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{{short description|Hindu direction deity}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{infobox deity
| type = Hindu
| name = Ishana
| gender = Male
| deity_of = Regent of the Northeast Direction<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/ishana | title=Ishana, Īśānā, Īṣaṇa, Īsāna, Isana, Īśāna: 39 definitions | date=12 April 2009 }}</ref>
| image = Guardians of the eight directions 01.JPG
| affiliation = [[Shiva]], [[Deva (Hinduism)|Deva]]
}}

'''Ishana''' ([[Sanskrit]]: ईशान, [[IAST]]: Īśāna), is a [[Hindu god]]. He is often considered to be one of the forms of the [[Hindu]] merger (Layam) god [[Shiva]],<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last=Gopinatha Rao|first=T. A.|url=http://archive.org/details/ElementsOfHinduIconographyVol.IIPartII|title=Elements Of Hindu Iconography, Vol. II Part II|year=1916|pages=537}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> and is also often counted among the eleven [[Rudras]].<ref name=":0">{{cite book|last1=Apte|first1=Vaman Shivram|title=The Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary|year=1965|publisher=[[Motilal Banarsidass]]|isbn=0-89581-171-5|edition=Fourth Revised and Enlarged|page=252}}</ref> In [[Hinduism]],<ref>{{Cite book|last=Gopinatha Rao|first=T. A.|url=http://archive.org/details/ElementsOfHinduIconographyVol.IIPartII|title=Elements Of Hindu Iconography, Vol. II Part II|date=1916|pages=515}}</ref><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{cite thesis|last=Marie|first=Stella|date=9 March 2009|title=The Significance of the Mūla Beras in the Hindu Temples of Tamil Nadu: With Special Reference To Bharatanatyam and Hindu Iconography|type=PhD|chapter=4|publisher=[[Bharathidasan University]]|hdl=10603/5089|docket=|oclc=|chapter-url=http://hdl.handle.net/10603/5089|access-date=9 August 2021|chapter-format=PDF}}</ref> some schools of [[Buddhism]]<ref>{{Cite book|last=English|first=Elizabeth|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PTcLAAAAYAAJ|title=Vajrayogini: Her Visualization, Rituals, and Forms|date=2002-06-15|publisher=Wisdom Publications|isbn=978-0-86171-329-5|pages=313, 142|language=en}}</ref> and [[Jainism]]<ref>{{Cite book|last=Bhattacharya|first=B. C.|url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.507554|title=The Jaina Iconography (1939)|date=1939|publisher=[[Motilal Banarsidass]]|isbn=|pages=115}}</ref> he is the ''[[Guardians of the directions|dikapala]]'' of the northeast direction. In the [[Vastu shastra|Vastu Shastra]], the north-eastern corner of a plot of land is referred to as "Ishana".<ref>{{Cite book|last=Acharya|first=Prasanna Kumar|url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.31242|title=Architecture Of Manasara Vol.5|date=1934|pages=39}}</ref> Ishana also shares qualities with [[Bhairava|Samhara Bhairava]] and is therefore a part of the [[Ashta Bhairava]].

== Iconography ==
Ishana is described as having three eyes, a tranquil appearance and white complexion, dressed with a white cloth and a tiger's skin.<ref name=":7">{{Cite book |last=Gopinatha Rao |first=T. A. |url=http://archive.org/details/ElementsOfHinduIconographyVol.IIPartII |title=Elements Of Hindu Iconography, Vol. II Part II |date=1916 |pages=537–538}}</ref> On his head, a ''jata-[[Makuṭa|makuta]]'' which has on top of it the crescent moon must be placed.<ref name=":7" />

He may be seated on a white bull, or simply in the ''[[Padmāsana|padmasana]]'' though being seated on the bull is preferred.<ref name=":7" />

If he is represented with only two arms, his hands must carry a trident and a [[kapala]] or one of the hands (the left one generally) might be in the ''[[varadamudra]]''; if, however, he has four hands, the two front ones should be sculptured as playing upon a [[veena]] and the others are to be held in the ''varada'' and ''[[Abhayamudra|abhaya]]'' [[mudra]]s.<ref name=":7" /> Gopinatha Rao suggests that description might be incorrect, as the veena must be held only by the hands of the front pair of arms, which are also the very hands that are necessarily to be in the ''varada'' and ''abhaya'' poses.<ref name=":7" />

