Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation
What form of Shiva is most prominent in the Brihadeshwara temple built by the Chola dynasty?
Solution & Analysis
Answer: D
Concept
The Chola emperors, particularly Rajaraja I, favored grand, multi-armed manifestations of Shiva that symbolized imperial power and cosmic order.Explanation
In the Brihadeshwara temple (Thanjavur), the Tripurantaka form of Shiva is the most prominent. It depicts Shiva as the destroyer of the triple gold-silver-iron cities (Tripura) of the demons, usually shown with multiple arms on a chariot.Logical Breakup
Logic 1: Tripurantaka was an imperial favorite because it equated the king’s military conquests with the divine victory of Shiva over the demons.
Logic 2: While other forms like Nataraja and Dakshinamurti are present, the repetition and scale of Tripurantaka reliefs define the temple's specific iconography.