Ardhanarishvara is a composite androgynous form of the Hindu god Shiva and his consort Parvati (also known as Devi, Shakti and Uma in this icon). Ardhanarishvara is depicted as half male and half female, split down the middle. The right half is usually the male Shiva, illustrating his traditional attributes. The earliest Ardhanarishvara images are dated to the Kushan period, starting from the first century CE. Its iconography evolved and was perfected in the Gupta era. The Puranas and various iconographic treatises write about the mythology and iconography of Ardhanarishvara. While Ardhanarishvara remains a popular iconographic form found in most Shiva temples throughout India, very few temples are dedicated to this deity. Ardhanarishvara represents the synthesis of masculine and feminine energies of the universe (Purusha and Prakriti) and illustrates how Shakti, the female principle of God, is inseparable from (or the same as, according to some interpretations) Shiva, the male principle of God. The union of these principles is exalted as the root and womb of all creation. Another view is that Ardhanarishvara is a symbol of Shiva's all-pervasive nature.

1. MEANING

2. gaura--shines, ardha--in one half, chAmpeya--golden yellow,
like 'chAmpeya' flower (Mesua ferrea); while the other half shines
bright white like karpUram--camphor; One side of the head is
dhammilla--ornate with braided hair; the other sports jaTAmakuTam--
unkempt crest; I bow to this shivA (pArvatI) and shivaH, in the form
of ardhanArIshvara.

3. ambAL on the left half is charchita--smeared with kastUri--musk
and kungkumam--vermilion; while shiva on the right is punjavi
charchita--smeared with heaps of chitAraja--ashes from the funeral
pyre; In one half she is kRitasmarAya--pleasing to reflect on;
in the other he is vikRitasmarAya--ugly, deformed, transformed.
I bow to this shivA and shivaH, in the form of ardhanArIshvara.

4. ambAL on the left side wears kangkaNa--bangles/bracelets on her
wrists and nUpura--anklets on her feet; they jhaNat-kvaNat--jingle as
she moves; shiva on the right wears on his pAda-abja--lotus feet,
phaNina--a hooded serpent for his nUpura--anklets. hemAnga--of
gold-worn parts on the left; bhujAnga--of snake-worn parts on the
right. I bow to this shivA and shivaH, in the form of ardhanArIshvara.

5. ambAL on the left has nIlotpala--blue lotus, lochana--eyes;
shiva on the right has pangkeruha vikAsi--blossomed in mud,
lochana--eyes. ambAL is sama-IkShaNa--pleasing and harmonious to
look at; shiva is viShama-IkShaNa--poisonous and dissimilar to look
at. I bow to this shivA and shivaH, in the form of ardhanArIshvara.

6. ambAL is kalita--adorned with, mandAra mAlA--garland of hibuscus
flowers on her laka--forehead; shiva has a kapAla-mAlA-anggita-
kandha--a garland of skulls worn neck. She is dressed divyAmbara--
in divine, royal clothes; He is digambara--practically naked, dig
ambara--having only the directions for his clothing. I bow to this
shivA and shivaH, in the form of ardhanArIshvara.

7. She has kuntala--locks of hair, that look like aMbhodhara--clouds
that are shyAmala--dark with water; His jaTa--twisted locks of hair,
are taTit--raised like the banks of a river, and prabhAt--shining, like
Amra--the ripe mango fruits of golden hue. She is nirIshvara--
godless, that is with no God above her; He is nikhileshvara--the
immanent God of everything. I bow to this shivA and shivaH, in the
form of ardhanArIshvara.

8. She performs her lAsyaka--dance in dramatic delight, at the
prapancha—universal sRiShti--creation, that is unmukha--springing
up, at her dance; He performs tANDava--a frantic dance, which is
saMhAraka--destructive, of samasta--everything, and the universe
subsides back in it. She is janani--mother, of the jagat--world, so
jagajjanani; He is jagadeka pitRu--the sole father of the world; I bow
to this shivA and shivaH, in the form of ardhanArIshvara.

9. Her kuNDala--ear rings are, pradIpta--sparkling, studded with
ujjvala--blazing, ratna--precious stones; His bhUshaNam--ornament,
is only sphuran--trembling, mahApanaga--great serpents. She is
anvita--inherent, shivam--auspiciousness, happiness; He is anvita--
inherent, shivam--auspiciousness, happiness too. I bow to this shivA
and shivaH, in the form of ardhanArIshvara.

10. a