The Bhairava form here is not the same as above. His hair are matted but instead of loosely lying are very well coiled and dressed more like those as he has in his Mahayogi form. The crescent and the garland around them, though made of skulls, are hardly the elements of Bhairava iconography. He has a posture too systematic for his Bhairava form. His prescribed attributes held as much systematically, though along with a bowl made of skull usually associated with Bhairava form, and his transparent crimson complexion are,however, elements foreign to Bhairava iconography. Quite strangely he has wrapped around his waist his tiger skin which in Shiva iconography is known to lay under him as a carpet. The partially visible elephant skin, which he usually carried on his shoulders, is also lying over his hips. As against a cremation ground he has as his back-drop a hilly terrain with fine Himalayan trees. A pair of hook-like long teeth, the garland of skulls around his neck and his dog are obviously the attributes of Bhairava.
The presence of parrot in Shiva iconography is quite strange and interesting, though the key to Bhairava's Tantrika identity in the painting lies with parrot. In the Shiva pantheon, the parrot is associated only with goddess Matangi, a manifestation of Shiva's consort Devi. Matangi has been conceived with constant sixteen year age, well grown, rounded and strong breasts, inexhaustible vigor and imperishable youth. In Tantra she is one of the ten Tantrika manifestations of Devi known as ten Mahavidyas. Parrot is Matangi's emblem as like her a parrot is never known to feel old age or cry in pain or misery. Parrot, like Matangi, is the harbinger of fruition, stands for exceptional memory and is associated with green, the color of fertility and well being. The Tantrika devotee who seeks Bhairava to accomplish his worldly desires invokes Matangi who alone would bear Bhairava, the mighty fearsome manifestation of Shiva capable of accomplishing the highest of objects, with her inexhaustible youth and vigor and thus obtain the accomplishment of devotee's desires. The parrot in the painting not only represents Matangi but also the devotee who constantly keeps Bhairava in him and commemorates him untired.
This description by Prof. P.C. Jain and Dr. Daljeet. Prof. Jain specializes on the aesthetics of literature and is the author of numerous books on Indian art and culture. Dr. Daljeet is the curator of the Miniature Painting Gallery, National Museum, New Delhi. They have both collaborated together on a number of books.
Of Related Interest:
Bhairava (Brass Statue)
Bhairava (The Fearful Form of Shiva) (Madhubani Painting on Hand Made Paper treated with Cow Dung)
Bhairava on Pipal Leaf (Silver Pendant)
Gajantaka Shiva Dancing as Bhairava (Miniature Painting On Old Sanskrit Paper)
Shiva Manifested as Bhairava (Brass Statue)
The Book Of Shiva (Hardcover Book)
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