fflf

Xgfe
■ " ' ' ■ 1' • . _ ,
<SL
1 -3

HINDU ICONOGRAPHY.

may have two or four arms, and should be shown

to be in full slumber and therefore lying completely
flat on the serpent. The face should be so made
as to present a faded appearance, and the image
must be clad in black clothing. There should be
no attendant deities. Such a figure is conceived
to belong to the uttarna class of the Abhicharika-
murid If the serpent has one head and has its
body coiled only into one turn, th e image of Vishnu
lying thereon would belong to the madhyama class,
Again, if the image has no serpent -bed at all and
is made to be lying flat on the bare floor, it would
belong to the adhama class.
In illustration of the standing, sitting and
reclining images of Vishnu, figures prepared from
photographs of nineteen such actual images belong­
ing to the various parts of India are given herein.
Plate X V II represents an image found in Mafia-
balipuram and belongs to the madhyama class of
the Yogasthanakamurti. Resting on one knee are
found on the right and left of Vishnu the images
of Bfarigu and Markandeya. They have one of
their hands in the pose of praising, while th e other
is seen resting upon the hip. Their heads carry
jatamah.Ua, which is a characteristic of rishis in
general. Above these images of Bbrigu and Mar­
kandeya there are the images of two dwarfs, who

96
1(11. ■
• '■'' •
" '':'■' I
<SL
VISHNU.

are very probably the Ayudha-purushas relating

to the Chakra and Saiikha ; both these images
are also seen to have one of the hands in the
!
pose of praising. The central figure of Vishnu
wears the kirUa-makuta and carries in one of its
*
right hands the chakra and in one of the left hands
the sahkha; the other right hand is in the abhaya
pose while the other left hand is seen to be resting
upon the hip in the katyavalambUa pose. Across
the chest and passing over the front right arm is the
yajhdpavita; round the neck th e hara is worn, and
the udara-bandhci goes round the abdom en; and
there are keyuras on the arms and katakas on the
wrists. This image of Vishnu is standing on the
padma-pUhcL I t may be assigned to th e seventh
or a t the latest to the eighth century A.IX, as all
the works of sculpture found in Mababalipuram
were executed in the palmy days of Pal lava rule
and prosperity in South India.
Plate X V II1 represents a bronze statuette of
the BhoymthanaJcamurti preserved in th e Central
Museum at Madras. It appears to have lain buried
in th e earth and discovered as a treasure-trove; its
face and portions of its chest are covered with
verdigris, but in other respects it is in an excellent
state of preservation. This figure of Vishnu carries
in its back right and left hands the chakra and the
p ■

97
13
g -^ M P p iil §E
HINDU ICONOGRAPHY.

sankha respectively, while the front right hand is

held in the ah hay a pose and the front left band
is made to rest upon the gacla. The image is
adorned with the kirtta-iriakuta on the head, with
makara-kun^alas in the ears, with haras round the
neck, with the yajnoyavlta and udara-bandha round
the body, with My Teras on the arms and katcikas on
the wrist. The figure stands upon the padma-
pltha, which has on either side a vertical metallic
strut to fix the prabhavali on. From the features
noticeable in the workmanship and its details, it
may be assigned to the tenth or the eleventh,
century A.D.
The figure of Vishnu reproduced on Plate XIX
is seen set up in a niche on the west wail of a
shrine in the large Siva temple at Tiravottiyur near
Madras. This shrine was, according to an inscrip­
tion found on a wall therein, constructed in the
fifth year of the reign of Bajakesariyarman Vira-
rajendradeva (A.D. 1067-8.) Therefore the image
of Vishnu shown on Plate XIX must have been set
up about this period and must be nearly eight and
a. half centuries old. Being placed in its present
position as an attendant deity, it is naturally isolat­
ed, and has no deities and votaries in association
with itself.: it should therefore he classed as a
Bhdgasthdnakamurti of the adhama class.

98
 ■G
°S*x

km '. 1 .
<sl
VISHNU.

T h e p h o t o g r a p h o f t h e s t a n d in g f ig u r e o f

V i s h n u .r e p r o d u c e d o n P l a t e X X r e p r e s e n t s a n

i m a g e f r o m T a d p a t r i w h i c h b e lo n g s t o t h e h i g h l y

d e g e n e r a t e d la t e r p e r io d o f t h e H o y s a l a s c h o o l o f

s c u lp t u r e in S o u t h I n d ia . M a r k e d f e a t u r e s o f

d e g e n e r a t io n in t h e a r t a r e p r o m i n e n t l y v is ib le in

t h e lo n g in a r t is t ic n o s e o f t h e im a g e , in it s v e r y

s m a ll c h i n a n d d is p r o p o r t io n a t e ly b r o a d s h o u ld e r s .

L ik e t h e fig u r e s h o w n o n P l a t e X I X , t h e im a g e o f

V i s h n u in t h is c a s e a ls o h o ld s t h e chakra a n d

sahkha in t h e b a c k h a n d s ; t h e f r o n t r ig h t h a n d is

i n t h e varada p o s e , w h i l e t h e f r o n t le f t h a n d is in

t h e katijavalambita p o s e . O n t h e r ig h t o f t h is

c e n t r a l V i s h n u t h e r e is t h e im a g e o f L a k s h m l a n d

o n t h e le f t t h a t o f B h f im id e v l. T h e h e i g h t o f t h e s e

g o d d e s s e s is u p t o t h e k n e e o f V is h n u , a s r e q u ir e d

b y s o m e a u t h o r it ie s . T h e g o d d e s s L a k s h m l h o ld s

a lo t u s in h e r le ft h a n d , a n d B h u m id e v J h a s a

nllotgalfa in h e r r ig h t h a n d . I n t h e lig h t o f t h e

c o n v e n t io n a l a r t o f im a g e - m a k i n g t h is p ie c e o f

s c u lp t u r e is n o t w i t h o u t m e r i t ; b u t o t h e r w i s e it

is c e r t a in t y d is a p p o in t in g . T h e s t o n e s t a t u e t t e o f

V i s h n u p r e s e r v e d in t h e M a t h u r a M u s e u m a t

M u t t r a , is r e p r o d u c e d f r o m a p h o t o g r a p h o n P l a t e

X X I . I t m a y b e s e e n t o c a r r y in it s b a c k r ig h t

h a n d t h e gada, in t h e b a c k le f t h a n d t h e chakra , in

t h e f r o n t le ft h a n d t h e fcmkha, a n d in t h e f r o n t

99
c p ■ /iiiiiiii® ® ?
HINDU ICONOGRAPHY/ ::

r i g h t h a n d a f u l l - b l o w n l o t u s . A V i s h n u “i m a g e ,

w h i c h c a r r i e s t h e chakra, kmklia , a n d padma

i n t h e m a n n e r i n w h i c h t h e y a r e c a r r i e d i n t h e

p r e s e n t i n s t a n c e , i s c o n s i d e r e d t o b e a s p e c i a l f o r m o f

T r i v i k r a m a , T h e c h i e f p e c u l i a r i t i e s w o r t h n o t i c i n g

i n t h i s i m a g e a r e t h e c u r i o u s c u t o f t h e f a c e a n d

t h e s h a p e o f t h e MrlUi. T h e f a c e is o f t h e t y p e

w h i c h i s c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f t h e s c u l p t u r e s i n N o r t h e r n

I n d i a g e n e r a l l y , a n d m o r e e s p e c i a l l y i n B e n g a l .

I t s o b l i q u e e y e s , t h i n l i p s a n d p o i n t e d c h i n c l e a r l y

i n d i c a t e t h e M a n g o l o i d f e a t u r e s . T h i s t y p e , w e a r e

t o l d b y M r , A b a n i n d r a n a t h T a g o r e , is k n o w n i n

B e n g a l a s t h e pan o r l e a f - s h a p e d t y p e , a n d is

c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f t h e B e n g a l - O r i s s a s c h o o l o f s c u l p ­

t u r e , T h e g r o u p o f t h e t h r e e b r o n z e f i g u r e s o f

V i s h n u , L a k s h m l a n d B h u m i d e v i p i c t u r e d o n P l a t e

X X I I i s f o u n d in t h e C e n t r a l M u s e u m a t M a d r a s .

A s i n t h e c a s e o f t h e f i g u r e p i c t u r e d o n P l a t e

X V I I I , t h e c e n t r a l f i g u r e o f V i s h n u c a r r i e s i n t h e

t w o b a c k h a n d s t h e chakra a n d sarikha^
t h e w h i l e

t h e t w o f r o n t h a n d s a r e i n t h e abhaya a n d t h e

kaiaka p o s e s r e s p e c t i v e l y . T h e gada w h i c h m o s t

b e u n d e r t h e l e f t f r o n t h a n d i s h o w e v e r w a n t i n g ;

e v i d e n t l y a gad,a m a d e s e p a r a t e l y u s e d t o b e i n s e r t ­

e d u n d e r t h i s h a n d w h e n e v e r r e q u i r e d , a n d it is

l i k e l y t h a t t h i s s e p a r a t e p i e c e o f c a s t i n g h a s b e e n

l o s t . A s u s u a l t h e g o d d e s s e s L a k s h m i a n d B h C iz n h

100
xSjSTV&x '1 ■ -

|) '■■■■■ <SL
VISHNU.

d e v i a r e o n t h e r i g h t a n d le f t o f V i s h n u a n d a r e

a l s o c a r r y i n g a l o t u s a n d a tM otpaM r e s p e c t i v e l y .

