The place of a lizard in Indian scriptures, sculptures, belief systems

Let us look at some archaeological (specifically, temple architecture) details:

1. The iconography of Gaur!⁵¹ and Sriya depicts them riding on an iguana⁵². This form symbolizes adamant Gaun and her persistence to attain Siva. The way an iguana holds its claws firmly on a surface, the same way Gaur! had the firm and austere decisiveness for attaining Siva as the husband. This shows a lizard's symbolism to show the austerity and decisiveness and its depiction through a sculpture on one of southern India's most famous architectural marvels. Given image 1 is a depiction of an animal from the lizard's family⁵³.

Figure 3

Siva-Parvat! and the latter riding on an iguana, Halebidu, Hoyasaleshvara temple⁵⁴

2. Several sivalinga-s carved on different temple pillars at Hampi, Karnataka, India, have a lizard climbing on them. These numerous sculptures have been puzzling many scholars. The said reminds us of an idiom from the Marathi language pimdlvaraca vimcu - a scorpion settled on a sivalinga. This idiom is used for such a person who is un- defeatable or has kept himself away from all dangers or the one who should be protected. Perhaps, these sculptures must convey the thought of not killing the lizards. One more interpretation can be drawn from such carvings - a lizard can keep its body stuck or constant on an object; similarly, lizards climbing on a sivalinga symbolize and assert the importance of dedication to Siva.

Figure 4

Sivalinga at Hampi. Photo by M. Walvekar

lizard sacred belief

Figure 5

Sivalinga at Hampi. Photo by M. Walvekar

Figure 6

Sivalinga at Hampi. Photo by M. Walvekar

3. Kanchi (Tamil Nadu) houses an atypical lizard temple. The temple is known as Kanchi Varadaraja Perumal Temple. The firm belief in the devotees appeals to touch the “Golden Lizard” to eliminate your sins. It is a practice in the temple that one should touch the golden lizard to wash off the sins committed in life. This rightly conveys the auspicious interpretation and symbolism associated with a lizard.

Figure 7

Golden lizard temple, Varadaraj Perumal temple, Kanchi⁵⁵

4. One of the saktipitha-s situated in Andhra Pradesh - Jogulamba is another riddle for the lizard-related studies. The goddess has an aggressive form and possesses fangs. The rear portion of the goddess's headgear is made up of a skull, and the front has a lizard and a scorpion on it. It is strongly believed by the devotees that if one does not worship the deity appropriately, then initially, there will be plenty of lizards in his/her house⁵⁶. If it continues, the goddess will send a pile of scorpions to the house, and in the end, one's continued ignorance will lead to the heap of a skull in his/her house (literally, massive death). Dhere proves this deity as a “fertility” goddess, but he has ignored the significance of a lizard [Dhere 2011, 50-72]. Nevertheless, this temple categorically requires particular attention in light of the lizard and scorpion carvings.

Figure 8

Jogulamba, Andhra Pradesh⁵⁷

5. There is an interesting regional belief⁵⁸ about Mumbadev!'s (the goddess of Mumbai, Maharashtra, India) curse on the lizards. A lizard creates a specific sound that is not auspicious enough in some instances. It is firmly believed that it brings some bad news. When Mumbai became a hub of employment in British India, several people migrated from their native places to Mumbai in search of bread and butter. The goddess of Mumbai cursed the lizards not to produce the inauspicious sound that makes a person smell a rat. Furthermore, in those days, quick modes of communication were rare. Hence, Mumbadev! became kind enough to protect the city's residents from these bad omens.

