In Surya's iconography, he usually appears in two forms, having 4 hands:
in one form, he holds two lotus flowers and the other hands perform the varadamudra and the abhayamudra (boon and refuge mudras).
in the other form, he holds a lotus flower, a golden chakra, a conch shell and a mace.
According to the Hindu scripture, what does each item (chakra, conch, mace, lotus) represents?
The chakra and conch are Vishnu's symbols, however Surya and Vishnu are different (well, at least in modern Hinduism) and the symbolism of each item can be different.
Also, the Hindu epics mention the "Suryaastra" which is Surya's weapon. is this the mace he holds, or a differnt weapon?
Thanks!