When represented in Lingam form along with the other Panchabrahmas, his face, uncarved, would face upward.<ref>{{cite magazine |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=July 2012 |title=Five Powers of Siva : Sadasiva in the Agama Scriptures |url=https://www.himalayanacademy.com/media/books/five-powers-of-siva_ei/five-powers-of-siva_ei.pdf |url-status=live |magazine=[[Hinduism Today]] |location=Kapaa, Hawaii |publisher=Himalayan Academy |page=51 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170925013113/https://www.himalayanacademy.com/media/books/five-powers-of-siva_ei/five-powers-of-siva_ei.pdf |archive-date=25 September 2017 |access-date=10 August 2021}}</ref>

One verse of the Linga Purana describes Ishana as having three feet, seven hands, four horns and two heads<ref name=":6" /> while in one verse of the Shiva Purana, he is described as "resembling pure crystal".<ref>{{Cite book |last=J.L.Shastri |url=http://archive.org/details/SivaPuranaJ.L.ShastriPart4 |title=Siva Purana - English Translation - Part 4 of 4 |date=1950 |publisher=[[Motilal Banarsidass]] |pages=2036}}</ref>

==Hinduism==

=== Vedas ===
An early mention of Ishana is in one of the Pañchabrahma Mantrāṇī found in the Taittiriya Aranyaka (TA 10.21.1)<ref name=":2">{{cite magazine|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|date=July 2012|title=Five Powers of Siva : Sadasiva in the Agama Scriptures|url=https://www.himalayanacademy.com/media/books/five-powers-of-siva_ei/five-powers-of-siva_ei.pdf|url-status=live|magazine=[[Hinduism Today]]|location=Kapaa, Hawaii|publisher=Himalayan Academy|page=49|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170925013113/https://www.himalayanacademy.com/media/books/five-powers-of-siva_ei/five-powers-of-siva_ei.pdf|archive-date=25 September 2017|access-date=10 August 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Sarma|first=Subramania|date=November 2005|title=Taittiriya Aranyaka Edited By Subramania Sarma|url=http://www.sanskritweb.net/yajurveda/ta-comb.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170810021245/http://www.sanskritweb.net/yajurveda/ta-comb.pdf|archive-date=10 August 2017|access-date=9 August 2021|website=SanskritWeb}}</ref> of the [[Krishna Yajurveda]] (c.1200 BCE):

: {{lang|sa|ईशानस्सर्वविद्यानां ईश्वरस्सर्वभूतानां ब्रह्माधिपतिर्ब्रह्मणोऽधिपतिर्ब्रह्माशिवो मे अस्तु सदाशिवोम्।}}<ref name=":2" />
: {{IAST|īśānassarvavidyānām īśvara-ssarvabhūtānām-brahmādhipatir-brahmaṇo’dhipatir-brahmā-śivo me astu sadāśivom}}<ref name=":2" />
Translation by Sabharathnam Sivacharyar:
:"Lord Ishana—the Supreme Lord and Revealer of little knowledge through lord Ishvara and spiritual disciplines, the nourisher and controller of all living beings, the Directing Lord of northeast, He who is the guided by main direct authority of the  Vidyeshvaras, who directs Brahma, Vishnu and others—may He  who is vidyeshwara present Himself in this Sivalinga. By such benign presence, let there occur absolute purity and auspiciousness in Shiva. Om"<ref name=":2" />
Ishana is also mentioned in the [[Vajasaneyi Madhyandiniya|Vajasneyi Madyandina Samhita]] of the [[Shukla Yajurveda]] (VS 27.35),<ref>{{Cite web|title=Samhita Patha 21-30 – Adhyaya – 27 {{!}} Vedic Heritage Portal|url=https://vedicheritage.gov.in/samhitas/yajurveda/vajasneyi-madhyandina-samhita/samhita-patha-21-30-adhyaya-27/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200720032129/https://vedicheritage.gov.in/samhitas/yajurveda/vajasneyi-madhyandina-samhita/samhita-patha-21-30-adhyaya-27/|archive-date=20 July 2020|access-date=10 August 2021|website=Vedic Heritage Portal}}</ref> which the [[Shiva Purana]] calls the "Ishana Mantra",<ref name=":3">{{Cite book|last=Shastri|first=J.L|url=http://archive.org/details/SivaPuranaJ.L.ShastriPart1|title=Siva Purana - English Translation - Part 1 of 4|date=1950|publisher=[[Motilal Banarsidass]]|pages=139}}</ref> though the Purana calls a different verse from the same Samhita which also mentions Ishana (VS 39.8)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Samhita Patha 31-40 – Adhyaya – 39 {{!}} Vedic Heritage Portal|url=https://vedicheritage.gov.in/samhitas/yajurveda/vajasneyi-madhyandina-samhita/samhita-patha-31-40-adhyaya-39/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200712233253/https://vedicheritage.gov.in/samhitas/yajurveda/vajasneyi-madhyandina-samhita/samhita-patha-31-40-adhyaya-39/|archive-date=12 July 2020|access-date=10 August 2021|website=Vedic Heritage Portal}}</ref> the "Ishana Mantra" as well.<ref name=":4">{{Cite book|last=Shastri|first=J.L.|url=http://archive.org/details/SivaPuranaJ.L.ShastriPart1|title=Siva Purana - English Translation - Part 1 of 4|date=1950|publisher=[[Motilal Banarsidass]]|pages=166}}</ref>

