Lord Vishnu in His Supreme Form

Lord Vishnu in His Supreme Form

Pratihara Dynasty, 10th Century CE, Bhopal Museum

          King Bali was known for his generosity.  In order to test his commitment to his words, Lord Vishnu appeared as a dwarf  (Vaman). He asked for land which would be covered by just three steps of His. Bali granted him His wish. The dwarf transformed himself into the supreme form of Lord Vishnu.  In one step He covered the earth; in second step He covered the sky. He asked Bali " where shall I place my third step?" In all humility,  Bali offered his head. Lord Vishnu stepped on his head. Bali went to the underworld.  But Lord Vishnu was impressed by his generosity and truthfulness and by his honouring his pledge. He granted him the boon, that he could revisit Earth once in a year. 

        Here we see King Bali granting the wish to Vaman on the bottom right side. Lord Vishnu has taken the Universal form and stretched his leg to the moon. Besides Arjun, King Bali is another person who had seen the the Lord's universal form. 

        This myth is full of symbolism.  Like Abraham, King Bali is also tested by God. But Bali is true to his words. Honouring one's word, or truthfulness is important.  The story also explains the rejuvenation of Earth after the hot summer. In fact, Pongal in Kerala is celebrated in order to mark the return of King Bali on Earth. 

        Most importantly, the story is about self - confidence.  We are dwarfed by our own psyche. At times, we lack confidence.  Yet there is infinite energy and faith within us. If we were to tap the inner strength, we can take giant steps in our life. We too can take the Universal form of the Lord. 

Lord Kuber

Lord Kuber

Pratihara Dynasty, 10th Century CE, Bhopal Museum

            Lord Kuber is the Hindu God of Wealth.  He is an interesting character in Hindu pantheon.  For, He is step-brother of Ravan. He is said to live underground and not in the sky as other gods do. He is a demi-god. It is easy to recognise him as he has a protruding belly (as in this sculpture ),  usually carries a bag full of money or gems; the bag being made of a mongoose skin. 

          He lives underground as precious metals and gems are found under the earth. Mongoose has the ability to burrow under the ground. Hence, bag full of gems and money-- bag made of mongoose skin. 

           Kuber symbolises "arth" ( economics); the second goal of Hindu life. The ancient Hindus recognised the importance of trade and commerce, of money. Unlike the Greeks and Romans, we have two dieties for wealth: Goddess Lakshmi and Kuber. But while Goddess Lakshmi symbolises the benign aspect of money,  Kuber depicts the voracious or the greedy aspect of money. He is thus shown as indulging in drinking as well: "drunk" with the power of money. His arrogance is also well known. Thus His character is also a warning to the people, not to be arrogant about one's wealth.

            To acquire wealth is certainly a laudable goal. But to be greedy and arrogant and ostentatious are wrong characteristics in a person. Wealth which is hoarded is called "Kulakshmi", a sister of Goddess Lakshmi who personifies poverty and pestilence. For money which is locked up is useless to the society.  Like blood, money too should circulate to keep the society healthy. Money spent on charity, on the poor and the downtrodden, earns good deeds or Karma. Money spent on oneself is said to be wasted. It reflects egoism and arrogance. Money spent wisely is a boon, spent foolishly, it is a curse. 

           Kuber symbolises both the be aspects of arth, money: the beneficial and the destructive.  This is why He is a demi-god, and yet related to Ravan.

Ganga

Ganga

Pratihara Dynasty, 8th Century CE.,Bhopal Museum

         The holiest of the rivers in India, River Ganga (Ganges) adorns the door bracket of the inner sanctum of a temple.  Seen as a  beautiful damsel on a multi - bodied animal ( a Makar), She carries a pot of the holy water of the river. 

        Hindus believe that a dip in the holy river cleans them of their sins; immersion of the ashes of the dead,  leads to liberation from the cycle of life and death or to Moksha. 

        According to Hindu mythology Ganga descended from the heavens at the request of Sage Bhagirath.  In order to break it's velocity of descent lest it should shatter earth, Lord Shiva received her in his hair. Since the river begins it's journey in the Himalaya, she is said to be lost in the locks of Lord Shiva. 

       Ganga  has always symbolised purity, knowledge, truthfulness, and spirituality. In 19th century India, a Hindu witness in a court would swear the oath over a Gangajali  ( a pot containing   the water of the Holy River). 