O n e s p e c i a l p o i n t w o r t h n o t i c i n g i s t h a t t h e g o d d e s s ,

w h o s t a n d s o n t h e r i g h t o f V i s h n u o r o f a n y o t h e r

d e i t y s u c h a s S u b r a h r a a n y a . i s s h o w n t o b e w e a r i n g

t h e hicha-bandha, w h i l e t h e g o d d e s s w h o s t a n d s

o n t h e le f t is s h o w n t o b e w i t h o u t it . T h i s g e n e r a l

r u l e is f o l l o w e d i n t h i s i n s t a n c e a ls o . T h e e x p l a ­

n a t i o n o f t h i s o b s e r v e d f a c t i s n o t a p p a r e n t . T h i s

p e c u l i a r i t y is p e r h a p s c o n n e c t e d w i t h t h e r i g h t - h a n d

a n d l e f t - h a n d m a n n e r o f w o r s h i p p i n g {(MltsMna-
chara a n d vam achara) t h e D e v i g o d d e s s . F r o m

t h e s i z e a n d f o r m o f t h e kirif/i-maJcuta o f V i s h n u

a n d ham nila-m ahuia o f t h e g o d d e s s e s , f r o m t h e

p e c u l i a r c u r v a t u r e o f t h e p o s e o f t h e h a n d s o f t h e

g o d d e s s e s a n d t h e f o r m a t i o n o f t h e f a c e s o f a ll t h e

t h r e e f ig u r e s , it m a y b e s u r m i s e d t h a t t h e y c a n n o t

b e o ld e r t h a n t h e t w e l f t h o r t h e t h i r t e e n t h c e n t u r y

A . D . T h e o r i g i n a l o f t h e p h o t o g r a p h r e p r o d u c e d o n

P l a t e X X I I I i s a v e r y p r e t t y l i t t l e p i e c e o f w o r k m a n ­

s h i p o f t h e c o n v e n t i o n a l s t y l e o f a r t . T h e w h o l e

h e i g h t o f t h i s g r o u p o f i m a g e s is n o t m o r e t h a n t e n

i n c h e s . I n t h e c e n t r e is a s t a n d i n g f ig u r e o f V i s h n u

w i t h t h e chakra a n d t h e saiikha i n i t s b a c k h a n d s ;

t h e f r o n t r i g h t h a n d is h e l d in t h e varada p o s e ,

w h i l e t h e f r o n t le f t h a n d is k e p t r e s t i n g o n t h e h ip

i n t h e katyavalam bita p o s e . O n t h e r i g h t a n d le f t
. . '—
■; ^

101
IP ; ||| i || (SI-
HINDU ICONOGRAPHY.

o f V i s h n u a r e t h e i m a g e s o f t h e g o d d e s s e s L a k s h m i

a n d B h u m i d d y l . T h e f o r m e r h o l d s a l o t u s i n h e r

le f t h a n d a n d t h e l a t t e r a n dotpala i n h e r r i g h t

h a n d . O n t h e r i g h t a n d le f t r e s p e c t i v e l y o f

L a k s h m i a n d B h u m i d e v i s t a n d J a y a a n d V i j a y a ,

t h e t w o d o o r - k e e p e r s o f V i s h n u w i t h chakra , k m k h a
a n d (j'ada in t h r e e o f t h e i r h a n d s , w h i l e t h e f o u r t h

o n e is h e l d i n t h e abhaya p o s e . S u r r o u n d i n g t h e

i m a g e s o f V i s h n u a n d o t h e r s i s t h e pratiliavali in

w h i c h a r e w o r k e d o u t t h e t e n i n c a r n a t i o n s o f

V i s h n u , o f w h o m B u d d h a is o n e . O n t h e r i g h t

a n d le f t o f t h e prabhavali r e s p e c t i v e l y a r e s c u l p ­

t u r e d V i s h n u ’s c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s y m b o l s t h e chakra,
a n d t h e sanktia, i m m e d i a t e l y a b o v e t h e m y t h i c a l

maJcarcis. B e l o w t h e sim h a sa n a , is s e e n G a r u d a
%

k n e e l i n g o n t h e r i g h t k n e e a n d k e e p i n g b o t h t h e

p a l m s o f h i s h a n d s o p e n a s if t o r e c e i v e in t h e m

t h e f e e t o f V i s h n u ; a c o b r a is t h r o w n u p o n h i s

s h o u l d e r s i n t h e f a s h i o n o f a g a r l a n d . T o i n d i c a t e

t h a t t h e s e a t o n w h i c h V i s h n u a n d o t h e r s s t a n d is

a sim hasana, t w o l i o n s a r e s c u l p t u r e d o n e i t h e r s id e

o f G a r u d a . T h i s p i e c e o f .s c u l p t u r e is p r o b a b l y n o t

o l d e r t h a n t w o o r t h r e e c e n t u r i e s a t t h e m o s t ..

W e n o w c o m e t o t h e i l l u s t r a t i o n s o f t h e s e a t e d

f i g u r e s o f V i s h n u . P l a t e X X I V g i v e s t h e p h o t o ­

g r a p h o f a Y ogasanam arti, o t h e r w i s e k n o w n a l s o a s

Ydgekim iirti, I t is f o u n d i n t h e K a l l e s v a r a t e m p l e

102
f(M|) <SL
^ VISHNU.

a t B a g a l i in t h e B e l l a r y d is t r i c t o f t h e M a d r a s

P r e s i d e n c y , a n d b e l o n g s . t o t h e la t e r C h a l u k y a

p e r io d . I t c o n f o r m s in e v e r y d e t a il t o t h e d e s c r i p ­

t i o n o f s u c h a n i m a g e g i v e n in t h e S id d h a rtk a -
samhitd. T h e t w o f r o n t h a n d s a r e i n t h e yoga-

mud,ra p o s e , a n d t h e padma a n d gada, w h i c h w o u l d

o t h e r w i s e b e h e l d in t h e s e h a n d s , a r e s c u l p t u r e d

s e p a r a t e ly o n t h e r i g h t a n d le f t r e s p e c t i v e l y . T h e

h a c k h a n d s c a r r y t h e chakra a n d kankha.
t h e T h e

i m a g e i t s e l f is s e a t e d o n t h e padniM ana i n t h e

ydgasana p o s t u r e , a n d is a d o r n e d w i t h v a r i o u s

o r n a m e n t s , kirlta-m akuta, m akara -

s u c h a s t h e

kundala, keyara, kataka, hcira a n d yajnopavUa.

S u r r o u n d i n g t h e h e a d is a prabham andala w i t h
r a d ia l r a y s p r o c e e d i n g o u t w a r d s . O u t s i d e t h i s a n d

c o n c e n t r i c a l l y w i t h it is s e e n a prabhdvali a ls o . I n

v it s in n e r m a r g in is t h e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c a l l y p r e t t y

c r e e p e r - o r n a m e n t a t i o n , in e a c h c ir c le o f w h i c h m a y

b e s e e n s c u l p t u r e d f r o m r ig h t t o le f t t h e t e n

avatar as o f V i s h n u . I t is a ls o a n i t e m o f c o n v e n t i o n

t h a t , w h e n t h e c e n t r a l f ig u r e in a n y p ie c e o f s c u l p ­

t u r e h a p p e n s t o b e s t a n d i n g , t h o s e t h a t s u r r o u n d

it s h o u l d a ls o b e s t a n d i n g ; t h e y m a y b e s e a t e d o r

s t a n d i n g w h e n t h e c e n t r a l f ig u r e is s e a t e d o r r e c l i n ­

in g . T h e y s h o u l d a ls o b e in t h e s a m e p o s t u r e a s

t h e c e n t r a l f ig u r e , w h e n it is i n t h e yoga a t t i t u d e .

T h i s la s t r u le is f o llo w e d in t h i s c a s e , a s a ls o in

103
3| (SI.
H IN D U ICONOGRAPHY.

c a s e o f t h e f ig u r e o f D a f c t S t r S y a o f B a d a m i s h o w n

e l s e w h e r e in t h i s v o l u m e .

T h e n e x t P l a t e X X V g i v e s ' a r e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f

t h e f ig u r e o f V i s h n u f o u n d i n C a v e I I I .a t B a d a m i ,

t h e a n c i e n t c a p i t a l o f t h e C h a l u k y a s . T h e r o c k -

c u t s h r i n e , i n w h i c h i t i s s c u l p t u r e d , w a s b r o u g h t

i n t o e x i s t e n c e in A D . 5 7 8 b y t h e k i n g M a h g a l i s a ;

a n d t h e s c u l p t u r e o f t h e i m a g e o f V i s h n u is t h e r e ­

f o r e a t le a s t a c e n t u r y o ld e r t h a n t h e o n e b e l o n g i n g

t o C o n j e e v a r a r n , w h i c h i s s h o w n o n t h e n e x t p la t e .

I n t h i s p i e c e o f s c u l p t u r e f o u n d a t B a d a m i . V i s h n u

i s r e p r e s e n t e d a s s e a t e d u p o n t h e s e r p e n t A d i & h a

w i t h a h o o d c o n s i s t i n g o f f i v e h e a d s a n d w i t h t h e

b o d y c o ile d i n t o t h r e e t u r n s . T h e l e f t l e g o f

V i s h n u is f o l d e d a n d m a d e t o r e s t f la t u p o n t h e

s e r p e n t , w h i l e t h e r ig h t l e g is a ls o f o l d e d b u t r e s t s

u p o n t h e s e r p e n t v e r t i c a l l y . O n t h e r i g h t t h i g h

o f t h e - i m a g e r e s t s t h e r i g h t f r o n t h a n d h e l d i n t h e

i: oarada p o s e w h i l e t h e f r o n t le f t h a n d is m a d e t o

r e s t o n t h e l e f t t h i g h I n t h e b a c k r i g h t a n d le f t

h a n d s t h e chakra a n d t h e hahkha a r e r e s p e c t i v e l y

h e l d ; t h e f i g u r e s o f t w o c e l e s t i a l d a m s e l s , o n e o n

e a c h s id e , a r e s e e n s t a n d i n g , e a c h c a r r y i n g a cha-
ma ra. T h e f i g u r e o f t h e g o d d e s s L a k s h r .n l is s c u l p ­

t u r e d o n t h e l e f t w a ll ; a n d G a n i d a , t h e b ir d -

* s e r v a n t o f V i s h n u is s h o w n s e a t e d o n t h e r i g h t o f

t h e i m a g e o f V i s h n u . L a k s h i n ! h o l d s a l o t u s in

104
|
v."'
, ■ : f;
■.'■:;
■; ■ ,
.■
. ' ■■
- .,'
: i:.
1 .. .
'
(si.
VISHNU.

h e r r ig h t h a n d , a n d G a r u d a is s i t t i n g w i t h h i s

h a n d s f o ld e d a n d c r o s s e d a g a i n s t h is c h e s t a n d

h i m s e l f l e a n i n g u p o n t h e b o d y o f t h e s e r p e n t .

B e l o w t h e s e a t t h e f ig u r e s o f d w a r f s r e p r e s e n t i n g

t h e deva~ganas m a y b e s e e n , s o m e o f t h e m e n g a g e d

i n d a n c i n g a n d o t h e r s p l a y i n g o n v a r i o u s m u s i c a l

i n s t r u m e n t s . T h i s is o n e o f t h e m o s t r e m a r k a b l e

p i e c e s o f s c u l p t u r e b e l o n g i n g t o t h e m e d ia e v a l

p e r io d . T h e c a l m a n d s e r e n e c o u n t e n a n c e o f

V i s h n u is i n s t r i k i n g c o n t r a s t w i t h t h e f r e e a n d e a s y

a t t i t u d e o f G a r u d a , a n d t h e h o o d o f t h e s e r p e n t is

i n d e e d c h i s e l l e d i n a m a s t e r l y m a n n e r .

