There
are innumerable carvings in different pillars. Paintings on the walls of the Maha Mandapa
as well as in those around the golden-lily tank relate to the persecution of the jains by
the Hindus. In one of the pillars it will be seen that Siva appears as coming out from a
Lingam. (Lingodbhavamurti) and Brahma have taken theform of a swan and Vishnu that of a
boar boring the earth. The Lingapurana narrates the story connected with this fine carving
as follows: -
Once Brahma and Vishnu got intoa dispute regarding their respective greatness. As they
could not decide the point, they referred the matter to Siva. Siva as the umpire put them
to a test and said that he who could find out the top and bottom of the Jyotirlingam of
Siva would be the greater of the two. Brahma immediately got on his swan and went upwards
to see the top, while Vishnu took the form of a boar and bored downwards to find the
bottom. Centuries passed, but neither returned. At last Brahma could find a petal of
Ketaka flower, thrown centuries back from the crest of Siva, and claimed to have seen the
top of the Jyotirlingarn.
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