Nandi

“The cows come home, the birds are cooing in the trees,
the goblin women turn to household tasks,
and here is Nandin; making sure the evening rites be done,
he rubs the drums in preparation for his master’s dance.”
Śitikaṇṭha (translated by Daniel H. H. Ingalls)

Nandī (his personified form being Nandikēśvara) is the chief of Śiva’s gaṇa-s or spirit attendants, and his most beloved. He is blessed by Śiva to be forever by his side, free from death and old age, unchanging and unwasting, and loved by all. When Śiva seeks to coronate Nandīśvara as the Lord of the gaṇas, Pārvati is most approving, and says Śailādi is her most beloved son. An appellation of Śiva, Vṛṣabhadhvaja is derived from the fact of his having the emblem of the white Bull, Nandin.

The white-complexioned Nandi in his zoo-anthropomorphic form as Nandīśvara stands on a low pedestal. He wears a crown, dhoti and angavastra (shawl) draped over his elbows. On his forehead, chest and arms are tripundras and in his upper right hand he carries the parashu (axe) and in his upper left the mriga (gazelle). c. 1820 Andhra Pradesh or Tamil Nadu; British Museum

Nandin (नन्दिन्) is described in the Saurapurāṇa: “He (Nandīśvara) was decorated with all the ornaments having the lustre of thousand suns; holding śūla in hand, having three eyes and bearing moon on the forehead and looking as the second Śaṃkara (dvitīyamiva śaṃkaram).”

Śivapurāṇa also sheds light on why Nandin is said to have a hump as high as the peaks of Meru or Kailāsa.
“The King of Bulls, of great splendour, thundering like the great cloud, comparable to the peaks of Meru, Mandara, Kailāsa and Himavat; whose hump is huge like the white peaks of clouds; who is resplendent with a tail like the great Lord of Serpents, whose face, horns and feet are red in colour; whose limbs are plump and lifted; the glorious Bull that shines with a charming gait, has praiseworthy qualities, with glittering gemset ornaments; a favourite of Śiva, devoted to Śivā, and is the banner and vāhana of Śiva, with a body purified by the touch of Śiva’s feet, the excellent King of cows, possessed of the glorious trident as his weapon.”
(translated by J.L. Shastri)

References:

1. Siva Purana by J. L. Shastri

__________________________________________

If you find value in my work, I hope you consider becoming a patron or making a one-time donation. Hindu Aesthetic requires a lot of time and effort and your support would mean that I can continue bringing you the highest quality content. Link to Patreon:

Hindu Aesthetic is creating content curating Hindu art and knowledge. | Patreon