Panchamukha-Shivalingam at The State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg

myminifactory

Panchanana Shiva is Hindu God Shiva with five distinct faces. Panchanana is also referred as the five emanations of Shiva, a concept that embodies the multifaceted nature of this revered deity. Siva appears in this form in rare temples, where the Panchamukha Shivling is a majestic sight to behold. Four faces are positioned towards the cardinal directions, while the fifth face varies between facing upwards towards the sky and southeast direction. The five faces are known as Ishana, Tatpurusha, Aghora, Vamadeva, and Sadyojatha. Ishana is the highest aspect of Shiva, representing him as Ishwara and facing south east or upwards towards the zenith. In this form, he is also revered as Sadashiva, or Eternal Siva, symbolizing his dominion over the sky. Spiritually, this aspect grants liberation or Moksha to those who seek it. Tatpurusha faces the east, embodying Shiva's control over the air element. This form helps in removing ego, darkness, and obscurity from the spiritual sphere. Aghora, on the other hand, faces south and represents Shiva's destructive and regenerative aspect, which absorbs all life before renovating the universe. Vamadeva faces north, embodying Shiva as a healer who presides over water. Sadyojata faces west, representing the creative power of Shiva. This object is part of "Scan The World," a non-profit initiative launched by MyMiniFactory to create a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from across the globe. Scan The World is an open-source community effort that invites contributions from individuals who have interesting items they would like to share. If you are interested in participating, email stw@myminifactory.com for more information. This item was scanned using photogrammetry technology, processed with Agisoft PhotoScan software.