SEAL AND SHIVA OF INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION
The mystery of the Indus Valley civilization fascinates many. Researchers tirelessly delve into the ancient era, studying old landmarks and artifacts to piece together the civilization’s history. A relic that propels this pursuit is the Pashupati Seal found in the ancient city of Mohenjo-Daro. The artifact’s varied interpretations provide insight into the civilization’s religious customs.
This small relic holds powerful clues to the vast puzzle of the Indus Valley civilization. Measuring a mere 3.56 cm by 3.53 cm and 0.76 cm thick, the tiny seal is crafted from soapstone. The discovery was made in 1928-1929, with estimates placing the seal’s creation between 2350-2000 BCE. The seal’s central figure – a man with a horned headpiece – disrupts the norm of animals being the primary characters in Indus Valley seals.
This man, perched on an elevated stage in a yoga pose, has three elongated, sharp-featured faces. His arms display a wealth of bangles stretching from wrist to shoulder, while necklaces cover his chest. Tassels on a belt adorn his waist. The intricate art of the Indus Valley civilization shows various plant-eating wild animals surrounding the seated man.
Depictions of a rhino, an elephant, a buffalo, and a tiger, with the tiger appearing to attack the man, fill the seal. There are also two goats near the figure, their purpose – whether as animals or design elements of the platform – remaining unclear. Undeciphered Indus Valley civilization script adorns the seal. The seal’s purpose remains unknown but could have been a trading tool or an amulet, going by the hole seen on other seals. Thus, the seal might have been an identity marker for a community or worn as a status symbol.
A number of historians have shared thoughts about a small seal’s scene. Most believe the human figure sitting is Shiva or Rudra, his other name. This idea came from John Marshall, an archaeologist and Director-General for the Archaeological Survey of India. He pointed out four reasons for his theory.
First, the seated man’s three faces match some images of Shiva, who sometimes has four or five heads that look like three from the front. Second, the headpiece horns might depict Nandi, Shiva’s bull. Third, the man’s yoga pose links him to Shiva, who is seen as the first yogi and yoga’s source. Fourth, wild animals around the man might tie to Pashupati, another Shiva form known as ‘the animal king’, giving the seal its name.
However, some have disagreed. Doris Srinivasan, Indian studies professor, argues the figure is a god that’s half man and half buffalo. She thinks the figure has cow ears, not three faces. Since their society relied on farming, cattle were essential, and a cattle god fits. Others have a slightly different idea.
They believe the seal shows asura, a type of demon, rather than a god, but still half man and half buffalo. They say this could be a depiction of Mahishasura, a known asura who was defeated by Goddess Durga. Durga’s tiger, Dawon, might be the one attacking the figure in the seal. Some historians believe the figure might resemble gods from Vedic tales, such as Agni, Indra, and Varun.
Leaving behind religious views, the seal also gives clues about yoga’s history in India. The figure’s pose, called Mulabandhasana, is a hard yoga posture. It demands flexible knees, hips, legs, ankles, and feet. Its presence on the seal of the Indus Valley civilization suggests advanced yoga was practised in the Indus Valley, indicating yoga may have started before or during their civilization.