P l a t e X X V I r e p r e s e n t s a p i e c e o f s c u l p t u r e

f o u n d in t h e K a i i a s a n a t h a s v a m i n t e m p l e a t C o n -

j e e v a r a m . I n t h e c e n t r e o f t h e g r o u p i s s e e n t h e

i m a g e o f V i s h n u s e a t e d u p o n a sim hasm id w i t h t h e

r i g h t le g h a n g i n g a n d t h e l e f t f o ld e d a n d m a d e t o

r e s t o n t h e s e a t . T h o u g h t h e b a c k r i g h t a n d le f t

b a n d s a r e h e l d a lo f t a s w h e n t h e y c a r r y t h e kahkha
a n d t h e chakra, t h e s e a r e n o t a c t u a l l y f o u a d i n

t h o s e h a n d s . T h e y a r e h o w e v e r b o r n e b y t w o

s m a l l a t t e n d a n t f ig u r e s , t h e Ayudha-puriishas o f
S a n kh a a n d C hakra , w h o a l s o c a r r y e a c h a chamara

r e s t i n g o n t h e s h o u ld e r . T h e f r o n t r i g h t h a n d o f t h e

i m a g e o f V i s h n u is h e l d in t h e abhaya p o s e , w h i l e

t h e f r o n t l e f t o n e is m a d e t o r e s t w i t h t h e p a l m

s h o w i n g u p w a r d s o n t h e f o l d e d le g . O n t h e r i g h t

105
li
'■ '■ : . "• ‘ V’"V ■ V .'V f X . X X l , 1 v '

P
Xs^-X^ y X ] :' ■
■ ' : ' v . ; , . V
<SL
HINDU ICONOGRAPHY.

o f V i s h n u is s e a le d t h e f ig u r e o f L a k s i m i i , w i t h

t h e r ig h t le g h a n g i n g a n d t h e le f t l e g b e n t a n d

m a d e t o r e s t u p o n t h e s e a t . T h e le f t h a n d o f t h is

g o d d e s s is in t h e kataka p o s e a n d t h e r ig h t h a n d

r e s t s u p o n t h e simhasana. O n t h e le f t o f t h e im a g e

o f V is h n u t h e r e is t h e f ig u r e o f B h u m i d e v i w h o s e

le f t le g is h a n g i n g a n d t h e r ig h t le g r e s t s s u p p o r t e d

o n t h e s e a t . T h e r ig h t h a n d o f t h is g o d d e s s is in

t h e kataka p o s e , w h ile t h e le f t h a n d is m a d e t o

r e s t u p o n t h e s e a t . T h e t e m p le in w h i c h t h is

p a n e l is s e e n s c u lp t u r e d w a s e r e c te d , b y t h e P a lla v a

k in g N a r a s iih h a v a r m a n I I in t h e la s t q u a r t e r o f t h e

s e v e n t h c e n t u r y A .D . T h e r e f o r e t h is s c u lp t u r a l

r e p r e s e n t a t io n o f w h a t m a y b e c a lle d V i s h n u ’s

B h o g a s a n a m u r k o f t h e madhyama c la s s is m o s t

p r o b a b ly t w e lv e c e n t u r ie s o ld .

P I , X X V I I r e p r e s e n t s a f in e ly s c u lp t u r e d p a n e l

f o u n d in G a v e N o . 1 4 , lo c a lly k n o w n a s t h e Havana
kd hhdi. I n t h i s t h e f ig u r e o f V is h n u is s e a t e d

w i t h b o t h le g s b e n t , t h e le f t ly in g h o r iz o n t a l a n d

t h e r ig h t o n e v e r t i c a l B o t h t h e f r o n t h a n d s a r e

b r o k e n a n d t h e r e f o r e it is n o t p o s s ib le t o s a y w h a t

a r t ic le s t h e y c a r r ie d ; t h e h a c k h a n d s a r e r a is e d a s

if t h e y w e r e m e a n t t o h o ld t h e sankha a n d chakra .
T h e fig u r e o f V is h n u is a d o r n e d w it h a prabhd-
mandala, Mitya, hdra , a n d yajndpavita. O n t h e

r ig h t a n d le f t o f t h e c e n t r a l V i s h n u a r e t h e f ig u r e s

106
® l <SL
VISHNU.

of the goddesses L akshm i and B hum idevi respect­

ively. T he hair on th e heads of these figures is
tied up in th e form of a crown (dham m illa) ; th e
goddesses are decked with all ornam ents. T he
figure of L akshini appears bo have held a flower
in the rig h t hand, which is however broken. On
th e back wall are sculptured th e figures of Kam in]
and Vyajanl each carrying a cham ara in her hand ;
besides these there are two other celestial dam sels
carrying flower garlands and other offerings. Below
th e seat are seen sculptured th e five A yudha-
purushas and Gtoruda. These, as also th e four
fem ale figures a t th e back of th e central figure, are
show n w ith a prabliaviand/il(i each. T h is sculp­
tu re, like ail th e rest in E llora, has suffered dam age
a t the hands of th e iconoclastic M ussulmans.
The figure on P late X X V III is the rep resen ta­
tio n of an im age which is sculptured on a pillar in
th e V aradarajapporum al tem ple a t D adikkom bu
n ear D indigul in the M adura district of th e M adras
Presidency. T h is im age belongs to th e period of
th e N ayakas of M adura, and is perhaps n o t older
th a n three centuries. In th is sculpture, V ishnu is
seated upon Adisesha, whose body is coiled into
th ree turns, w ith the right ieg hanging down and
th e left leg folded and made to rest upon th e
serpent. In th e back rig h t and left hands th e

107
 HINDU ICONOGRAPHY.

chakra and th e kwhhha are held and in th e front

rig h t and left h an d s th e re are th e r/ada and the
padm a. A n im age of V ishnu executed in th is
m an n er is said to he th a t of V asudeva. Below
th e seat an d slig h tly to th e left of th e im age of
th ere is a figure of G-aruda stan d in g
w ith th e h an d s folded an d held in th e aJijali
pose.
T h e p re tty ivory im age of V ishnu represented
by fig. 1 on P la te X X IX , is one of th e m ost recent
productions of In d ian a rt having been carved in the
School of A rts a t T rivandram . Tt is alm ost sim ilar
in m ost of its details to th e D adikkom bu sculpture
rep resen ted on the previous plate.
An exam ple of th e V lrasan am u rti image of
V ishnu is available am ong th e sculptures to be
found in th e tem ple a t Aihoie. I n th e panel, th e
pho to g rap h of w hich is reproduced on P la te X X X ,
th e figure of V ishnu is seen seated upon th e serpent
A disesha. In the back rig h t hand th e chakra is
held, and in th e back left h an d th ere is th e sahkha ,
th e left leg is b en t and m ade to rest horizontally
on th e serp en t-seat, w hile th e rig h t leg is also bent
b u t re sts v ertically upon th e sam e seat. T he rig h t
arm is stretch ed and th ro w n upon th e rig h t knee,
a n d th e left h an d is placed in ease upon th e left
th ig h . T he goddesses L akshin! and B h am ide vl

108
Hi §l
VISHNU.

are shown as flying in the air on the rig h t and left

of Vishnu, while two rishis, also shown as flying,
are figured som ewhat below. T his group repre­
sents th e adJiama class of V lra^anam urti.
Five P lates are given in illustration of the
reclining images of Vishnu. Of these the figure on
P late XXX I represents a large panel sculptured on
one of the walls of a rock-cut cave in M ahabali-
pixram. In th is adm irable piece of sculpture there is
a central image of Vishnu reclining upon th e serpent
A disesha; near the feet there are th e dem ons M adhu
and K aitabha ; above are th e A yudha-purushas of
Chakra and Gfada looking in the direction of the
demons ; below the serpent-bed the rishis M arkan-
deya and B hrigu are shown k n eelin g ; and the
goddess Bhum idevl is also ju st there. T his reclin­
ing figure of Vishnu has the fourth of the body
towards the head slightly raised, while th e rem ain­
ing three-fourths thereof is stretched flat upon the
bed. The right arm is taken near the head and the
left arm is bent at the elbow with the hand hold in
th e kataka pose. The right leg is fully stretched
out, while the left leg is som ew hat bent. T his
im age of V ishnu is fu rth er adorned w ith the h in t a-
m a ku ta , hara, h ln d a la and yajhdpavlta. T he
demons M adhu and K aitabha have th eir hair tied
up in knots on the top of th e head and on one

109

‘i ' & A o i \ V > b -\ /* ■ \ .

 ■G
°ix ■'■, . 1 '’ '' 1 j 1 . !' , . !' •* ■

y k; J lJr ^

HINDU ICONOGRAPHY.

side resp ectiv ely , a n d each of th ese ca rries a gadd,

in .his hand,, I n its a rtis tic q u alitie s th is piece of
sc u lp tu re also m ay ta k e ra n k as one of th e finest
p ro d u c tio n of th e mediaeval period. T h e flying
figures of th e A y u d h a -p u ru sh a s are ad m irab ly
ch iselled an d convey th e ap p earan ce of flig h t in an
ex ceedingly re alistic m a n n e r. T h e d em o n s M ad h u
and. K a ita b h a are show n as if co n sp irin g w ith each
o th e r, a n d th e ir a ttitu d e clea rly brings o u t th e ir
in te n tio n to strik e a t once a t V ishnu. T h e figure
of V ish n u in th is p an el re p re se n ts th e Yoga k iy a n a -
m u rti of th e m adhyam a class.
T h e n e x t illu s tra tio n w hich is given on PI.
X X X II? is t h a t of an im age to be fo u n d in th e
ra in e d tem p le of V ish n u a t D eo g arh in th e J h a n s i
d is tric t of th e U n ite d P ro v in ces. I n th is sc u lp ­
tu re V ish n u is seen re clin in g on th e se rp e n t
A d isesh a, w ith th e head d ire c te d to th e rig h t of th e
observer. T h e re clin in g body is in its u p p e r half
so m ew h a t ra ise d an d th e o th e r half is m ad e to lie
fla t o n th e s e rp e n t-b e d ; th e w hole body h a s th e
o u tlin e of a bow w hich is d escrib ed in th e agamas
as a p p ro p ria te to th e re c lin in g im ages of V ishnu.
O ne of th e left h a n d s is su p p o rtin g the head, while
th e o th e r is seen re stin g upon th e bed ; one of th e
rig h t h a n d s is held in th e ha taka pose, a n d th e
o th e r is s tre tc h e d o u t p aralle l to th e body so as to

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 —vv\
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X ^J^7
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VISHNU,
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rest upon the thigh. The ornaments, klrlta-

maleufa, ktmdala, ham, Mytim, kafalca and vana-
nidX'd, are all carved with great skill. Above this
image of Vishnu there is the figure of the four­
faced Brahma seated in the middle of the lotus
issuing from the navel of Vishnu. Like the other
attendant deities in this sculptured group, Brahma
also possesses only two arm s; in his left hand he
carries a kamanclaltt, and the right hand is held
in the chin-viiulrd pose. There are jata-makufas
on the heads, and a deer-skin is thrown across the
body in the upavita fashion, with the head of the
deer made to hang on the chest. To the right of
the image of Brahma is that of Indra seated upon
the celestial elephant Airavata; and he carries in
his right hand his particular weapon vajra. To
the right of Indra is to be seen what appears to be
the figure of Subrahmanya seated on his peacock.
Siva also is seen in the group seated upon his bull.
Parvatl is leaning upon Siva with her left arm
resting upon his shoulder. It is not easy to make
out whom the figure to the left of Siva, represents.
It is worth noting that the left leg of Vishnu
rests upon the lap of Bhumidevi, who is shown to
be holding his right foot in her hands. By her
side are made to stand two Ayudha-purushas re­
presenting respectively the Gada and Dhanus.