        But the modern Hindu is least bothered about the purity of the river. Presently it is one of the most polluted rivers of India.

Dancing Ganesh

Dancing Ganesh 

Pratihara Dynasty, 10th Century CE, Bhopal Museum

             Although Lord Ganesh is the God of wisdom, He is seen in various forms: as a sleeping child, as a child worshipping a Shiva Ling, as a dancing figure ( as in this figure), as an adult reading or writing, and even playing cricket or sitting on a rocking chair. His forms are as varied as human imagination permits. Wisdom is not a monopoly of any age, or form. It is universal. 

             Here the Lord holds an axe in one hand and his broken tusk in the other hand. The other two  hands are striking a dancing pose. The axe is symbol of wisdom 's ability to cut through any obstacle. Hence He is  the God who removes the obstacles.  The broken tusk is symbolic of His being a scriber. He records our deeds and awards or punishes us accordingly. 

             He dances for the universe is in constant motion. While one foot is firmly planted, symbolising stability,  the other foot is lifted and in motion, symbolising time and motion. 

            He is also surrounded by his parents : Goddess Parvati on his right, and Lord Shiva on his left. This not only completes the Shiva family,  but also depicts Nature (Goddess Parvati ), and the intellect  (Lord Shiva). Wisdom is not isolated; it does not exist in a vacuum. It thrives in the Nature and the intellect. It throbs and pulsates throughout the universe. It is not the monopoly of a caste or a creed or of a race. It is as universal as the universe. 

Lord Ganesh with Siddhi

  Lord Ganesh with Siddhi

Pratihara Dynasty, 9th Century AD, Bhopal Museum

          Goddess Parvati was worried as to who would marry her elephant headed son, Ganesh? She went to Lord Brahma.  He said he would give two of his daughters, Riddhi and Siddhi,  in marriage to Ganesh. That is how Lord Ganesh has two wives.

          While Riddhi stands for spiritual wisdom,  Siddhi stands for intellectual wisdom. Since Lord Ganesh is the God of wosdom, He has to have the two sides of wisdom with Him. While Riddhi sits on Ganesh 's right, Siddhi sits on his left. Here we see Lord Ganesh with Siddhi. She sits on Lord Ganesh 's thigh ( a usual convention to show the God and his Shakti together). Siddhi holds a mirror. One has to reflect on things, on different subjects before one becomes wise. 

          Wisdom is cherished in Hinduism as Hinduism speaks of introspection and assimilation. Since wisdom can solve every problem, Lord Ganesh is the remover of obstacles.  Hence, in every function, religious or secular, He is worshipped as the first god. When we pray to Him, we merely invoke our inner wisdom. 

           His very form, half - man,  half - animal,  points to wisdom ' s ability to assimilate diversity of Nature.  Since every particle in the universe is created by divine power, every particle contains the divine light. To discriminate between objects or people, to be exclusivist, is to deny the oneness of Nature. Such senseless discrimination is not only irrational, but is a crime against the divine power. It is unwise. 

Lord Shiva

Lord Shiva

Pratihara Dynasty,9th Century CE,Bhopal Museum

         This is an unusual image of Lord Shiva.  For while He holds a trident (trishul), He carries a lotus bud (symbol of Lord Vishnu ),  and a pitcher of holy water ( symbol of Lord Brahma ). Thus it seems to be a composite image of the Hindu Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh.  

         The Lord sits calmly, ever smiling and ever young. Like the Lord, we too are the  creator,  the maintainer, and the destroyer. The snake  is the symbol of desire,  of the changes in life. We too are full of desires; we too are prone to changes in life. The trident is the symbol of the three mental states: the sub - consciousness , the unconsciousness, and the consciousness.  All three are bound, like the shaft of the trident, with superconsciousness. The holy water is a symbol of the purity within us that is hidden from us and others. But it has the capacity to cleanse us of our dilutions,  of our egos, of our desires. The end result is the reward of beauty  ( the lotus). The lotus of thousand petals is the symbol of superconsciousness which is inherent in us, which we can achieve with some efforts. Divinity is within us. It all depends which facet of the divinity we cherish and cultivate. 