General analysis and outcomes of the study A vast range of the names for a lizard highlights the large-scale popularity of lizard- related symbolism in both the senses - auspicious and inauspicious. We can assert with the help of figure 3 that the occurrences associated with the inauspicious references are more than the auspicious ones. This categorically submits a deplorable state of a lizard in people's minds than the elevated one. However, the Vedic literature offers a smaller help for the study concerning a lizard. Nevertheless, the notion of semantic overlapping becomes easier to comprehend in light of the said set of literature. The two streams - benevolent and malevolent - for lizard-related interpretations were in vogue from the Vedic period. The Tantric scriptures resemble the Puranic concepts (as shown in the paper) of elevating a lizard's symbolic status when associated with a divine entity. Vajrayogini in Buddhism is one such example. Aside from the beliefs like gaining merits and sins, the mythological references highlight other aspects of a lizard. These mentions highlight a lizard's slightly elevated status in contact with a divine being. Such references in Purana-s and lizard's employment for this sectarian synthesis also convey its large-scale influence. There were many attempts in the subcontinent for the sectarian synthesis (Saivaites vs. Vaisnavaites, etc.) like the evolution of Hari-Hara-mUrti [an idol with a union of Hari (Visnu) and Hara (Siva)]. A lizard's employment for these social reforms is certainly notable. Concerning the temple architectural interpretations, the temple architecture-related references highlight the bright side of a lizard. Most of the time, they depict the “firmness” of devotion toward a deity. In the case of Jolulamba, a lizard is an initial signal of devastation. Here, we must not forget that it is becoming a “messenger” of the goddess. The list provided in the Marathi with the examples of the da suffix indeed suggests the degraded state of a lizard: tusada [a curt], bevada [a drunkard], badabada [an excessively talkative], jalakukada [the one who feels jealously], therada-mhatarada [an old codger], bobada [an inarticulate], etc., is used for a chameleon - sara-da! The Sanskrit word jyestha is translated as “inauspicious lizard”. The goddess Alaksm! (“failure”) is considered the elder sister of Laksm! (goddess of prosperity). This Alaksm! is also known as jyesta (elder) in certain places. The paper tries to identify and define the significance of a lizard in the Indian context. It lists the 88 names of a lizard in Sanskrit found in different scriptures. Studying a lizard's symbolism was required in light of these references and occurrences. As mentioned earlier, a study of the symbolic representations of lizards in the Indian scenario is wholly ignored. Likewise, Dhere, while discussing the iconography of Jogulamba (a goddess in Andhra Pradesh, India), clearly ignores the presence of a lizard on the headgear of the goddess [Dhere 2011]. We have dealt with the iconography of the goddess along with a curse mentioned in the Dev!bhagavatapurana. In the light of Indian ethos, we have seen an incredible range of diverse belief systems for a lizard; we dealt with its association with the goddess Laksm! and as a bad omen. A lizard, its symbolism, etymology, and phenomenological occurrences have been mentioned symbolically in the texts from the Vedas to Tantra and classical Sanskrit literature to scientific treatises. A study concerning these texts has shown the glimpses and benefits of uncoiling the symbolism. Apart from this data, the carvings of a lizard in temples (e.g., the carving of a lizard climbing on a sivalinga at the Virupaksa temple, Hampi, Karnataka, India) have also made significant remarks to the quest of comprehending the symbolism. The symbolic scenario of a lizard in Indian culture is quite mixed and sometimes unclear. In the symbolic classification, specific names of lizards frequently occur, like pall!, godha, krkavaku, sarata, etc. Additionally, their spiritual value is not consistent with their names. Concerning the auspiciousness and inauspiciousness of a lizard, it can be strongly noted that the lizard is never represented as a ghost or a malevolent spirit [cf. Forth 2013; Douglas 1984]; it is instead a representation of anthropomorphic beliefs. Stating about the wide range of names for a lizard in Sanskrit, the names are not related to the ethno- taxonomic grounds, but they are associated with the zoological features, sometimes just the way of their existence in nature. For instance, the word kudyamatsya denotes a type of lizard that looks like a fish on a wall. The figure 1 gives the possible explanation in English of all the available lizard names. Hence, the culture was more inclined toward abstract symbolism than the classification based on the biological structure. It is also essential to know that the taxonomical treatment given to lizards parallels its symbolic comprehension. To sum up, the culture has widely used the emblematic significance of a lizard in several connotations in the scriptures, art and architecture, and folk traditions. Therefore, the paper has tried to explore and explain the possible ranges in understanding the symbolism of a lizard in Indian culture, and thus the topic can be taken up for further studies about the same.

Links

¹ This list is prepared with the help of different traditional Sanskrit lexicons like Amarakosa, Prayayaratnamala, Halayudhakosa, Vaijayantikosa, Visvaprakasa, Sabdabhedaprakasa, Trikandasesa, Anekarthasamgraha, Abhidhanacintamani, Nanartharnavakosa, Medinikosa, Sabdaratnakara, Ko- sakalpataru, Kalpadrukosa, Sabdaratnasamunvaya, Anekarthatilaka, Paramanandinamamala, Pa- ryayasabdaratna, Pancatattvaprakasa, Dharanikosa, Abhidhanamanjan, Rajanighantu, Apurvana- mamala and different modern lexicons like Apte, Monnier-Williams etc.