Ill
III SL
u p

HIN DU ICONOGRAPHY.

Below the seat we find the figures of Lakshmi and

of the Ayudha-purushas representing the Chakra,
Sahkha and Khadga, the last of whom is shown to
be attacking the demons Madhu and Kaitabha,
each of whom is armed with a club. The whole
of this group deserves to be taken as a Bhogasayana-
murti of the madhyama class; and it clearly
discloses the masterly hand of the artist who might
well be given a place in the first rank of the artists
of the mediaeval India. As regards the age of this
piece of sculpture, it has to be said that Mr. V. A.
Smith is inclined to place it in the first half of the
sixth century A.D. From the peculiarities dis­
coverable in some of the details of the sculpture,
such as the stalk of the lotus on which Brahma is
seated, the deer-skin covering thrown on the body
of that deity, the Jcinta-makuta of Vishnu, we are
however obliged to assign it to the same age to
which the sculptures of the early Hindu caves at
Ellora belong, that is, to the end of the seventh or
the beginning of the eighth century A.D.
The illustration on PL XXXIII gives a birds-
eye view of a reclining image of Vishnu belonging
to the madhyama class of the Bhogakaijanamurti-
In this illustration Vishnu may be seen lying on
the serpent-bed with the front left hand placed
near the head on the pillow and the back left hand

112
 x j ? ■®°£n.

111
\%>--
■ ■■ . %;X/
<SL
VISHNU.

benfc at the elbow and made to rest on the bed.

Both the other hands are stretched parallel to the
body. The legs are somewhat bent and cross
each other. Near the head to the right there are
the weapons chakra and 'khadga, while on the left
there is the iankha. Just near the so/hkha is shown
the figure of Markandeya, with a flowing beard and
with the head covered with a jate-mukuta; the
hands of Markandeya are made to rest on the chest
in the Unjali pose. Below him. there is apparently
the figure of Bhumidev! with a flower in the left
hand. Below this figure of Bhumidev! there are
shown the demons Madhu and Kaitabha. One of
these figures has been covered up with chunam,
and could not come out clearly in the photograph.
On the right of Vishnu and near his feet is seen
the figure of Graruda kneeling on one knee and
having his hands in the anjali pose. Above
him is the Ayudha-purusha representing Chakra,
and above this Chakra there is the goddess
Lakshml seated so as to have one leg hanging-
down and the other supported on the seat. She
carries in one of her hands a lotus. This panel
belongs to the temple of Vishnu at Aihole,
and belongs most probably to the same age as the
pieces of sculpture represented by PI. XXX and
XXXI.
113
15
® <SL
H IN D U ICONOGEAPHY.

The small ivory image of Yoga&ayanamGrti,

fig. 2, PI. XXIX was carved in the School of Arts
at Trivandram. In this, Vishnu is seen reclining
upon, the serpent Adisesha with his right hand
stretched out towards the head and the left one
bent at the elbow and held in the kataka pose.
Below the right hand is a small Lihga, over which
a lotus is held by Vishnu. The local Purapa
extolling the god at Trivandram informs us that
Vishnu absolved Siva at Ananta^ayanam of some
sin from by which he was afflicted ; hence the image
of Vishnu in the temple at Trivandram is also
shown, as in this piece of sculpture, as holding his
right hand over the Linga-image of Siva in the
varada pose.
The image of Vishnu figured on PI. XXXIV
belongs to Bajaputana. In this sculpture Vishnu
is seen possessing four arms, the right one of which
is held in the jhana-mudra pose over the chest.
Another right hand which is broken appears to
have been kept near the Itifiia as if supporting it.
The front left hand is stretched out and made to
rest upon, the thigh, while the back left hand, which
is broken, seems to have been held in the kataka
pose. The whole figure of Vishriu resembles the
out-line of a bow. To bring about the appearance
of a bow the artist has given the right leg a stiff
114
|( |) | <SL
VISHNU.

and inartistic shape ; this leg is kept stretched out

on the lap of Bhumidevi, -while the left leg is bent
and resting upon the serpent-bed. The image of
Vishnu is adorned with the kinta and other orna­
ments and a lotus is seen issuing from the navel of
Vishnu. On the right and near the head of the
central figure of Vishnu are to be seen four figures
possibly those of the sages Sanaka, Sanatkumara
and others, while on the left and near the feet of
Vishnu there are what appear to be the figures of
the Sapta-rishis and the five Ayudha-purushas.
On the bed adjoining the right hand of Vishnu is
the weapon gad'a; below the cot on which Vishnu
is lying on Adilesha are seen a number of figures
engaged in fighting. This scene depicts perhaps
the fight between devas and the amras.

I ie
f(f): <sl
DASAVATARAS OF VISHNU.

n r
|I | (SL

DASAYATAEAS OF VISHNU.

NCARNATIONS of divinity are considered to

I be of three kinds which are respectively called
avatara, avHa and amki, What has to be taken as
a complete incarnation is designated an avatar a, a
partial incarnation is more or less temporary in
character and is known as ave§a, while the incar­
nation of a portion of the power of a divine being
is characterised as amsa. Krishna and Rama, for
instance, are understood to be complete incarnations
of Vishnu and are therefore avataras. Parasurama
came into the world, it is said, to suppress the
haughtiness of the unruly Kshatriyas, for that was
the (Pod-appointed mission of his life. This work
he finished long before his life came to an end. In
fact it is supposed that, being a chiranjlvi or ever-
living personage, he is still alive. Soon liter the
completion of the mission of his life, he met Raghu-
rama and handed over his own divine powers to
him and retired to the mountain known as the
Mahendra-parvafca. The divine power thus possess-

119
III <SL
HINDU ICONOGEAPHY.

ed by Parasurama was with him but for a short

time ; it was not a life-long endowment; hence his
incarnation is considered to be an tive&a or temporary
possession, Again, for instance, the sankha and the
chakra of Vishnu as representing parts and aspects
of his power, are conceived to be occasionally ordered
by Vishnu, to be born among men to improve them
in their ways and bring about a betterment in their
condition. When these emblems of the aspects of
divine power are born as embodied beings upon the
earth, they become saints and achieve the purpose
of their earthly incarnation. Such beings represent
the arhkis of Vishnu. The most commonly accepted
and recognised incarnations of Vishnu are ten in
number; and they are declared to have been assumed
on ten different occasions by him with a view' to
destroy certain asuras and to set right the wrong
done to the world by them. These ten avatar as of
Vishnu are Matsya (fish), Kurrna (tortoise), Varaha
(boar), Narasiraha (man-lion), Vamana (the dwarf)
including Trivikrama, Parasurama, Raghutama,
Krishna, Buddha and Kalki. Some Hindu authori­
ties do not consider Buddha to be an avat&ra of
Vishnu, and substitute in his place Baiarama, the
elder brother of Krishna, as an avatara.
“ Sections 231-233 of the Matsya-pitrcma are
devoted to the same subject (the incarnation itself

120
xSSTUEtx . :

III <SL
DASAVATAEAS OF VISHNU,

and its results). I give au abstract of the 47th

section, in which Vishnu’s incarnations are enume­
rated. It is here stated that if was in consequence
of a curse pronounced by Bhrigu (as we shall see
further on) that Vishnu assumed most of these
forms («. 37). There were twelve conflicts between
the gods and Asuras (vv. 39-52). It is related
(vv. 58 ff.) that on one occasion when Prahlada
had been overcome, and Indra had gained the
empire of the three worlds, Sukra, the priest of the
Asuras, left them and went to the gods. They,
however, entreated him not to desert them, when
he re-assured them by the promise of his support
(vv. 60 ff.). They were nevertheless attacked by
the gods, and again resorted bo Sukra, when their
assailants left them, Sukra then referred bo their
former dispomfitures, counselled them to wait for a
favourable turn of fortune, and declared his inten­
tion to resort to Mahadeva and obtain certain
sacred texts which would ensure their victory.
(vv. 65 ff.). They then promised the gods to desist
from hostilities and to betake themselves to aus­
terities (vv. 73 ff.). Sukra accordingly went to
Mahadeva and asked for texts more powerful than
those possessed by Brihaspati, the priest of the
gods; when the deity directed him to perform a
painful rite, imbibing the smoke of chaff (kana-

121
16
f® •
\%>---<-^7 •
<SL
H IN D U IOONOGBAPHY.

dhuvia) with his head downward for a thousand

years. This he agreed to do (vv. 78#.). Hearing
of this, and taking advantage of the defenceless
state of the Asuras, the gods went to attack them.
The Asuras remonstrated, and in the absence of
Sukra resorted to his mother for help, and were
re-assured by her (vv. 83 # ). The gods, however,
followed and assailed them, when the goddess
(Sukra’s mother--her name is not given)—by her
magical power, rendered Indra helpless, and then
the other gods took to flight (vv. 91 #.). Vishnu,
however, interposed, and desired Indra to enter
into him (Vishnu). This provoked the goddess,
who threatened to burn them u p ; Indra called upon
Vishnu to slay her before she could carry her threat
into efiect, Vishnu, though hesitating to kill a
female, cut off her head with his weapon (vv. 96#.).
Vishnu was hereupon doomed by a curse of Sukra
to be bom seven times in the world of inen; and in
consequence of this he appears for the good of the
world when unrighteousness prevails.” *
“ In consequence of Sukra’s curse, which
operated periodically, Vishnu was born time after
time, after a decline of righteousness, which he re­
established, destroying the Asuras. For Brahma

* Muir’s O r i g i n a l S a n s k r i t T e x t s , p p . 151-153.

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Matsya. Karma. Varaha. Karaaimha. Vamana.

rarssurarua. Baghavarama. Balarama. Krishna, KalM.
THE TEN AVATARAS OF VISHNU (.Ivory: TrivandranaJ
 DASAVATABAS 0 1 VISHNU.

h a d d e c r e e d t h a t a ll t h o s e A suras w h o s h o u l d b o

d i s o b e d i e n t t o P r a u l a d a s h o u l d b e s l a i n b y m e n .