Warrior

 Warrior

 Pratihara Dynasty, 11th Century AD, Allahabad Museum

              Like the Greeks and the Romans, the Hindus also treat the plant Mars (Mangal) as the God of war. Mars is the slightly reddish planet  which is visible in the sky. Because of its color red, it is seen as a fierce, violent warrior. In Hinduism he is generally painted as a red figure. But unlike the Greco -Roman god, he is neither shown as a muscular figure, nor as one eager to wage a war. 

            Warriors are important to every country or community.  For they protect us from internal disturbances and external threats. They are commemorated in every village. They are worshipped as local diety for the protect the village from possible harm. They are the local guardian.  Thus, they play a pivotal role in our lives. Nations who have forgotten their warriors, like the Murayans,  have paid heavily for their fault. Those who have respected their warriors, like the Greeks and the Romans, have established empires across the globe. Let us, therefore,  respect our defence forces. For they are the guardians of our liberty and of our lives.

Brahmani

Brahmani

Pratihara Dynasty, 11th Century AD, From District Sorohi. Jaipur Museum.

         Generally Goddess Swaraswati is seen as the energy (Shakti ) behind Lord Brahma, the creator. However here we see the inner Shakti of Lord Brahma in a female form. Like Lord Brahma she has four heads. But unlike him, she seems to be dancing.  She is the kinetic energy of creation--ever active and ever moving. The creative process is full of vibrancy-- the inspiration,  the vision, the transformation of  the vision into something more substantial,  the process of transformation and concretization. It is not a passive form of energy. Hence Brahmini dances. 

        The feminine divine has an ancient ancestry in India-- from Indus Valley Civilisation to the upcoming Navratra next month. We are all worshipers of Shakti (energy). For the universe exists and dies due to energy. 

Vajratara

 Vajratara

 Pratihara Dynasty, 12th Century AD

        Goddess Tara is the goddess of compassion in Buddhist pantheon.  Vajratara is a manifestation of hers who protects the people from natural calamities like floods and earthquakes. She also protects us from inner illnesses. 

       This beautiful image speaks about the popularity of Buddhism even in the 12th century. It is also a testimony of diversity of religion as Buddhism was peacefully coexisting with Hinduism and Jainism. 

       Diversity and plurality arre part of our cultural genenorm.

Lord Harihar

Lord Harihar

Pratihara Dynasty, 10th Century AD, Bhopal Museum

        The Indian civilisation is a civilisation of assimilation and not of extermination.  While the West believes in exterminating those who hold a different point of view, we merely assimilate those views and move on. Our ability to accept different  philosophies, different cultures, traditions and communities is our strength. 

         Lord Harihar is a prime example of this innate quality.  When a division occurred in Hinduism between the Shaivites and the Vaishnavites,  we combined both the Gods to create a half - Shiva,  half - Vishnu image.  Lord Harihar was born. Although he is not a very popular god today, perhaps due to our unipolar thinking, but He is still worshipped in the Lingraj temple at Bhuveneshwar.  

         Harihar is unique as he combines the quality of the intellect  (Shiva) and the quality of the heart (Vishnu). Here He holds the trident and the rosary of Lord Shiva --the ability to control the mind through meditation.  He also holds the 'Sudarshan Chakra' and the conch shell of Lord Vishnu--the ability to cut through difficulties and to sustain things. 

         It is a sculpture with a powerful message and philosophy.  Let us celebrate the multi - dimensionality of our Indian civilisation. 

Lord Ganesh

Lord Ganesh

Pratihara Dynasty, 8th Century AD, Bhopal Museum

        The name Ganpati does occur in the Rig Veda but there is no mention of Lord Ganesh in the Vedas. As a god, He emerges only in the Post- Gupta Period.  By the 8th Century, he is a popular god. His popularity continues even today. 

        Since he is depicted both as a child and as an adult, since he is a portly figure with an elephant head, he is the most caricatured of the gods. He dances and plays musical instruments, he reads and writes, he sleeps and crawls, he even sits in a rocking chair or plays cricket.  His manifestation are many. We see him everywhere and in every thing.  

        This is an unusual Ganesh for he holds a rosary and a flower in his hands. With meditation we gain wisdom ( rosary);  Wisdom is rewarded (flower). 

