Vishnu's qualities of preserver and maintener of the universe and the established order make him one of the most popular gods of Hinduism since the Middle Ages.1 He is therefore the most widely worshipped god alongside Shiva, with whom he is part of the Hindu triumvirate of gods. The third god completing this trinity is Brahma. Vishnu's popularity can be explained by the values that he stands for and illustrates. Indeed, he oversees appropriate behaviour and the continuity of order. These qualities are central in orthodox India and ensure the preservation of social order. This makes Vishnu a benevolent god, and the household god par excellence. In this respect he is opposed to Shiva, who is considered to be the Destroyer of the universe. However, …show more content…
Analysing different and distinct interpretations of Vishnu in works of art is therefore useful in understanding the splits in his personality and how they are displayed and explored in Hindu art. In this essay, I will therefore look at three specific works of art in more details. These three works of art each represent the god as Vishnu, and not any of his avatars, although they are widely worshipped in Hinduism, especially Krishna and Rama. The reason behind this choice is that Vishnu himself is a very complex god, with an elaborate mythology and iconography, and that his avatars are as complex as him. Analysing only works of art which depict Vishnu as Vishnu therefore appears as the right choice in order to understand in depth different interpretations of the god. The first work of art is a Bengali sculpture from the twelfth century. The second artwork is a nineteenth-century painting from Kangra depicting Vishnu sleeping on the cosmic …show more content…
1). It represents Vishnu attended by lesser divinities.3 The god is depicted here in his waking state. He is standing up, and this attitude is called Sthakana-murti.4 This pose gives him a grounded aspect of immutability. He is smiling in a benvolent fashion, and the stillness of his pose give him a regal and dignified appearance. This representation of Vishnu is one of the most common in Hindu art, as it introduces and enhances the qualities of the god.5 The general aspect of the god herald him as a preseverver and a reassuring, benevolent protector. Following traditional iconography, Vishnu is represented wih four arms. These four arms have a very specific meaning. As Gupta puts it, they represent 'the four stages of development of the four forms of life, also dominion over the four directions of
Art has always been considered the effervescent universal tool of communication. Art does not require a concrete directive . One sculpture,drawing or written creative piece, can evoke a myriad of emotions and meaning . Artistic pieces can sometimes be considered the regurgitation of the artist's internal sanctum. In Richard Hooks graphic painting,Adoption of the Human Race, the effect of the imagery,symbols ,color and emotional content projects a profound unification of a spiritual edict.
First, we begin with Vishnu. He is often described as “the one who gives rise to all,” specifically all the other gods and goddesses. Vishnu is also one of the three forms depicted in the Trimurti; which creates, sustains, and destroys the cosmos as we know it. Vishnu is often portrayed as the sustainer of the Trimurti; he maintains the world. Within the northern Sanskrit tradition of Pancaratra, Vishnu is noted to be “the Lord of transcendent cause and sustaining power of the cosmos”. If this Sri Vaisnava is held to be true, Vishnu would ultimately have to be seen as the most Absolute since he is t...
merged into one being. Vishnu has a curl of hair on his chest given to
He has a human body that is blue, and has four arms. Shiva is the destroyer of the world. Hindu’s believe that Shiva is a good and bad source. They believe that even though Shiva destroys what has been created, good effects come out if. Shiva looks like a blue normal man.
(A new view of Hindu art) The first piece of art is an artifact from India it is called “Krishma killing the Horse Demon.” It was
Man has always found pleasure in expressing himself by creating art. Through the centuries, man’s art has left behind clues and insight that enables the generations of today to understand their ancestors. In particular, historians and artist alike can see what certain Asian sculptures reflect of the culture and religious beliefs of Hinduism and Buddhism. Hinduism is the parent religion to Buddhism; much like Judaism is to Christianity. Despite Buddhism and Hinduism sharing similar philosophies and various idealisms, their respective sculptures also show their differences. There are two important characteristic of the sculptures of these religions. The first is motion versus rest, and second the subject matter. It is these two types of characteristics historians and artist can help use to decipher Hindu and Buddhist sculptures.
