Once, in an attempt to bring Lord Shiva out of his meditative state, Parvati placed her hand on his closed eyes. Suddenly, the entire universe was shrouded in darkness. Out of the darkness and goddess, Parvati’s sweat was born a blind child, named Andhaka.
The child was adopted by the demon king Hiranyakashipu and after many years came back to the abode of Shiva and Parvati, unaware of the fact that he was lusting after his own mother.
This brass image represents Shiva punishing Andhakasur for his grave sin. Shiva is shown in his Samharamurti (slaughtering the demon) form. Similar to the popular Andhakasurvadh sculpture at Ellora, this metal image shows Shiva taking a ferocious stance, holding his trident in an attacking mood, one leg placed on the chest of Andhak while the other one rests firmly on the ground. His open locks of hair are swinging in the air adding to the sense of movement in the scene. Andhakasur represents ignorance to natural facts and Shiva as the destroyer, erases all darkness that emerges out of ignorant minds.
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