Uma- Maheshwar on Nangi the Bull

Uma- Maheshwar on Nandi the Bull

Pratihara Dynasty, 8th Century AD

         Seated under a mango tree, the divine couple of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati,  otherwise known as Uma - Maheshwar, sit on the bull, Nangi.  They are so lost in themselves that they don't notice their two children, Kartikeya and Ganesh fighting at the bottom row. Helplessly the devotee looks at the divine couple. 

           When the God of wisdom, Ganesh symbolising creativity, and God of war, Kartikeya,  symbolising destruction,  clash with each other, we can only look at our Gods. Is this a picture of an orphaned universe, of chaos and anarchy?  Is this a political comment about its age? Or a warning to all of us about our future?

Kamadev with Two Women

Kamadev with Two Women

Pratihara Dynasty, 8th Century AD

         Although Kamadev  (the Hindu god of Love) is depicted often in Indian miniature paintings, in sculpture he is seldom seen. Hence, this sculpture from Madhya  Pradesh is a unique one. Since love and sex was one of the goals of a Hindu life in ancient India,  it is surprising that Kamadev I'd conspicuously missing from ancient sculptures.  In contrast, for the Greeks and the Romans, Cupid (their god of love and sex ) was a popular image. Is this a reflection of hypocracy that although we may have written the first book on sex, the Kama Sutra, but publicly we will not acknowledge Kamadev? 

           Here Kamadev is being offered a glass of Soma, an ancient Indian alcoholic drink. Is the sculptor hinting at the "heady" effect of love? Is he comparing "spiritual Love" to a glass of while, like the sufi mystics do? If Kamadev  had only a single wife, Rati,  then who is the other woman sitting next to him? These perplexing questions tease us. Only to remind us that Love is an intriguing feeling. 

Natesh (Lord Shiva as a Dancer)

Natesh (Lord Shiva as a Dancer)

 Pratihara Dynasty, 8th Century AD

              The post- Gupta Period saw the resurgence of Hinduism.  Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva emerged as two leading Gods of Hindu Trinity.  Initially called Rudra in the Vedas and Puranas, Lord Shiva was seen as God of destruction.  As Natraj (the God of Dance) he is shown doing the 'Tandav' dance (dance full of energy and dynamism), the dance of destruction itself. 

               But here He is shown in a more peaceful posture as a dancer.  He carries His trident and an axe. The trident symbolises the three states of the mind, the conscious, the sub - conscious, and the unconscious, all held by a single shaft--one mind. The axe stands for our ability to cut through the illusionary world we live in--whether it be a world we create for ourself or the impermanent world we see around us. In His lower hand, He carries a bowl--the bowl has fire, the symbol of our last destination,  cremation or liberation of the soul. The fourth hand is in 'Abhaya  Mudra' meaning "fear not." 

            Trying to  control the three states of the mind, trying to  cut through the illusionary world, trying to  liberate the soul, you have nothing to worry, once you have come to the refuge of the divinity. This is the message of the calm dancer, Natesh ( the Dancer). 

Pillar in the form of Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu

 Pillar in the form of Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu

Pratihara Dynasty, 10th Century AD,Ajmer Museum.

         The four important gods of Hinduism are Lord Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. The fourth is Surya, the Sun god. These four gods provided the design for this huge pillar of a temple. The hugeness of the pillar reveals the weight it must have borne and possibly indicates the height of the temple itself.
       Although pillars are not as important as the facade of the building, but they play a pivotal role in the structure of the building.  While the Greeks invented four types of  pillars, the Indians invented at least forty types of pillars. This not only proves the imagination of the architects, but also establishes the dexterity of the artisans.

Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi

Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi

Pratihara Dynasty, 10th Century AD, Ajmer Museum

One of the finest sculptures of the Ajmer Museum. Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi quietly sit over Garuda. The serenity of their face, the tranquility of their pose imbibes a sense of divinity to the sculpture. The elaborate jewelry, the young bodies of the God and Goddess makes them eternally young and immortals. One can only bow in reverence to such idols

Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Shiva with Goddess Parvati

Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Shiva with Goddess Parvati

Pratihara Dynasty, 10th Century AD, Ajmer Museum

The Hindu Trinity is depicted here. While Lord Brahma sits in meditation, Lord Vishnu flies of on his vehicle, the Garuda. Meanwhile, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati sit quietly. Interestingly, while Lord Shiva is shown with his consort, the other two Gods are without their consorts. Is it that the God of destruction requires more energy than the God of creation, and the God of maintenance do? A point to ponder.