V i s h n u ’s i n c a r n a t i o n s a r e t h e n e n u m e r a t e d (vv.
2 3 4 - 2 4 5 ) , viz., ( 1 ) a p o r t i o n o f h i m s p r a n g f r o m

I ) k a r m a , ( 2 ) t h e N a r a s x m h a , o r M a n - l i o n , a n d (3 ) t h e

D w a r f i n c a r n a t i o n s , w h i c h a r e c a lle d t h e c e l e s t i a l

m a n i f e s t a t i o n s , t h e r e m a i n i n g s e v e n b e in g t h e

h u m a n i n c a r n a t i o n s c a u s e d (v. 2 3 8 ) .
b y B u l n a ’s c u r s e

T h e s e s e v e n a r e ( 4 ) t h e D attatreya ( 5 ) M andhatri ( 6 )

P arahirdm a, ( 7 ) Hama, ( 8 ) Vedapyasa, ( 9 ) B u d d h a

a n d ( 1 0 ) K a lk i i n c a r n a t i o n s . ( E i g h t i n s t e a d o f
s e v e n a r e o b t a i n e d if, w i t h t h e M a h r a t t i e x p o u n d e r ,

w e u n d e r s t a n d t h e b e g i n n i n g o f v e r s e 2 4 3 t o r e f e r

t o K r is h n a ) - Bhdgavaia-tPurdna g i v e s t w e n t y -
T h e

t w o i n c a r n a t i o n s ( i . 3 , I f f .) , v i z : T h o s e i n t h e f o r m a

o f ( 1 ) P urusha , ( 2 ) Varaha o r t h e B o a r , ( 3 ) N arada,

( 4 ) N ara a n d N drdyana , ( 5 ) K apila , ( 6 ) D attatreya,

( l) Y ajndov S a c r i f i c e , ( 8 j Bishabha, ( 9 ) P rithu, ( 1 0 )

* M atsya , or t h e F i s h , ( 1 1 ) Kilrm a or t h e T o r t o i s e ,
( 1 2 a n d IS ), D hanuantri , ( 1 4 ) N a ra m h h a o r t h e
M a n - l i o n , ( 1 5 ) Vdmana o r t h e D w a r f , ( 1 6 ) P ara-
kirctma, ( 1 7 ) Vedavydsa ( 1 8 ) R a m a , ( 1 9 a n d
2 0 ) Balarcim a a n d K rish n a , ( 2 1 ) B u d d h a , an d
( 2 2 ) K a lk i T h e s e l a s t t w o a r e r e p r e s e n t e d a s
f u t u r e . B u t t h e i n c a r n a t i o n s o f V i s h n u a r e

i n n u m e r a b l e , lik e t h e r i v u l e t s f l o w i n g f r o m a n

i n e x h a u s t i b l e la k e . R isk is, Manus, g o d s , s o n s o f

■c°%x ■ .• ■

<SL
. HINDU ICONOGRAPHY.

M anus, P ra jd p a tis a r e a ll p o r t i o n s of h i m (v.

2 6 ) . ” "

T h e r e a r e h e r e a n d t h e r e r e f e r e n c e s t o t h e

avatar as o f V i s h n u e v e n i n t h e
Early referen- '
cm t o t h e avata- a n c i e n t l i t e r a t u r e o f t h e H i n d u s ; f o r
ras of Vishnu. ,
i n s t a n c e , i n 8 a tap a th a - B ra Km ana
i t i s s t a t e d t h a t P r a j a p a t i t o o k t h e f o r m o f a t o r ­

t o i s e ; s i m i l a r l y t h e T a ittir ly a - A r a n y aka m e n t i o n s

t h a t t h e e a r t h w a s r a i s e d f r o m t h e w a t e r s b y a

b l a c k b o a r w i t h a h u n d r e d h a n d s . A l l t h e avatdras
a r e m o r e o r l e s s d ir e c t ly r e f e r r e d t o i n t h e la t e r S a n s ­

k r i t R a m ay ana, the M aliabliarata ,

w o r k s l i k e t h e

B hcigavaia-purana a n d t h e V ishnugm rm ia.

T h e M aliabliarata ( s e e V a n a p a rva n , 1 2 , 7 9 7
T h e M a ts y a v a - f) s a y s — “ T h e n t h e G o d (lit. t h e

t a r a - U n w i n k i n g ) , k i n d l y - d i s p o s e d , s a i d

t o t h o s e .rishis, u I a m t h e P r a j a p a t i B r a h m a , a b o v e

w h o m n o b e i n g i s d i s c o v e r a b l e : b y m e i n t h e f o r m

o f a f is h y o u h a v e b e e n d e l i v e r e d f r o m t h i s d a n g e r .

[ B y f y o u J h e r e t b e G o d B r a h m a is m e a n t ] T h e

B h a g a v a ta -P u ra n a g i v e s t h e f o l l o w i n g a c c o u n t o f

t h e o r ig in o f t h e f is h ava td ra o f V i s h n u :— ■“ B e i n g

t h u s a d d r e s s e d b y V i s h n u r a t a , t h e d i v i n e B a d a r a y a n i

r e l a t e d t h e d e e d o f V i s h n u a c h i e v e d b y h i m in t h e

f o r m o f a f is h . A t t h e e n d o f t h e p a s t halpa t h e r e

* Muir’s Original Sanskrit Texts, p. 156.

m
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■ . ■ . : ' ■ ■ ■ . ■ ' , ■
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DASA VATABAS OF VISHNU.

w a s a B r a h m a , t h a t is , t h e r e w a s a p a r t i a l d i s s o l u ­

t i o n o f t h e u n i v e r s e , i n w h i c h t h e e a r t h a n d o t h e r

w o r ld s , b e c a m e s u b m e r g e d u n d e r t h e o c e a n . T h e n

t h e p o w e r f u l H a y a g r i v a ( a rakshasa ) , c o m i n g n e a r ,

s n a t c h e d a w a y t h e V e d a s w h i c h h a d p r o c e e d e d f r o m

t h e m o u t h o f t h e c r e a t o r , w h o f r o m t h e d r o w s i n e s s ,

w h i c h h a d c o m e o n t h r o u g h l a p s e o f t i m e , h a d

b e c o m e d i s p o s e d t o g o t o s le e p . O n d i s c o v e r i n g t h i s

d e e d , o f H a y a g r i v a , t h e c h i e f o f t h e D a n a v a s , t h e

d i v i n e lo r d H a r i t o o k t h e f o r m o f a saphari f i s h a n d

r e c o v e r e d t h e Vedas.”. * T h i s f is h a va ta r a, a s s e e n

f r o m t h e a b o v e e x t a r c t s , w a s m e a n t t o r e c o v e r t h e

l o s t V e d a s f r o m t h e o c e a n .

A n o t h e r a c c o u n t o f t h e f is h i n c a r n a t i o n o f

V i s h n u is t o b e f o u n d i n t h e A g iii-p iira n a . T h e r e i n

A g n i a d d r e s s i n g V a s i s h t h a s a y s :— L i s t e n , O

d i v i n e s a g e l w h i l e I n a r r a t e t o t h e e t h e d if f e r e n t

f o r m s w h i c h H a r i h a s a s s u m e d , i n o r d e r t o p u n i s h

t h e w ic k e d a n d p r o t e c t 't h e g o o d . P r e v i o u s t o t h e

c o n c l u s i o n o f t h e la s t K a l p a , a t w h i c h t i m e t h e

u n i v e r s e w a s o v e r w h e l m e d w i t h a d e l u g e , Y a i v a s -

v a t a M a n u p e r f o r m e d w i t h m u c h d e v o t i o n a s e v e r e

tapas. O n e d a y a s h e w a s o f f e r in g a n o b l a t i o n o f

w a t e r t o t h e manes i n t h e r iv e r K r i t a m a l a , a s m a l l

f i s h a p p e a r e d i n h i s f o l d e d h a n d s , w h i c h , a s h e w a s

a b o u t t o t h r o w i n t o t h e w a t e r s a i d :— ‘ T h r o w m e

* Muir's Sanskrit Texts, p, 39, f.n.

125
|I | . '■ (SI,
HINDU ICONOGBAPEY.

not into it, 0 best of m e n ! for I am afraid there

of the larger fishes \ On hearing this, Maim placed
it in a jar. B ut the fish increased in size, and
said, ‘ Give me more space The king then placed
it in a small p o n d ; but it still increasing in size
and dem anding more room, he threw it into a lake,
and a t length in to the sea, where it in an instant
expanded to th e size of a hundred thousand
ydjanas. W ith astonishm ent Mann beheld this
wondrous change, and then said—1 Why 0 lord !
who a rt Vishnu N arayana, hast thou thus deluded
m e ? ’ The fish replied—4On the seventh day from
this, th e universe will be submerged beneath the
ocean ; do thou, therefore, taking all kinds of seeds
and accompanied by the seven Rishis, enter into a
boat which has been prepared for thee ; and during
the n ig h t of B rahm a fasten it with a m ighty snake
to my horn.’ H aving thus spoken, th e fish dis­
appeared; and on the foretold day, th e sea
commencing to exceed its bounds, M ann entered
the b o a t ; and in stantly there appeared a very big
hom ed fish, to whose horn he fastened th e boat.
Then Vishnu repeated to Mami the Matsya-
purana , and afterwards slew th e cm ra H ayagiiva,
who had purloined the Vedas from B rahm a V*

* See Kennedy'a Hindu Mythology, p. 432.

126
I I arV't ': ;"'X' ■■■■. ; . 7 x
X* „.X
;•
,
<sl

DASAVATARAS OB VISHNU,

The image of M ataya m ay be made either like

an ordinary fish, or in a form which is half fish
and half man, th e upper portion being th a t of m an
and the lower th a t of the fish. T he image is
generally given four hands, two of which carry the
hankha and chakra, and the other two being held
in th e variula, and abhaya poses. The hum an half
is generally decorated w ith all the ornam ents
generally worn by Vishnu, and on the head there
is th e M nta-m akiita,
We have already seen th at th is tortoise
The Kurmava- & vtita/m was assumed by P rajapati,
fc*m- according to th e account given in
th e earlier writings, for creating offspring. In the
later works, as for instance, the Bhagavata-;puratia,
it is stated th at Vishnu assum ed the form of the
tortoise for supporting on its back th e m ountain
employed in the churning of th e ocean to obtain
the ambrosia for the gods. “ In his eleventh
incarnation, the Lord, in the form of th e tortoise,
supported on his back the churning m ountain, when
the Gods and A suras churned the ocean” (Bhag,
Pu. 1. 3, 16), T he story of the churning of the
ocean is well known and needs no description here.
T he image of this avatar a is generally worked
out in a form w hich is half m an and half tortoise,
the lower part being th at of th e tortoise. As in

127
 ■ ■ ■ ■- 1 . ' /n
<SL
H IN D U ICONOGRAPHY.

