Shiva

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Shiva

• Lord of Dance

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• The Vital Form Symbolism
• Four hands represent the four cardinal
  directions.
• He is dancing, with his left foot elegantly
  raised and the right foot on a prostrate figure
  'Apasmara Purusha', the personification of
  illusion and ignorance over whom Shiva triumphs.
• The upper left hand holds a flame, the lower left
  hand points down to the dwarf, who is shown
  holding a cobra.
• The upper right hand holds an hourglass drum or
  dumroo that stands for the male-female vital
  principle, the lower shows the gesture of
  assertion "Be without fear.
• Snakes that stand for egotism, are seen uncoiling
  from his arms, legs, and hair, which is braided
  and bejewelled.
• His matted locks are whirling as he dances within
  an arch of flames representing the endless cycle
  of birth and death.
• On his head is a skull, which symbolises his
  conquest over death.
• Goddess Ganga, the epitome of the holy river
  Ganges, also sits on his hairdo.
• His third eye is symbolic of his omniscience,
  insight, and enlightenment.
• The whole idol rests on a lotus pedestal, the
  symbol of the creative forces of the universe.
• The Significance of Shiva's DanceThis cosmic
  dance of Shiva is called 'Anandatandava,' meaning
  the Dance of Bliss, and symbolizes the cosmic
  cycles of creation and destruction, as well as
  the daily rhythm of birth and death. The dance is
  a pictorial allegory of the five principle
  manifestations of eternal energy creation,
  destruction, preservation, salvation, and
  illusion.

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Vishnu
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Vishnu

• According to various Purana, Vishnu is the
  ultimate omnipresent reality, is shapeless and
  omnipresent. However, a strict iconography
  governs his representation, whether in pictures,
  icons, or idols
• He is to be depicted as a four-armed male-form
  The four arms indicate his all-powerful and
  all-pervasive nature. The physical existence of
  Vishnu is represented by the two arms in the
  front while the two arms at the back represent
  his presence in the spiritual world. The
  Upanishad titled Gopal Uttartapani describes the
  four arms of Vishnu.
• The color of his skin has to be
  new-cloud-like-blue The blue color indicates his
  all-pervasive nature, blue being the color of the
  infinite sky as well as the infinite ocean on
  which he resides.
• He has the mark of sage Bhrigu's feet on his
  chest.
• Also on his chest is the srivatsa mark,
  symbolising his consort Lakshmi.
• Around his neck, he wears the auspicious
  "Kaustubha" jewel, and a garland of flowers
  (vanamaalaa).
• A crown should adorn his head The crown
  symbolizes his supreme authority.
• He is to shown wearing two earrings The earrings
  represent inherent opposites in creation -
  knowledge and ignorance happiness and
  unhappiness pleasure and pain.
• He is shielded by Ananta the immortal and
  infinite snake

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Vishnu continued

• Vishnu is always to be depicted holding the four
  attributes associated with him, being
• A conch shell or Shankhya, named "Panchajanya",
  held by the upper left hand, which represents
  creativity. The Panchajanya is the originator of
  the five elements or Panchabhoota - water, fire,
  air, earth and sky or space. The sound that
  evolves from blowing this conch is the primeval
  sound of creation.
• The chakra, a sharp-spinning discus-like weapon,
  named "Sudarshana", held by the upper right hand,
  which symbolizes the mind. The name Sudarshana is
  derived from two words - Su, which means good,
  and Darshan, which means vision. The chakra as a
  weapon thus indicates the necessity of destroying
  one's ego and illusory self-existence and
  developing the vision to identify the eternal
  truth. The discus has six spokes and symbolizes a
  lotus with six petals, thus representing the
  power that controls all six seasons.
• A mace or Gada, named "Kaumodaki", held by the
  lower left hand, which represents individual
  existence. The mace symbolizes the primeval force
  from which all mental and physical strength is
  derived.
• A lotus flower or Padma, held by the lower right
  hand, which represents liberation or dispersion.
  The lotus symbolizes the power from which the
  universe emerges. It represents the concentration
  of truth or Satya, the originator of the rules of
  conduct or Dharma, and knowledge or Gyana in a
  single symbol.

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Krishna (Vishnu)