Personification of weapons of gods in Hinduism is known as Ayutha Purusha and it has a very long history. Ayudha Purushas are representations of weapons in anthropomorphic forms. They are often depicted in the company of corresponding divinities of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.
The concept of ayudha purushas evolved out of the practice
of identifying divinities with certain weapons. These weapons, in course of
time, were given human forms. In Hinduism, the Vaishnava theologians in
particular (pancaratins) endowed their gods and their various aspects with
weapons. Such types are mostly associated with the images of Vishnu. The chakra
(wheel) and the gada (mace) in human form are found early in the Gupta period
(3rd century CE). The shankha (conch) and the padma (lotus) are also
anthro-pomorphically represented in the reliefs of Vishnu early and the late
medieval periods in eastern and northern India. In addition to the above, there
are other emblems such as vajra, shakti, danda, Khadga, pasha, ankusha, and
trishula, which are also mentioned in iconographic texts, but rarely, appear in
human form.
The earliest representations of ayudha purusha go back to the
Indo-Sycthic period. As such, vajra appears on some coins as a human figure
behind whom is carved a double-pronged thunderbolt.
The emblems used in Vaishnava images are depicted as males
and females, their gender being determined by the respective words denoting
them. Thus, the gada, being in feminine gender is personified as a beautiful
woman. Similarly, shankha is represented as a male figure. Chakra and padma
belong to the neuter gender but for practical purposes they appear as male
figures in the late Gupta and medieval period. Weapons like shankha, ankusha,
pasha and the likes are rarely represented in human form.
It has been argued that the figures below the famous figure
of Seshasayana at Deogarh in Madhya Pradesh are ayudha purushas, namely,
dhanusha, chakra, shankha, gada and Khadga. In this depiction, the first and
the fourth stand by the side of the central figures; the rest three, standing
below, are represented as fighting the demons, Madhu and Kaitabha.
Another noteworthy sculpture in the Ashutosh Museum,
Kolkata, depicts a four-armed figure dancing on the shoulders of Garuda in the center
of a finely carved wheel. The backhands of this figure hold chakra and gada
emblems suggesting the figure to be a Chakra Purusha, a form of Vishnu. This is
also depicted on the chakra-vikrama type coin of Chandragupta II.
A yoga-sthanaka-murti of Bhagavan Vishnu in the Indian
Museum, Kolkata is shown as standing on a navaratha pedestal. His backhands
rest on Gada Devi and Chakra Purusha. In the extreme corners of the relief are
seen two other personified ayudhas-shankha-purusha with his right hand in vyakhyana
pose and padma purusha in Abhaya mudra.
Vishnu-Chaturmurtis, or four-faced Bhagavan Vishnu images,
are common in northern India, particularly in Kashmir. These profusely
ornamented Vishnu images hold in the right hand a lotus, while the left hand is
placed on an Ayudha Purusha, probably Chakra Purusha. Some other images from
Kashmir show additional hands, some holding a lotus and a conch-shell and other
resting on Chakra Purusha and Gada Devi.
A significant Chakra found in many Vishnu temples is called
Sudarshana Chakra. It is set as a main image in a shrine attached to certain
Vaishanva shrines. In general, it is an outline of a chakra of the oridinary
non-personified form with a fearful figure of Bhagavan Vishnu with multiple
hands.
The Shaivagamas attach great significance to the various
ayudhas of Shiva. Thus the trishula indicates the three gunas of prakriti, i.e.,
sattva, rajas, and tamas. The parashu represents Shiva’s divine strength and
power, the Khadga his valor and so on. Thuse these weapons and emblems found in
the hands of Hindu gods and goddesses appear to have systematized symbolism in
their iconographic art.