th e case of th e fish avatara, this im age also has

lo u r hands tw o of which carry the sanJcha and the
chakra, while th e other two are held in th e varada
an d abhaya poses, T he im age is adorned w ith
ornam ents an d w ith the Idrtya-maMda on th e head.
T h e image of th e K firm avatara m ay also be like
an ordinary tortoise.
One of th e earliest references to the earth
The Vamhava- having been lifted up from th e
tara* depths of th e lower regions by a
jr>

boar is found in the Satapatha-B rfthm ana, w herein

it is said th a t E niusha, a boar, raised th e earth up.
I n th e T aittiriya-2;r any alia also the e a rth is said to
have been lifted up by a black boar w ith a hundred
arm s : {varahena krisfmena sata-bahuna uddhrita)
T h e B&m&yana, in describing the origin of the earth
m entions incidentally th e uplifting of the earth by
th e boar-incarnation of V ishnu. Y asishtha speaking
th erein about th e origin of the worlds, says th a t
in th e beginning all was w ater out of which th e
world has been formed, an d th a t out of th a t w ater,
arose B rahm a, the self-existent, who becam e a boar
a n d lifted up th e earth. According to the B'am a-
ya n a therefore the uplifter of the earth was B rahm a
a n d not V ishnu. In th e B h^gtivata-piiram , it is
said th at w ith a view to create the universe, th e
L o rd of Sacrifice became desirous of lifting up th e

138
m . ■ ■ <s l
DASAVATABAS OP VISHNU.

earth, which had sunk into the lower regions, and

assumed the form of the boar. Here th e act of lift­
ing up the earth is attrib u ted to Vishnu.
The Vtshnu-pur&na, th e L in g a-'pur ana and th e
G aru$a-purana m ention Brahma, as th e uplifter
of the earth from the ocean : but they a t the sam e
tim e identify B rahm a with Vishnu. The Vishnu-
p ur ana gives the following account of this incar­
nation “A t the beginning of the Jcalpa, th a t divine
B rahm a, Lord of the P rajapatis who had th e
n atu re of N arayana, created living beings. A t th e
close of the past (Padma-)/mfpa, B rahm a, the Lord,
endowed predom inantly w ith the q u ality of good­
ness, awoke from his night-slum bei and beheld th e
universe void, H e is th e Supreme L ord N arayana,
who cannot even be conceived and exists in th e
form of B rahm a, the deity w ithout beginning, the
source of all things. T his Lord of P rajapatis dis­
covering by intuition,-^-w hen the universe had all
become one ocean,—th a t th e earth lay w ithin th e
waters, and. being desirous to raise it up, assumed
another form. As he had formerly, a t th e com m en­
cem ent of previous Jcalpas, assumed th e shapes of
the. fish and the tortoise, (so now), Pie entered into
th e body of a boar,—a form composed of the Vedas
and the sacrifice,—this L o rd of C reatures, who
throughout the entire continuance of the world re-

129
17
Ip (SI.
HINDU I CONOGRAPH Y.

m a i n s f ix e d , t h e U n i v e r s a l S o u l, t h e S u p r e m e S o u l,

t h e S e l f - s u s t a i n e d S u p p o r t e r o f t h e B a r t h , h y m n e d

b y S a n a k a a n d o t h e r s a i n t s r e s id in g in t h e J a u a l o k a ,

( t h e r e f o r e H e ) e n t e r e d t h e w a t e r . B e h o l d i n g

H i m t h e n d e s c e n d t o P a t a l a , t h e G o d d e s s B a r t h *

b o w i n g d o w n p r o s t r a t e d h e r s e lf in d e v o t i o n a n d

s a n g t h e p r a is e : ‘ .R e v e r e n c e 0 b e a r e r o f t h e S h e ll

a n d C lu b , t o T h e e w h o a r t a il t h i n g s ; r a is e m e t o d a y

f r o m t h i s p la c e : b y T h e e X w a s f o r m e r ly lif t e d u p . . . .

H a v i n g s w a l l o w e d t h e u n iv e r s e , w h e n it b e c o m e s

o n e o c e a n , d o e s t T h o u 0 G o v i n d a , s le e p . T h o u w h o

a r t m e d i t a t e d u p o n b y t h e w is e . N o o n e k n o w s t h a t

w h i c h is T h y f o r m : t h e g o d s a d o r e t h a t f o r m w h i c h

T h o u a s s u m e s ! in T h y i n c a r n a t i o n s . W o r s h i p p i n g

T h e e , t h e S u p r e m e B r a h m a , m e n d e s ir o u s o f f in a l

lib e r a t io n a t t a i n t h e ir o b j e c t . W o r s h i p p i n g T h e e ,

t h e S u p r e m e B r a h m a n , -w h o s h a ll o b t a in lib e r a t io n

w i t h o u t a d o r i n g 'V a s u d e v a ? . , . , T h o u a r t s a c r i ­

f ic e , T h o u a r t t h e va shatkdra (a s a c r if ic ia l f o r m u la ) ,

T h o u a r t t h e om kdra ( t h e m y s t i c s y lla b le O m )}
T h o u a r t t h e fir e s . , . . H a v i n g b e e n t h u s c e l e b r a ­

t e d b y t h e E a r t h , t h e g l o r i o u s U p h o l d e r o f t h e

E a r t h , w i t h a v o i c e lik e t h e c h a n t i n g o f t h e

S a m a v e d a , u t t e r e d a d e e p t h u n d e r i n g s o u n d . T h e n

t h e g r e a t b o a r , w it h e y e s lik e t h e e x p a n d e d lo t u s ,

t o s s i n g u p w i t h h is t u s k s t h e e a r t h w h i c h r e s e m b l e d

t h e le a f o f t h e b lu e lo t u s , r o s e u p f r o m t h e lo w e r

130
Xo? ’ G
C'^X

m f t.
D A S A V A T A R A S O F VIS HNU .

r e g io n s lik e a g r e a t b lu e m o u n t a i n ............................. ( T h e

b o a r w a s t h e n la u d e d a n d p r a is e d b y S a n a n d a n a

a n d o t h e r s a in t s in a h y m n , in w h i c h v a r io u s

m e m b e r s o f h is b o d y a r e c o m p a r e d in d e t a il t o

v a r io u s m a t e r ia ls a n d i m p l e m e n t s u s e d in s a c r if ic e .

B e e W i l s o n ’s Vishnu-ptirdna, 2 n d e d . i . , pp. 8 8 ff . )

. . . . O n h a v i n g b e e n t h u s h y m n e d in p r a is e , t h e

S u p r e m e S o u l, t h e U p h o l d e r o f t h e E a r t h , lif t e d

t h e e a r t h u p q u ic k ly , a n d p la c e d it u p o n t h e g r e a t

w a t e r s . B e s t i n g u p o n t h is m a s s o f w a t e r s , lik e a

m i g h t y s h ip , t h e e a r t h d o e s n o t s in k , o w i n g t o t h e

e x p a n s io n o f it s f o r m 5 5 . C o m p a r e M akabharata,
iii., 1 0 , 9 8 2 , ff.
11 T h e Lm ga-purana, w h i c h is o f t h e S a i v a

v a r i e t y o f punlnasMid h a s n o t , a s s u c h , a n y in t e r e s t

in g lo r if y in g V i s h n u , d e s c r ib e s B r a h m a a s t h e d e i t y

w h o a s s u m e d t h e f o r m o f t h e b o a r , ( p a r t , i. 4 , 5 9 ff,)
1I n t h a t n ig h t , w h e n a ll t h i n g s m o v e a b le a n d i m ­

m o v e a b le h a d b e e n d e s t r o y e d ( a n d b e c a m e a b s o r b e d )

in t h e u n iv e r s a l o c e a n , B r a h m a s le p t u p o n t h e .

w a t e r s ; a n d b e h o ld in g t h e u n iv e r s e v o id , B r a h m a ,

c h ie f a m o n g t h e k n o w e r s o f t h e V e d a s , t h e n r e s o lv e d

t o c r e a t e 5. H a v i n g a s s u m e d t h e f o r m o f a b o a r , t h i s

e t e r n a l g o d t a k in g u p t h e e a r t h , w h i c h w ra s o v e r ­

f lo w e d b y t h e w a t e r s , p la c e d it a s it h a d b e e n b e f o r e .”

T h e Agni-pur&na in f o r m s u s t h a t t h e r e w a s

a c h ie f o f t h e A s u r a s , n a m e d H i r a n y a k s h a , w h o

131
H i : §l
HINDU 1C0N0GB A.PHY.

v a n q u i s h e d t h e g o d s a n d t o o k p o s s e s s io n o f t h e ir

h e a v e n l y c a p it a ! , a n d t h a t t h e g o d s h a d r e c o u r s e t o

V i s h n u , w h o , t o h e l p t h e m , a s s u m e d t h e f o r m o f a

h o a r a n d s le w t h e d e m o n H i r a n y a k s h a . I n t h e

la t e r w r i t i n g s , t h i s b o a r a m ta ra is t r e a t e d e x c l u ­

s i v e l y a s o n e a s s u m e d b y V i s h n u ; a n d t h e dgamcu
a n d tantras a ls o a t t r ib u t e t h i s i n c a r n a t i o n t o

V i s h n u , L e t u s n o w t u r n o u r a t t e n t i o n t o t h e d e s -
* • ■•■' / . ; ( ( , I lv I ' O t I I i ,U ,1 |, , ,/ f r'j* . ,1 , ’ ' -|| \| I , ' J

c r ip t io n o f t h is avatdra o f V i s h n u a s f o u n d i n t h e

v a r io u s o t h e r w o r k s , T h e s e s c u lp t u r e d f ig u r e s ,

c o m p r i s e t h r e e d if f e r e n t o o n o e p t io n a l. t y p e s o f t h e

avatdra, n a m e ly , (i) B h u v a r a h a , A d i v a r S h a o r

N r i v a r a h a , ( ii) Y a j h a v a r a h a a n d (iii.) P r a la y a -

v a r a h a . T h e s e w i l l b e d e a lt w i t h m o r d e r .

T h e f ig u r e o f B h u v a r a h a s h o u l d h a v e , a c c o r d ­

i n g t o t h e Vaikhdnasdgam a, t h e
Bhuvaraha, or 83 , . '.
Adivaraha, f a c e o f a b o a r m a s s o c i a t i o n w it h

t h e b o d y o f a m a n , I t h a s f o u r a r m s , t w o o f

w h i c h h o l d t h e kaiikha a n d t h e chakra a s u s u a l.

