Goddess Gauri

Goddess Gauri

Paramar Dynasty, 11th Century CE, Bhopal Museum.

           Goddess Gauri is none other than Goddess Parvati.  She seems to be a popular diety in the 10th to 12th century as numerous sculptures of hers can be found from this period. Here she is surrounded by the Seven Mothers (Saptamatrikas) on the top, by Kartikeya on her right, by Lord Ganesh on her left. She would have carried a Shiva Linga in one of her hands.  She is also surrounded by other maidens who are at her service. Surprisingly her 'vehicle' (vahan) is a mongoose.  

            This sculpture is highly symbolic.  Goddess Gauri is the symbol of benevolence of Nature. Thus Her full bodied figure.  Her inner energy is depicted by the string of pearls which has moved to her left side of the naval. Despite the fact that She stands erect,  the pearl string moves. This portrays the inner strength or the "inner Prana" of the divinity. 

            Like the Seven Mothers, Nature sustains us. In her lap we are protected and we grow as individuals and as a nation. But to grow we need both wisdom and dynamism. Hence, Lord Ganesh (wisdom) and Kartikeya  (dynamism). But like the mongoose, we need a probing mind to understand the beauty and mystery of Nature. Mongoose also symbolises the riches which are buried in Nature. Thus an inquisitive mind discovers the riches of Nature.  Nature stands in all her glory in this stunning sculpture. 

Varaha Avtar (Lord Vishnu in His Third Incarnation as a Boar)

Varaha Avtar (Lord Vishnu in His Third Incarnation as a Boar)

Paramar Dynasty,11th Century CE

            There was a time when Mother Earth was coveted by a demon. He dragged her into the cosmic ocean. She pleaded to Lord Vishnu to save her. Lord Vishnu emerged as a wild Boar. He fought with the Demon,  killed him, and brought Mother Earth out of the ocean on his tusk. Here we see Him with the Mother Earth as He emerges from the ocean. 

            This pose of Lord Vishnu was created by the Gupta artists in the 5th Century CE at Udaigiri Caves in Madhya Pradesh.  Ever since then, this pose has been used repeatedly by the Indian artists. 

            The wild Boar is a unique animal. While it lives on the land, it can dive deep into the water. It is thus adjustable to both land and water. Only those who are flexible in their thoughts can emerge from the ocean. 

            Mother Earth is again under threat. On the one hand She is constantly attacked, on the other hand She is ever exploited. Again she awaits to be rescued from the senseless greed and hatred of mankind. She again awaits for flexible thinking persons to rescue her from her pitiable plight. But we are becoming blind to our myopic vision. The totality of Oneness is lost upon us. And Mother Earth seems to further  sink into a quagmire.

Goddess Durga

Goddess Durga

Paramar Dynasty, 8th Century AD, Bhopal Museum,  M. P.

               A rather robust and full bodied Durga stands triumphantly over the still struggling  Mahisasur,  the Buffalo demon.  The battle between the good and the evil is an eternal one. Since the Gods were unable to defeat the demons, the Asuras, the contemplated together.  Their joint energy emerged in the form of Goddess Durga.  Each God gave her his weapons. Armed with the divine weapons, radiating with power and unsurpassable beauty, She allured and challenged the demons. All who fought her, perished at her feet. Although she triumphed, She is calm and serene. She displays no arrogance or emotion. She is detached from her action. While she protects the good, she destroys the evil. But like Nature she is detached from her own activities. 

            Such sculptures teach us the importance of detachment, of introspection and of serenity in our life. 

Lord Surya ( The Sun God )

Lord Surya ( The Sun God )

 Paramar Dynasty,9th Century AD

 

              Lord Surya is unique to Hindu pantheon. Surprisingly although the Vedic people worshipped the elements of Nature, the Rain, the wind, fire and water, they did not worship the Sun. It is in 1st AD that the Sun god is imported into India from Iran during the Kushan period. Unlike the other Hindu Gods,  He wears leather boots, and has a square crown. But like Lord Vishnu,  He holds lotus in his hands. But instead of sitting comfortably, He is shown either squatting (as in this sculpture ) or standing as in the Konark temple. 

            His seven horses symbolise the seven days of the week; the twelve wheels of His chariot symbolise the twelve months of the year. 

            Later on, He loses his identity as an independent God. He is fused with Lord Vishnu and is called Suryanarayan.  According to Brahma Puran, Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva and Lord Brahma are His manifestations. Valmiki in his Ramayan has written a beautiful hymn about  Surya, called the Surya Upasana.  

           The Sun god was worshipped in all the great civilisations of the ancient world, as He is the sustainer of life. With solar power as a renewable source of energy, He continues to be essential for us as well. 

Sada Shiva (Four headed Lord Shiva)

Sada  Shiva (Four headed Lord Shiva)

Paramar Dynasty,11th Century AD

          The four heads of Lord Shiva depict four different aspects of His. The creator,  the preserver, the destroyer.  The fourth face is of Devi or his Shakti  (power). Without His Shakti, He is lifeless. 