² The words with the “NA” mark show that some of these names cannot be studied in light of Sanskrit etymology or grammar. There may be some influences of the regional Indian languages.

³ It is not always possible to find a differentiating line between a lizard, iguana or chameleon based on the data collected. Some names like hemala, vrttistha, krakancapad, kakkinda, vedara, drumasraya, kulahaka, raktapucchika, citrakola, dhundhumara, tattam, bhittika, surajika, suras- veta, grahim, mamkya, mull etc. can only be found in the lexicons. There are no textual references available so far for such words.

⁴ And also, a rooster in the Atharvaveda 5.31.2.

⁵ Prasada-tika on Prakriyakaumudi 2.609.8.

⁶ Vaijayantikosa.

⁷ Vacaspatyam and Sabdakalpadruma.

⁸ A hater of Visnu and Siva (two prominent deities in the trinity in Hinduism, the former is also known as caretaker of the universe and the latter one is destroyer of the inauspicious things in the world) shall become a chameleon and mouse respectively.

⁹ The one who desires his preceptor's wife becomes a lizard permanently.

¹⁰ The one who commits a heinous sin gets converted into a chameleon/lizard.

¹¹ A lizard/chameleon should never be seen if one wishes for auspiciousness. Moreover, at several places a lizard is considered as a bad omen. The animal is oft-used to highlight the importance of donation. A person failing to donate a particular thing gets the birth of a lizard, this belief is seen repeatedly.

¹² A lizard is a sinful entity (literally, a sinful soul). The comment given by Sankaracarya once again emphasizes on the sinful depiction of the creature.

¹³ The Nrgatirta is known for the lower-grade lizard. See FN 14 for more details.

¹⁴ This is a story associated with the Prabhasakhanda located in today's Gujarat. The place is described as `Nr-gatirtha' where the king №ga was relieved by Krsna from the form of a giant lizard. Erstwhile, the king Nrga was cursed and converted into the form of a lizard for not giving an appropriate donation.

¹⁵ They saw a giant lizard. The same story narrated in the FN 14.

¹⁶ For hundreds and thousands of years, you (the king Nrga) shall stay in this (well) for a longer time in the form of a lizard. The same story narrated in the FN 14. The FN Nos. 13 to 16 mentions the same story cited in different texts.

¹⁷ Seeing or even listening to the sound of a lizard and a chameleon is not at all auspicious.

¹⁸ A mongoose and a lizard are the sinners.

¹⁹ A lizard should never be seen while travelling.

²⁰ It is inauspicious to see a lizard, iguana, snake, skull, and a naked person.

²¹ A curse mentioned in the Skanda-Purana - one will become a lizard for the next ten births.

²² I will become a dreadful python in the third birth, and then in the fourth birth, I shall be a fox. The fifth birth of mine will be of a wild boar and the sixth one of a lizard (births of a demon described in the Purana).

²³ Whoever commits sinful works out of greed and without realization will be ruined at the end like a lizard that eats hailstone (and dies).

²⁴ Hemanga didn't offer/donate water at the (Venkatadri?) and hence he was converted into a lizard due to the sin of not donating water. The same Purana affirms the importance of donating water at the pious place - Venkatadri (now known as Tirumala Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India) venkatakhye mahapunye trsartanam visesatah. Jaladanam akurvanas tiryagyonim avapnuyat. Tasmad venkatasailendre yathasakty anusaratah jaladanam hi kartavyam sarvesam jivanam mahat: A highly pious pilgrimage called Venkatadri is very important. If one does not donate water at the pilgrimage, then he gets deceived into a lower-birth of birds. Henceforth, it is highly recommendable to donate water at the pious place as per one's own capacity (cf. FN 14).

²⁵ Jackals, mice, lizards, rabbits, men, goats, spotted antelopes, swans, and pigs participated in a devasura-yuddha (a war between gods and demons). Here a krkalasa participated in the war.

²⁶ This citation from the Visnudharmottarapurana means, the lord of wealth in the form of a lizard appeared from the sacrifice.

²⁷ Lizard is the lord of wealth. This one and the previous reference (FN26) is an oft-found positive relation between Kubera (a god of wealth) and a lizard.

²⁸ If somebody touches a corpse and enters the area of Varaha then this is the ill-effect: taking the form of a lizard.

²⁹ Godha (iguana) was on the emblem of Uma (goddess) and so it was on her flag.

³⁰ A sister of a demon called Vyomasura (a demon) is compared with a lizard. She is being considered as harsh as a lizard.

