikan, Marutha, Kannichaiva,Karukutti, Kutticchaathan etc are also worshipped. It is difficult to ascertain the number of temples falling under each sankalpa in Kerala due to various reasons Firstly, the sankalpas of deities at the time of installation are not recorded in any temple as it is considered secret and briefed only to the Mel-saanthi (Chief paid priest) by the Thanthri or Aacharya at the time ofthe former taking charge. Secondly, the chief priests belonging to temples administered by statutory bodies are frequently transferred and they seldom get an opportunity to meet the Thanthri of the temple and get initiated in the manthra of the sankalpa of the principal deity as the role of the Thanthri has been limited to certain very important rites of the temple. Thirdly, there is serious laps on the part of administrators in not involving Thanthris in the affairs of the temple rites. (These aspects are elaborately discussed in Chapter 6). All these indicate that there is no proper record of the sankalpa under which idols are consecrated, though saasthras record certain characteristics of idols for each deity.
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