Hindus believe that when a soul expires, it acquires rebirth in a new body. This cycle is called samsara. To be set free from the endless cycle of birth, death and rebirth one must discover their true nature in order to be with the Brahman in Nirvana. In figure G a picture of a Cambodian statue of the A.D. 900 of Brahma meditating is presented. Nirvana is a state where pain, worry and the outer world do not exist. When a person in Hindu religion has bad Karma, they must take rebirth multiple times. The sacred source of all existence is divided among three gods. Brahma is the creator, Vishnu is the preserver, and Shiva is the destroyer. All three contribute to a person’s life and death and afterlife. In figure H a picture of a Vishnu sculpture is shown, and in figure I a picture of a sculpture of Shiva is
Through time due to advancements in material and painting techniques combined with the ever-increasing talent of the artists, paintings representing people have become very lifelike and are extremely realistic. Some painted portraits have as much detail as modern photographs. However, there are also paintings of people that are representational in which the artist is trying to convey a message. This paper discusses the two types through the comparison of two paintings, Abaporu and Portrait of a Lady.
Śiva, the Embodiment of All Polarities In Hinduism, the Supreme Reality (Brahman) manifests itself in both male and female form. Every god has a goddess counterpart, also called consort, and numerous Hindus worship the Great Goddess exclusively. Within Hinduism, goddesses play a major role in the religious tradition. Indeed, the word “goddess” in Hinduism is Shakti, which also means “power” or “energy”.
At its core, Hinduism has the same central teachings about seeking to liberate oneself from the endless cycle of death and rebirth known as samsara. Despite this fundamental belief, there are many different ways to achieve enlightenment. One way to achieve enlightenment is by following Shiva. Shiva makes up the Hindu Trimurti or “three forms”. According to the teachings of Hinduism, Shiva is considered
This bronze sculpture shows one of three God’s in Hindu triumvirate, Shiva Nataraja, the destroyer and regenerator, as a dancing figure within the ring of fire. The ring of fire is the eternal cyclical nature of existence, the cosmos and consciousness. Other elements shown in this dance are Shrishti (creation), Anugraha (release), Sthiti (preservation), Samahara (destruction), and Tirobhava (illusion). In the form of Shiva Nataraja, he has four arms that represent different aspects of the universe., this signifies world creation through music. In his left hand is destruction depicted as fire. Both the hands are equal in height and level, this signifies the equality in destruction and creation. Abhaya mudra which symbolizes fearlessness., pointing to left foot signifying salvation and upliftment. Shiva’s right foot is pressed on the back of a demon dwarf at the center, this depicts victory over ignorance. In this sculpture Shiva’s flowing hair stands out with a small personified image of the Ganges river. Stories tell of Shiva and how he broke the fall of great Ganges’
• Vishnu, (Krishna) the Preserver, who preserves these new creations. Whenever Dharma (eternal order, righteousness, religion, law, and duty) is threatened, Vishnu travels from heaven to earth in one of ten incarnations;
Tibetan thanka[1] paintings are a wonderful example of the interconnectedness of religion and art. These images are “not meant to be the object of simple idolatry” (Jackson 11), but rather take on a more interactive role, which can be applied to nearly every facet of traditional Tibetan life. Tibetan Buddhism pervades all aspects of the creation and use of thanka paintings—in the training and requirements of the artists who create the paintings, in the physical creative process itself, in the iconography used, and in all the painting’s multiple functions. Tibetan thanka paintings, throughout their entire lifespan—from concept to consecrated image—help devotional religious activity for Tibetan Buddhism[2].
In Hindu mythology, one god created the world and is three people as one. How Hindu’s believe the earth was created by a single god that was three gods together, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Vishnu was cradled by a snake he was sleeping in, when a loud sound came from nowhere and awoke him where then a lotus flower grew from his navel with Brahma in it. Vishnu commanded Brahma to make a world, and so Brahma took pieces o...
In the Hindu religion there are three main gods, apart of the triumvirate, and those are: Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. The god Shiva is important in this triumvirate because he is the destroyer of the world. Shiva is the destroyer, but he also has many other complex roles and many of those roles tend to contradict each other. The god Shiva has many names and is the god of various aspects of life including yoga and dance. Shiva has gained a large following in the Hindu religion and those that follow him are called Shaivas.