Lord Shiva

Lord Shiva

Chola Bronze,11th Century AD

Although the stance of this sculpture is more like that of Lord Krishna, but notice that the turban is made up of coiled snakes. A dead give away, it is Lord Shiva.

The Chola sculptor does not present Lord Shiva as a grown up man, but as a young lad. With his right arm resting on his Bull, the Nandi, he holds his left arm near his thigh, signifying that he is a devotee of Lord Vishnu. This sculpture is of a calm, handsome, young God who looks down at humanity. He is the deliverer. He is the saviour. Yet He is detached. He is the Mahayogi, Mahadev.