T h e r i g h t le g s h o u l d b e s l i g h t l y b e n t a n d b e m a d e

t o r e s t u p o n t h e j e w e lle d h o o d o f t h e m y t h i c a l

s e r p e n t A d is e s h a , w h o m u s t b e s c u l p t u r e d a s in

c o m p a n y w i t h h i s w if e . O f t h e r e m a i n i n g t w o

h a n d s , t h e le f t h a n d s h o u l d b e s h o w n a s s u p p o r t i n g

t h e l e g s o f B h f i m i d e v i , s e a t e d o n t h e g o d ’s b e n t

r ig h t le g , w it h h e r o w n le g s h a n g i n g d o w n , w h ile

t h e r i g h t h a n d h a s t o b e t h r o w n r o u n d t h e W a is t
«»► . ; .I: ft/, • ■......,... ^: ■; ■ p1',.!- /O': ’.P : I' ,• \ p . •

132
|I | V - r ,v: ■ ; <§L
DASAVATARAS OF VISHNU.

o f h is s a m e g o d d e s s . T h e b o a r - f a c e o f t h e g o d

s h o u ld b e s l ig h t ly t ilt e d u p s o a s t o m a k e t h e

m u z z l e a p p r o a c h t h e b o s o m o f t h e g o d d e s s a s

t h o u g h h e is e n g a g e d in s m e l l i n g h e r . T h e c o lo u r

o f t h e im a g e o f V a r a h a - V i s h n u is r e p r e s e n t e d b y

t h e d a r k n e s s o f t w ilig h t . T h e a s s o c ia t e d fig u r e o f

B h u m i d e v i s h o u ld h a v e h e .r h a n d s in t h e anjoM
a t t it u d e . S h e s h o u ld b e d e c k e d w it h f lo w e r s a n d

d r e s s e d in c lo t h e s a n d s h o u ld b e a d o r n e d w it h a ll

s u it a b le o r n a m e n t s . H e r c o m p l e x i o n h a s t o b o

b la c k . H e r f a c e s h o u ld b e s lig h t ly lif t e d u p a n d

t u r n e d t o w a r d s h e r lo r d , a n d s h o u ld b e e x p r e s s iv e

o f s h y n e s s a n d j o y . T h e t o p o f h e r h e a d s h o u ld

r e a c h t h e c h e s t o f t h e f ig u r e o f V a r a h a , a n d h e r

i m a g e s h o u ld b e m a d e in a c c o r d a n c e w it h t h e

pancfta-M ld m e a s u r e . S u c h is t h e d e s c r ip t io n

g i v e n in t h e VaiJchanasagama,
T h e S ilp a m tn a g i v e s a s l i g h t ly d if f e r e n t d e s ­

c r ip t io n . N iiv a r a h a m ilr t i o r t h e m a n - b o a r im a g e o f

V i s h n u s h o u ld h a v e , a c c o r d in g t o t h is a u t h o r it y , in

it s h a n d s t h e gada a n d t h e padm a a n d c a r r y

B h u m i d e v i o n t h e tu s k . O n e o f it s f e e t s h o u ld r e s t

u p o n t h e s e r p e n t A d is e s h a a n d t h e o t h e r o n a t o r ­

t o is e . O r , t h e g o d d e s s T n ig h t b e s h o w n a s s e a t e d u p o n

t h e le f t e lb o w o f t h e V a r a h a , w i t h a n ild tp a la f lo w e r

in h e r h a n d . H e r f a c e s h o u ld h a v e e y e s w h i c h a r e

e x p r e s s iv e o f w o n d e r . O n e o f t h e t w o r i g h t h a n d s

138
(f(m M W T
'^ x A w - ■ O .L /

HINDU ICONOGRAPHY.

o f t h is V a r a lia im a g e s h o u ld b e m a d e to r e s t u p o n

t h e h ip . T h e Sttparoina f u r t h e r s a y s t h a t in s t e a d

o f t h e V a r it h a b e in g h a lf m a n a n d h a lf b o a r , it m a y

b e w o r k e d o u t w h o lly a s a, b o a r w it h a t h ic k s n o u t ,

b r o a d s h o u ld e r -b la d e s ., l o n g t u s k s a n d a b ig b o d y

c o v e r e d w i t h n p - t u r n e d b r is t le s .

T h e Agni-purana g i v e s v e r y n e a r ly t h e s a m e

d e s c r ip t io n o f t h e im a g e o f Y a r a h a - V is h n u . B u t

it a d d s t h a t t h e r ig h t h a n d s h o u ld c a r r y t h e sahkha
a n d t h e le f t h a n d e it h e r a padma o r t h e fig u r e

o f L a k s h r a l. I n t h is la t t e r c a s e , t h e f ig u r e o f

L a k s h in ! s h o u ld b e s h o w n a s s e a t e d u p o n t h e le f t

e lb o w o f t h e g o d a n d t h e f ig u r e s o f B im in i a n d

A d is e s h a a r e t o b e n e a r h is fe e t. T h e Agni-Parana
s a y s t h a t t h e s e t t in g u p o f t h e V a r a h a m u r t i fo r

w o r s h ip b r in g s t o o n e e m a n c ip a t io n f r o m sam ara.
T h e Vishimdharmotta ra a ls o g iv e s t h e s a m e

d e s c r ip t io n w it h a f e w a d d it io n a l d e t a ils . I n

d e s c r ib in g A d is e s h a , it s t a t e s t h a t t h a t s e r p e n t

s h o u ld b e s c u lp t u r e d a s p o s s e s s in g f o u r a r m s , a

h o o d o r n a m e n t e d w it h j e w e ls a n d e y e s e x p r e s s iv e

o f w o n d e r ; t h e f a c e o f A d is e s h a s h o u ld h e s lig h t ly

lif t e d u p a s if in d ic a t in g a d e s ir e t o s e e t h e L o r d .

T w o o f A d i ^ e s h a ’s h a n d s a r e t o b e in t h e anjali
p o s e , w h ile t h e o t h e r t w o s h o u ld c a r r y t h e hala
a n d t h e masala. H e s h o u ld a s s u m e t h e a t t it u d e

% o f t h e aMdkasana, T h e s a m e a u t h o r it y a d d s

134
 <SL
DA8AVATARAS OF VISHNU,

f u r t h e r t h a t t h e i m a g e o f N r i v a r a h a m a y b e a ls o

s c u lp t u r e d s e a t e d lik e Kapila in t h e dhyana

a t t i t u d e ; o r t h e h a n d s m a y b e s o p la c e d a s if o f f e r ­

i n g p in d a s ; o r , t h e w h o le f ig u r e m a y b e s c u lp t u r e d

e x a c t l y lik e a b o a r s h o w n t o liv e in t h e m id s t o f

asuras. W h e n t h e im a g e is r e p r e s e n t e d lik e a f u ll

b o a r , it s h o u ld b e , a s w h e n a s s o c ia t e d w i t h S i v a a s

t h e L i h g o d b h a v a m u m , s h o w n t o b e d i g g i n g t h e

e a r t h . A c c o r d in g t o t h e Vishmtdharmdttara, a g a in ,

t h e p h ilo s o p h ic im p o r t o f t h i s avatar a i s t h e d e f e a t

o f ig n o r a n c e e m b o d ie d in t h e s h a p e o f H i r a n y a k s h a

b y E t e r n a l W i s d o m a n d A l m i g h t y P o w e r i n c a r n a t ­

e d a s V a r a h a - V is h n u .

T h i s f o r m o f t h e V a r a h a m u r t i h a s t o b e o f

w h i t e c o m p le x io n , a n d s h o u ld h a v e
Y ajnavaraha.
f o u r a r m s , t w o o f w h i c h a r e t o

c a r r y t h e saiikha a n d chakra
t h e ; t h e f ig u r e s h o u ld

b e s e a t e d u p o n a simhasana , w i t h t h e r ig h t le g

h a n g i n g d o w n a n d t h e le f t r e s t in g u p o n t h e s e a t ;

it s h o u ld b e c lo t h e d in y e l l o w g a r m e n t s a n d a d o r n e d

w i t h v a r io u s o r n a m e n t s . O n t h e r ig h t s id e s h o u ld

b e s e a t e d t h e f ig u r e o f L a k s h i n ! h a v i n g t h e g o ld e n

y e l l o w c o lo u r . H e r le f t le g s h o u ld b e b e n t a n d

k e p t r e s t in g u p o n t h e s e a t , w h ile t h e r ig h t s h o u ld

b e le f t h a n g in g . H e r le f t h a n d s h o u ld c a r r y a

lo t u s a n d t h e r ig h t h a n d s h o u ld b e r e s t i n g o n t h e

s e a t . O n t h e le f t o f Y a j f ia v a r a h a m u r t i, t h e r e

135
• •G
OtfeX . • ■ ’■

f e ll If§1111
, • A. i; ;< . ;■'; ■■. ■":■'■■:■'■ ’ 1. A§'/■-'.,t'; §;!§■ :1 : : \
. <SL

HINDU ICONOGRAPHY.

s h o u ld b e s e a t e d B h u m M e v l o f d a r k c o m p le x io n ,

w it h h e r r ig h t le g b e n t a n d r e s t in g u p o n t h e s e a t

a n d t h e le ft le g h a n g in g d o w n , I n h e r r ig h t h a n d

s h e s h o u ld h o ld a nllotpala f lo w e r a n d t h e le f t h a n d

s h o u ld r e s t u p o n t h e s e a t. T h e f a c e o f t h is g o d d e s s

h a s t o b e s lig h t ly t u r n e d t o w a r d s t h e g o d a n d

s h o u ld b e e x p r e s s iv e o f s u r p r is e .

T h is t y p e o f t h e im a g e o f V a r a h a - V is h n u h a s

t o b e s e a t e d u p o n a simh&sana, w it h
P r a ia } a e a lia , r ig h t le g h a n g in g d o w n , w h ile

t h e le f t o n e is b e n t a n d k e p t r e s t in g o n t h e s e a t.

T h i s im a g e s h o u ld h a v e f o u r a r m s , in t w o o f w h ic h

t h e &atthha a n d t h e chahra h a v e t o b e c a r r ie d ,

w h ile t h e f r o n t r ig h t h a n d s h o u ld b e in t h e abhaya
p o s e a n d t h e f r o n t le ft h a n d b e r e s t in g u p o n t h e

le f t t h ig h . T h e c o m p le x io n o f P r a la y a - V a r S h a h a s

t o b e b lu e ; a n d t h e im a g e is t o b e c lo t h e d in y e llo w

g a r m e n t s a n d d e c k e d w it h a ll t h e u s u a l o r n a m e n t s .

O n t h e r ig h t o f P r a la y a - V a r a h a a n d o n t h e

s a m e s e a t s h o u ld b e p la c e d h is c o n s o r t , B h u m id e v l,

w i t h t h e r ig h t le g h a n g in g d o w n a n d t h e le ft b e n t

a n d m a d e t o r e s t o n t h e s e a t . S h e h a s t o b e d a r k

in c o m p le x io n a n d s h o u ld b e w e a r in g a ll h e r s u it ­

a b le o r n a m e n t s ; in h e r le ft h a n d t h e r e s h o u ld h e a n

ntpala flo w e r , a n d h e r r ig h t h a n d s h o u ld b e r e s t in g

u p o n t h e s e a t . S h e m u s t b e m a d e to lo o k a t h e r lo r d

w i t h a m a z e m e n t w h ic h is c le a r ly v is ib le i n h e r e y e s .

186
/<Js5

!(■ <SL
BASAYATARAS OF VISHNU.