=== Puranas ===
Several Puranas mention Ishana; a few of them are detailed here:
==== Shiva Purana ====
In the Shiva Purana, Ishana is described as a form or aspect of Shiva.<ref>{{Cite book|last=J.L.Shastri|url=http://archive.org/details/SivaPuranaJ.L.ShastriPart1|title=Siva Purana - English Translation - Part 1 of 4|date=1950|publisher=[[Motilal Banarsidass]]|pages=110}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Shastri|first=J.L.|url=http://archive.org/details/SivaPuranaJ.L.ShastriPart1|title=Siva Purana - English Translation - Part 1 of 4|date=1950|publisher=[[Motilal Banarsidass]]|pages=208}}</ref> The Purana states that Ishana bestows knowledge and riches on those with intelligence, while curbing evil-doers.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Shastri|first=J.L.|url=http://archive.org/details/SivaPuranaJ.L.ShastriPart4|title=Siva Purana - English Translation - Part 4 of 4|date=1950|publisher=[[Motilal Banarsidass]]|pages=1914}}</ref> Ishana is declared to be the form of Shiva presiding over the ear, speech, sound and ether as well as the "individual soul, the enjoyer of [[Prakṛti|Prakriti]]".<ref>{{Cite book|last=J.L.|first=Shastri|url=http://archive.org/details/SivaPuranaJ.L.ShastriPart4|title=Siva Purana - English Translation - Part 4 of 4|date=1950|publisher=[[Motilal Banarsidass]]|pages=1917}}</ref>

The Purana also asserts that the "Ishana Mantra" should be recited when fixing [[Lingam]]s to pedestals,<ref name=":3" /> when wearing ''[[rudraksha]]'' beads on the head<ref name=":4" /> or (only for some) when wearing [[Vibhuti|sacred ash]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=J.L.Shastri|url=http://archive.org/details/SivaPuranaJ.L.ShastriPart1|title=Siva Purana - English Translation - Part 1 of 4|date=1950|publisher=[[Motilal Banarsidass]]|pages=157}}</ref>

==== Linga Purana ====
One verse of the [[Linga Purana]] describes Ishana as "the omnipresent lord of all".<ref>{{Cite book|last=Shastri|first=J.L.|url=http://archive.org/details/LingaPuranaJ.L.ShastriPart1|title=Linga Purana - English Translation - Part 1 of 2|date=1951|publisher=[[Motilal Banarsidass]]|pages=55}}</ref> In another verse, one who makes the idol of Ishana is said to be "honoured in the world of Vishnu."<ref name=":6">{{Cite book|last=Shastri|first=J.L.|url=http://archive.org/details/LingaPuranaJ.L.ShastriPart1|title=Linga Purana - English Translation - Part 1 of 2|date=1951|publisher=[[Motilal Banarsidass]]|pages=374}}</ref> In one verse, he is said to hold an axe<ref>{{Cite book|last=Shastri|first=J.L.|url=http://archive.org/details/LingaPuranaJ.L.ShastriPart1|title=Linga Purana - English Translation - Part 1 of 2|date=1951|publisher=[[Motilal Banarsidass]]|pages=421}}</ref> while in another, he is described as wielding a trident.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Shastri|first=J.L.|url=http://archive.org/details/LingaPuranaJ.L.ShastriPart2|title=Linga Purana - English Translation - Part 2 of 2|date=1951|publisher=[[Motilal Banarsidass]]|pages=564}}</ref> Ishana described as being stationed in every being as the organ of speech.<ref>{{Cite book|last=J.L.Shastri|url=http://archive.org/details/LingaPuranaJ.L.ShastriPart2|title=Linga Purana - English Translation - Part 2 of 2|date=1951|pages=652}}</ref>

