Perhaps every devotee of Mahadev wishes to embrace His symbolic form, the Shivalinga, like this and remain close to Him forever.
I certainly do.
But the ability to place one’s foot upon Him in such an intimate gesture belongs only to Parvati, the symbolic embodiment of Mahadev’s own Hasta Kamal, and to His supreme devotee Kannappa.
The figure beside the Shivalinga is, I hope, very familiar to all—especially to those who study temples and their traditions. None other than the Periyanaayaki (Parvati) of the Periya Kovil, also known as Peruvudaiyar Kovil, the magnificent and ancient Brihadeesvara Temple at Thanjavur.
This image is located just outside the garbhagriha of the periyanayaki shrine, on the right side.
