Figure 27. Narrative sculpture depicting the race between the sphinx or purushamriga and Bhima, an episode
from the Mahabharata, on a granite receptacle that collects the waters from the ablution rituals situated on the
north side of the Subrahmanya shrine in the enclosure of the Shri Rajarajesvara temple in Tanjore.
The Indian sphinx is shown here as a fully upright figure
Granite
Approximately 35 cm in height
Photo by Raja Deekshithar, 28 July 2004