ViśvarūpaThrough the study of selected North Indian sculptures and bronzes dating from the second to the ninth centuries, this book traces attempts to achieve a plastic interpretation of 'Visvarupa' (god as the universe) - Arjuna's version of Krsna manifested as God's boundless form. This name Visvarupa is known also in Vedic mythology and in iconographical texts.The Visvarupa cult, which existed in ancient India, is no longer active. Referring to Sanskrit texts, the stylistic and iconographical history of this cosmic deity is pursued from its origins to its decline. Relevant Saiva, Brahma and Buddhist images are also examined.The author utilizes diagrams and reconstructions to uncover the basic forms underlying these images. |
Contents
THE CLASSICAL PHASE | 113 |
THE SAMALĀJĪ VIŚVARŪPA | 144 |
THE PAREL HEPTAD | 186 |
Copyright | |
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abhayamudrā Aghora anthropomorphic apical figure appears arms aspects avatāras Banerjea base Brahmā brahmanical Buddhist cakra carved Caturmukhalinga Caturvyūha image centimetres central head centre century A.D. circle clearly composition cosmogonic crown cult curved deity Deogarh depicted diagram emanating emanatory evidence four four-faced fragment front goddess Gupta period Gupta Sculpture hair Hayagrīva Hindu Hindu Iconography horizontal Ibid icon iconographical incarnation Indian intersect ithyphallic kalpa Kannauj Kannauj-1 Krsna Kumāra Kuşāņa Kuşāņa period Kuşāņa sculpture Lakulīśa left hand lines Linga lotus lower Mahābhārata main figure major square Mathura Mathura Museum mudrā multiple Musānagar nāgas Nand column nimbus Nrsimha Pāñcarātra panel Parel Plate posture Pradyumna R. C. Agrawala relief represented right hand ritual Rudra Sadyojāta Saiva śakti Samalājī image sculpture seen shaft shoulder side side-heads Śiva Skanda standing suggests symbols Tantra tree Upaniṣads upper upward Vaikuntha Vaisnava Varāha Vasudeva vertical axis Viśākhayūpa Vişnu Viśvarūpa vyūha yugas