        The four heads also depict the ideology that every fact or situation can be interpreted in different ways. Thus there is no such thing as "the truth." Multiple interpretations are welcome. It is this thinking which has strengthened our civilisation of diversity and unity. 

Bhairav

Bhairav

Paramar Dynasty,11th Century AD, Indore Museum

        Lord Shiva was furious at the sudden death of Sati, his wife. She had gone uninvited to her father's home. Hearing the insults about her husband, Lord Shiva, she had jumped into the sacrificial fire. When Lord Shiva realised that his wife had committed suicide he rushed to his father -in- laws palace. It is said there he plucked two hair strands from his head; from the hair strands arose Bhairav--a violent form of Lord Shiva. He had eight arms, each carrying arms or drums (symbol of time), he has a belt of bells ( symbol of eternal vibrations in Nature), he is naked (symbol of total detachment ) has a dog as his vehicle (symbol of attachment that mortals have). 

        In Hindu iconography it is easy to recognise an image of Bhairav. He is naked, at times bearded, has dishevelled hair--or hair protruding like a halo in the back of the head as in this sculpture ), carries weapons and at times a skull or a bowl (the bowl of fire), at times has bulging eyes and even fangs. The sculpture is supposed to depict the violent side and is thus meant to look ferocious in appearance.

      Interestingly in order to appease Him, the devotee is to offer him alcohol or drugs. The most famous temple of Bhairav is in Ujjain where the image drinks liquor!

Goddess Chamunda

Goddess Chamunda

Paramar Dynasty,10th Century AD, Indore Museum

         She is more ferocious than Goddess Kali. She is the most frightening looking Goddess in the Hindu pantheon.  She is Goddess Chamunda. Skeltal in appearance,  with protruding ribs, dried up hanging breasts,  a sunken face, with protruding eyes, laughing grotesquely,  with a garland of skulls, She depicts Nature in its most violent and ferocious form. 

      According to legend Goddess Durga was proposed by two demons who were brothers : Chand and Munda. She challenged them to a battle. Taking on the grotesque form, She killed both of them. Hence, the name Chamunda or 'Chand Munda Vinashni ' ( the slayer of Chand and Munda). 

To tackle evil, one should also have the physical prowess like the evil. But one must kill evil for the sake of protecting the good. The Divine Mother transformed Herself, only in order to restore law and order in the universe. She may be 'demonic looking', but She is Divinity in her heart and soul. 

Devi Crushing Lord Ganesh

Devi Crushing Lord Ganesh

Paramar Dynasty,10th Century AD,Indore Museum

         A rare piece indeed. Lord Ganesh is generally shown as sitting by a Devi, either with Goddess Swaraswati or Goddess Lakshmi or with the Seven Mothers (Sapta Matrike ). But here He is being trampled under the weight of the Goddess. 

       The Goddess here is a form of Shakti. Historically this piece indicates the rise of the Shakti cult during the medieval period. But philosophically it makes a very strong statement : when reason and wisdom is crushed, destruction prevails. Destruction is important and necessary to get rid of that which is bad or evil. But to destroy reason, intellect and wisdom only invites chaos, anarchy and annihilation.  

Goddess Parvati

 Goddess Parvati

Paramar Dynasty,11th Century AD

            A highly well preserved statue, but for the two upper broken hands. The sculpture depicts the goddess as a stout woman, holding a pitcher of holy water, a rosary,  carrying Lord Ganesh in her upper left hand and a Shiva Linga in her upper right hand. Since Parvati created Ganesh from herself, of the two children, he is her favorite.  But the sculpture is not just limited to that: Parvati is the symbol of Nature. Nature also includes the creative and destructive powers. While the Shiva Ling is the symbol for creativity, the mongoose at her feet is the symbol of the destructive power. For, the mongoose can kill even a snake. But both the powers have to be used with wisdom--hence, Lord Ganesh.  Wisdom doesn't come easily. It comes from right thoughts--the pitcher of Holy water, and with deep meditation--the rosary.  Nature is mysterious, but beautiful,  like the Goddess herself.

Lord Ganesh with Riddhi

Lord Ganesh with Riddhi

Paramar Dynasty,  11th Century AD

        It is a rarity to see Lord Ganesh with Riddhi in a standing posture. Thus, this a unique piece. 

        Goddess Parvati was worried as to who would marry her elephant headed son. Lord Brahma agreed not one, both of his daughters,  Riddhi and Siddhi to him. Riddhi and Siddhi stand for the material wisdom and the spiritual one. Ganesh being the God of wisdom had to personify the secular and the sacred wisdoms. The Greeks believed that there are two sides of human personality: the rational ( God Apollo), and the irrational  (God Diyonesus ). But we believe there is also the spiritual side. Hence, Siddhi. 

        We have been worshipping wisdom from time immemorial.  Notice the devoted couple standing at the bottom.