The Purana mentions Ishana as one of the deities present at [[Daksha yajna|Daksha's sacrifice]] who was attacked by [[Virabhadra]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Shastri|first=J.L.|url=http://archive.org/details/LingaPuranaJ.L.ShastriPart2|title=Linga Purana - English Translation - Part 2 of 2|date=1951|publisher=[[Motilal Banarsidass]]|pages=556}}</ref> He is also described as having attended the [[svayamvara]] of Parvati to Shiva.<ref>{{Cite book|last=J.L.Shastri|url=http://archive.org/details/LingaPuranaJ.L.ShastriPart2|title=Linga Purana - English Translation - Part 2 of 2|date=1951|publisher=[[Motilal Banarsidass]]|pages=563}}</ref>

==== Brahmavaivarta Purana ====
The Brahmavaivarta Purana states that Ishana was born out of the left eye of [[Krishna]]. He is described as wearing tiger's skin, adorned with a crescent crown on his head, possessing three eyes and holding a trident, patissa (sword) and club. He became the leader of the Dikpalas.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Shanti Lal Nagar|url=http://archive.org/details/brahma-vaivarta-purana-all-four-kandas-english-translation|title=Brahma Vaivarta Purana - English Translation - All Four Kandas|date=2003-01-01|publisher=Parimal Publications|pages=21}}</ref>

=== Pañchabrahma ===
{{See also|Pancabrahma Upanishad}}
The Pañchabrahmas are five specific aspects of Shiva collectively taken together.<ref name=":5">{{Cite book|last=Gopinatha Rao|first=T. A.|url=http://archive.org/details/ElementsOfHinduIconographyVol.IIPartII|title=Elements Of Hindu Iconography, Vol. II Part II|date=1916|pages=375}}</ref> These aspects include [[Sadyojata]], [[Vamadeva]], [[Aghora (Shiva)|Aghora]], Tatpurusha, and Ishana.<ref name=":5" /> Each of these aspects are glorified in their own mantra in the Pañchabrahma Mantrani present in the Taittiriya Aranyaka (TA 10.17-21).<ref name=":2" />

These aspects of Shiva are often depicted in [[Mukhalinga|five-faced Lingams]] which Stella Kramrisch states are physical equivalents of the five Pañchabrahma Mantrani, with each face of the five-faced lingams corresponding to one of the Mantras and representing a particular manifestation of Shiva.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Kramrisch|first=Stella|title=The Presence of Shiva|publisher=[[Princeton University Press]]|year=1981|pages=179}}</ref>

As one of the Panchabrahmas, Ishana is the source of spontaneous grace directed to all beings and to all worlds.<ref>{{cite magazine|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|date=July 2012|title=Five Powers of Siva : Sadasiva in the Agama Scriptures|url=https://www.himalayanacademy.com/media/books/five-powers-of-siva_ei/five-powers-of-siva_ei.pdf|url-status=live|magazine=[[Hinduism Today]]|location=Kapaa, Hawaii|publisher=Himalayan Academy|page=46|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170925013113/https://www.himalayanacademy.com/media/books/five-powers-of-siva_ei/five-powers-of-siva_ei.pdf|archive-date=25 September 2017|access-date=10 August 2021}}</ref>

=== Vastu Shastra ===
According to [[Vastu|Vastu Shastra]], it is auspicious for homes and offices to be situated in the northeast. North is the direction wealth resides, associated with [[Kubera]], while East is the direction where knowledge resides, associated with [[Indra]]. For this reason, Ishana symbolizes the culmination of both knowledge and wealth.{{Citation needed|date=August 2021}}

==Buddhism and Shinto==
{{Unreferenced section|date=August 2021}}
He is a chief among the gods of [[Paranirmitavaśavarti]], the sixth heaven of the [[Desire realm|Kāmadhātu]].

According to the [[Ainōshō]], there is a theory that this deity is synonymous with [[Mara (demon)|Pāpīyas]] as well as the [[Shinto]] deity [[Izanagi]]. The [[Jinnō Shōtōki]] also states that there is a theory that the names of Japan's primordial creator gods [[Izanagi]] and [[Izanami]] are the same as the Sanskrit names Īśāna and Īśānī.

'''Īśānī''' is Īśāna's consort. According to the [[Secret Storehouse Records]] (祕藏記) she is flesh white in color and wields a [[Hoko yari|spear]].

==References==
{{Reflist}}
* {{cite book|first=John A.|last=Grimes|title=A Concise Dictionary of Indian Philosophy: Sanskrit Terms Defined in English|publisher=State University of New York Press|year=1996|isbn= 0791430677}}


{{Buddhism topics}}
{{HinduMythology}}

[[Category:Buddhist gods]]
[[Category:Lokapala]]
[[Category:Indian masculine given names]]
[[Category:Hindu gods]]