³¹ Vedic Literature, as usual, exhibits a wide range of these words. A separate study is required to deal with the minute details.

³² Offering the animals like lizard (or chameleon or iguana or alligator) to the bearer of a bow (Rudra?).

³³ A lizard should never be killed.

³⁴ A red-headed lizard should be killed (Here, the word krkalasa can also be meant for a rooster).

³⁵ Association with the sun (cf. lizard's namepratisUrya, pratisUryaka, andpratisuryasayanaka).

³⁶ krkavaku is a rooster here (cf. Maitrayanisamhita 3.14.15, Kathakasamhita 5.7.8, Atharvave- da 5.31.2, 20.136.10, Nirukta 12.13). The word is parallelly used for a rooster and so for a lizard due to their relation with the sun.

³⁷ This is a legend ascribed in the name of Indra (also see Rgveda 8.91). According to the citation and the narrative mentioned in the Rgveda 8.91, a girl named Apala was rescued by Indra from skin diseases. Indra pulled her from the holes of a wheel. Some of her skin impurities were converted into a lizard.

³⁸ The spit after chewing a betel-leaf, that goes on the skin of a lizard.

³⁹ A ritual indicated here that uses the blood of a lizard. See FN 40 for details.

⁴⁰ The citations of the Isanasivagurudevapaddhati and Nagarjunatantra mention this ritual. A thread should be hued with the blood of a lizard and a green-coloured snake. If a woman crosses this thread, she will suffer with phenomenal bleeding. The only remedy to cure this wound caused is crossing the thread back. This shows a place of a lizard in the krsna-yatu (black-magic).

⁴¹ The goddesses (guardians of quarters) are described here that change their forms. Godhi goddess resembles with the crow-faced goddess. The goddess Yamamathani resembles with Krkalasl. In this Tantric text, Godhi and Krkalas! (literally lizard-form deities) are connected with a crow and Yama (the God of the death). Here, the latter one is significant in light of a lizard's all- pervading malevolent nature. These goddesses can be seen in this image as well. A group of goddesses arranged around the central form of Vajrayogini. “The final group of eight are the outer retinue and have four figures with bird and animal faces and four with human-like faces. In the East is blue Kakasya; North, green Ulukasya; West, red Shvanakasya; South, yellow Sukarasya; South-east, blue-yellow Yamadadhi; South-west, yellow-red Yamaduti; North-west, red-green Ya- madanshtini; North-east, blue-green Yamamathani...” (Image credits and information available at: https://www.himalayanart.org/items/73824 (accessed February 17, 2023)).

⁴² Literally means, there was a village name called Godaka. A rambled teacher (Acarya) nake Sarataka used reside in the village. It has no direct relation with the lizard. However, the line is in the witty sense and the bold part has semantic association with a lizard. The phonetic consonance of these names is noteworthy and interesting with respect to the names for a lizard in Sanskrit.

⁴³ A red-faced monkey should be petted in a stable to expel the lizards.

⁴⁴ An ornament described here that is made up of a lizard and snake.

⁴⁵ One which rolls down like a necklace around a neck.

⁴⁶ Yam te cakruh krkavakavaje va yam kuririni.

⁴⁷ The one who produces a peculiar sound krk-krk. It is an onomatopoeic adjective.

⁴⁸ Sabdakalpadruma.

⁴⁹ Lexicons like Rajanighantu, Visvaprakasa, Trikandasesa etc., Ramayana 3.28.5. Brahmani means a priest-lady.

⁵⁰ krkalaso dhanadhyaksah. (Ramayana 7.18.5).

⁵¹ The sculpture is from Halebidu, Karnataka, India, 12^th century CE.

⁵² Visvakarmavastusastra 16.2 and 16.8.

⁵³ Cf. Bhavisyapurana 1.138.39, Rupamandana 5.4.

⁵⁴ Image courtesy available at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/asienman/10905066465 (accessed October 11, 2022).

⁵⁵ Image courtesy available at: https://www.dtnext.in/spirituality/2020/01/27/touch-these-gold- silver-plated-lizards-to-lift-your-lizard-based-doshas) (accessed October 11, 2022).

⁵⁶ Cf. saratanam ca jalani prabhavanti grhe grhe. This is a curse and it means that there will be multiple lizards in one's house if he/she fails to worship the goddess (Devibhagavatapurana 6.3.16).

⁵⁷ Image courtesy available at: https://religionworld.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2017/09/jogu- lambajpg (accessed October 11, 2022).

⁵⁸ A regional story.

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