Salaams All. With all due respect to Hindu and Budhist culture and beliefs;
It is encouraging to see at least one member turn to Forum Library to search for the mystical creature forms related to South East Asian Hindu and Budhist links. It is however a daunting task since the pool is 4,000 years deep and contains many twists. These deities (and even that word can be misconstrued) sometimes change and in a way can morph into something quite different depending on the stage of development that they change into...The Makara is perhaps more cunning being made up of parts of many beasts...It is however, easy to confuse with the Yali...and the Kurtimukha is often overlooked...On the subject at #1 it is the huge faced monster between the Quillons on the hilt on the rainguard~ at picture 2 of #1. Its task is to gobble up evil and may be construed as being on the rainguard to destroy its enemies i.e. the opponent. Chopped up and devoured so to speak. Like other figures it is therefor Talismanic.
An idea is to keep a hit list of the shape of each icon pictured invisibly in ones head... but this would only be a guide...since the concepts continually change ... One minute you could be looking at a crocodile headed monster with a peacock tail and the next a humanoid fronted, elephant snouted, dragon ! It is important on one level...for there are many...to know the task of each apperition...To swallow other demons? To emit other supporting deities? To not to do any of these..?
It is probably more important to consider what the warrior believes he is weilding.. In his hand a a fabulous hilted sword protected and supported by 4,000 years of tradition and religious empowerment, thus, in battle a very proud soldier indeed. The combination being a very strong cocktail of psychological empowerment likely to result in the opponent being mercilessly sliced up...
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.