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As per this chapter of UTTARA KANDA of Valmiki Ramayana:

11 नन्दीश्वरम अथापश्यद अविदूरस्थितं परभुम
दीप्तं शूलम अवष्टभ्य दवितीयम इव शंकरम

12 स वानरमुखं दृष्ट्वा तम अवज्ञाय राक्षसः
परहासं मुमुचे मौर्ख्यात सतॊय इव तॊयदः

13 संक्रुद्धॊ भगवान नन्दी शंकरस्यापरा तनुः
अब्रवीद राक्षसं तत्र दशग्रीवम उपस्थितम

14 यस्माद वानरमूर्तिं मां दृष्ट्वा राक्षसदुर्मते
मौर्ख्यात तवम अवजानीषे परिहासं च मुञ्चसि

15 तस्मान मद्रूपसंयुक्ता मद्वीर्यसमतेजसः
उत्पत्स्यन्ते वधार्थं हि कुलस्य तव वानराः

English Translation:

There Nandi stationed at the side of that deity, suppoting himself on his flaming dart, resembling a second Sankara.

And seeing that one having a monkey like face, the Rakshasa, deriding him, burst out into laughter, and seemed as if a mass of clouds were sending roars.

Thereat, growing enraged, the reverend Nandi Shankara's other body spoke unto that Raksha Dasagriva present there;

As O Dasanana, deriding me for my monkey like form, thou hast indulged in a laughter resembling the bursting of thunder, so Vanaras endowed with prowess, and possessed of my form and energy shall be born for compassing the destruction, of thy race.

Is Nandi's face is depicted as Vānara in any other scripture?

2 Answers 2

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In Linga Purana, Nandikeswara himself gives a Dhyana Sloka of his where he says that he has to be meditated upon as having a monkey-face. So, Linga Purana is one such scripture.

Source: Linga Purana - J.L.Shastri (part1).

Chapter 27: Worship of Linga, Verses (19-21):

By the right side the lord of Devas, Nandin, i.e myself, shall be worshipped. I shall have the lustre of ten thousand blazing fires, three eyes, the face of a monkey, four arms, the crescent moon as a coronet, wearing flower garlands, gentle, and bedecked in all ornaments.

enter image description here

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    Strange...contrary to this, we see bull form instead of monkey like form of Nandi in most of the temples...
    – YDS
    Commented Nov 11, 2018 at 15:12
  • Yes that's true. @YDS
    – Rickross
    Commented Nov 11, 2018 at 17:00
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In Sri VidyaShankara Temple, Sringeri (Karnataka state), one cannot find Nandi in his usual form. Because Nandi in this temple is standing as a dwārapālaka. Here Nandi is having Vānara face. 99% of the devotees who visit this temple do not know/observe this.

I have not seen this rare form of Nandi in other Shiva temples.

I think Shiva Purana also mentioned about this form of Nandi. enter image description here

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