I t is said th at when Vishnu gave up his boar-

form and returned as Vishnu, to his own heavenly
abode known as V aikuntha, Siva took the long tusk
of th e discarded anim al-body and used it as an
ornam ent.
Such are some of the descriptions of th e several
forms of Varfibamfirti as given in the ctgamas
and tantras. T he peculiarities of. the actual
sculptured forms, w hich are represented in the
illustrative plates, deserve to be noticed. One
prom inent feature of the V araha images printed in
the Pis. X X X V II to X L I is th a t they are all
facing th e proper left and have the Devi resting
upon the bent left leg, the hanging legs of this
Devi being held by the right hand of the god him ­
self. T he figures on Pis. XXX V I to X X X V III and
figs. 2 and 3 on PL X X X IX possess an attitu d e
which suggests th a t they are about to jum p up ; and
this peculiarity of a ttitu d e is demanded in fact by the
S anskrit authorities. In Pi. X X X V II alone, is the
Devi carried by V araha in the palm of the h a n d ; and
she is there standing, not sitting, as required by the
agamas. PL X X X V I is an elaborate piece of sculp­
ture wherein the central figure, V araha in com pany
w ith th e Devi, is flanked on the sides by B rahm a and
possibly Siva, the former standing on the left, and
the latter on the right. On a close exam ination of

137
18
III , ■■ •, 1 . , i . i . ' 1 - ■'. 1 ,
(SL
<

HINDU' JOOMOGEAPHY,

th e figure on th e left, it m ay be seen th a t it has th ree

faces an d four arm s. T he figure of B ra h m a holds a
ka m a n d a lii in th e lower left hand, th e o th e r left
h an d being placed in w h at is know n as th e pose of
praise *, th e upper rig h t h an d is held in th e kataka
pose a n d th e lower rig h t hand is m ade to re st upon
th e hip. T he c lo th is worn in th e upavila fashion.
U p above the h ead of B ra h m a is given a figure
w hich is probably C h an d ra w ith th e h a n d s held in
th e a n ja li pose a n d facing Y araha. To th e left of
B ra h m a is seen a person w earing the ja i ft - m a h it a ;
and h e appears to be a m ale likely to be th e rish i
N arad a, for, in fro n t of him an d n ea r h is h an d is
seen th e handle of a vlna, w hich is a m usical
in s tru m e n t c h a ra c te ristic a lly associated w ith th is
sage.
T h e large figure to th e rig h t of th e central
Y a ra h a in PI. X X X V I w ears th e ja ia -m a k u ta and is
sta n d in g w ith h is h an d s w hich are ap p a ren tly in
th e a n ja li pose. T h e sta te m e n t th a t th is im age
m ay be th a t of S iv a is based only on th e relative
size of th e figure an d its ja ta -m a h ita . T h e h eig h t
of th is figure is ex actly equal to th a t of B r a h m a :
b o th th ese figures of B ra h m a and S iva com e up to
th e shoulders of Y a ra h a ; a n d this is th e height
w h ich is generally prescribed in S a n sk rit works on
iconography for th e principal ones am ong th e atfcen-

138
 ( ^ ..^ '^
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Varaha Panel: Stone: Mahabalipuram,
 ■*52x

ip S ir
DASAVATARAS OF VISHNU.

dant deities. There are however some dfficulties

in the m atter of this identification; this figure has
only two arms, which is uncommon for Siva in the
sculptures of the period; secondly, Siva and B rahm a
are rarely, if at all, shown as adopting the anjali
pose of the hands and with bowed h e a d ; even when
they are sculptured as attendant deities, their hands
are usually shown in the pose of praise ; thirdly,
there is in front of this figure a ?%4, with a crooked
handle and the gourd resonator, evidently belong­
ing to the being whom the figure represents, and
indicating th at it may well he a rishi. Up above
this figure, which may be of Siva, there is the figure
of Sfirya in the prahhainandala worshipping V araha
with folded hands. The form of Surya, like th a t
of Chandra, is here represented only up to the
middle of the body, the lower portion being loft
unsculptured; this is m eant evidently to suggest
th a t they are up and unsupported in the sky.
To the right of w hat we have supposed to be
the figure of Siva stands a female figure, with her
bands folded in the anjali pose and her feet
immersed in w a te r; her head is adorned with a
karanda-makuta. She is the goddess of earth
Bhumidevi, just rescued from the ocean. Under
the right foot of Varaha is Adisesha, with a five­
headed naga hood on the head. He has also his

189
111
" 1 ' ; ' ' ■. ' , < ti * t ', < ' (
<SL
',• ,, 1 1,'

HINDU ICONOGRAPHY.

hands in the artjalt pose and is worshipfully looking

at the great deliverer of the earth with uplifted
head. Half of his body is plunged in water, which
is represented in the sculpture in the usual conven­
tional m anner w ith lotuses and waves, although
the lotuses are of course out of place in the ocean.
The execution of this elaborate panel is very
artistic, and the proportion of the various figures is
effective and appropriate. The drapery i.s arranged
in quite a n atu ral fashion and is very becoming,
The big tusks and the powerful snout of the boar
are intended to indicate great strength and terrific
power.
PL X X X V II represents a group of images
found in No. I l l cave at Badarai. In it great
prominence is naturally given to the principal
figure of Varaha. The attendant deities B rahm a
and Siva are shown w ith their consorts on the
proper right and left of th e central Varaha, and
certain devas are shown as sailing in the air. Both
B rahm a and Siva have one of their hands held up
in th e pose of praise. At the foot of V araha is
Xdisesha’s wife ; on the proper left is standing erect
Adi^esha himself, and on the proper right is an
atten d an t woman holding the chcvuri. This piece of
sculpture is about a century older than the one at
MahSfbalipuram shown in PI. XXXVI

HO
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B h u v a ra h a m u rti: Stone ; B adam i.

[To faca page 140.]
|( ||
---"Vv
■ ■ ■ ■■:
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P L A T E X X X V III

Varaha : Stone: Rajim, Raipur District, Central Provinces.

[To face page 141.]

fill <SL
DASAVATARAS OF VISHNU.

PL X X X V III and the fig. 2 on PL XXXIX

represent images which are more or less of the
same age as th at on PL XXXVI ; they do nob
seem to be far removed, in point of time, from
the early Ohalukya-Pallava period. The first
of these is sculptured in great detail and with
a characteristic vigour that is truly artistic. This
figure of Varaha has four arms, and is seen to carry
the Devi on one of the left elbows; this associated
left hand and the corresponding right hand are
clasped, while the other left hand is made to
rest on the bent leg so as to be suggestive of the
support needed to bear the weight of the goddess.
The sculptor has strayed a little from his autho­
rities in representing Adlsesha as supporting
VarahaV two feet in the two palms of his hands
instead of on the hood. This Xdisesha is in the
attitude of alMhasana, A whole world of Nagas
is sculptured in the adjacent slab, showing all the
Nagas as engaged in the act of reverencing Varaha
with their hands held in the anjali pose. The
wriggling snake-halves of the bodies of these Nagas
and Naginls make their life and aotivity manifest in
a remarkable manner. Fig, 2, PL XXXIX represents
a remarkable piece of art. The happy proportion of
the parts of the body of Varaha, the delicate poise
of the image, the minutely carved ornaments, the

Hi
f a tl Qt
HINDU ICONOGRAPHY.

sculpturing of the Nagas underneath an expanded

lotus leaf so as to be suggestive of the patala-ldJca,
which is the abode of these beings, all these and
many more features m the workm anship stam p
the artist as a real m aster of his craft. T hat to
this vigourous and highly powerful V araha, the
supporting of a Devi is like child’s play, becomes
patent by the ease with which she is shown fco be
held on his bent left hand. A nother point which
is artistically notew orthy is th at the lotus leaf on
the head of Varaha, which with its concave side
turned down, serves as an umbrella, and indicates
the god to be just rising up from the ocean, Alike
for its effect and for its execution, this image is
remarkable and praiseworthy.
N ext in point of time is the image represented
as fig. 3 on Pi. XXX IX. There is nothing very
peculiar in it, except th a t it shows th at the same
rules of iconography m ust have been applied to
the image of V araha in Bengal as in Bombay and
Madras.
Pigs. 1 on PI. X X X IX and th a t o n PL XL
represent comparatively recent productions, and
both of them belong to Madras. The latter
is a bronze image preserved in the Museum at
Madras, and the former is a stone image to be
found in the Vishnu temple at N&gal&puram in

143
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PLATE X L .

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Varah&: Bronxa: Madras Museum.

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(Fig, 1). LakshmI-Narasimha : (Fig. 2). Varaba; Stone: B&Iur. '.Fig- 3). Lakshmi-Narisiniha .
Bronze: Madras Museum,. Bronze:. Madras Museum,
|S | : ' «L
DASAVATABAS OF VISHNU.

the North Areot district. They have very similar

ch aracteristics; neither of them is in the attitude
of jumping ; both are shown bo be calmly standing
on the right leg which is firmly set on the
pedestal; the left leg is bent and is supported
on the hood of A disesha; the two upper hands
carry the sahkha and the chakra as u su a l; the
lower left hand is thrown round the Devi so as
to support her in the seated position, and the lower
right hand is in the abhaya pose. Here we may
also notice the arrangem ent of drapery and the
mechanical way in which the yajhopavlta and the
other ornaments are arranged on the figures as
characteristic features of later art. I t is easy to
observe in the bronze Varaham urti of the Madras
Museum th a t the image-making art had distinctly
decayed at the time of its casting.
Fig. 2, Pi. X L I. is the representation of an
image which belongs to the Chermakescva temple at
Belur in the Mysore provi/noe. The characteristic
details of ornam entation, the m inute .and clearly
traceable workmanship in the carving, the excellent
and beautiful, though conventional, sculpturing of
the various figures marks this Varaha image as
belonging to one of the most attractively artistic
schools of a late period. We see V araha here with
twelve hands, in the right, six of which he carries

143
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ill ■. I:,,:"'.. sy *r;\:"v : ■■.,■'■.■* /:
<SL
HINDU ICONOGRAPHY.

the hula, th ru st into the body of Hirany&ksha, the

mJrnia, the ghmpta, the khadga, the chakra and the
hana in the order from below ; in two of the left
hands a fruit (lemon) and th e khetaka are seen, and
something which is held in the third left hand is
not capable of being made out from the photograph ;
th e fourth left hand gives support to the hanging
leg of the Devi, while the fifth carries th e saiikha
and the sixth is held in the vismaya pose. This
V araha is treading upon two asums,-—n otioe their
round eyes and tusks, and also the sword and shield
in their hands,— who are shown as lying crushed,
under the feet of the deity. In front stands
BhurnidevI, whose head has been unfortunately
broken away, w ith her hand in the cmjali pose.
There is an orthodox explanation of the
symbolism underlying the boar avatdra of Vishnu
given in the JPadma-pnrdna. The Vayu-purana also
gives the same passage word for word. In them it
is stated th a t the sacrifice (yajha) is as a whole
symbolised by the boar, and that its various limbs
represent the limbs of the sacrifice. T he grunt of
the boar corresponds to the Bama-gJwsha and the
four legs are the four V edas; the tusk is the yupa-
stambha (the sacrificial p o s t) ; the tongue star i%for
agni (the sacrificial fire) and the bristles const ..u to
darbha g rass; the head is th e Brdhm an p rk ;t, the

144