Many Heads, Arms and Eyes: Origin, Meaning and Form of Multiplicity in Indian ArtOne of the first things that strike the Western viewer of Indian art is the multiplicity of heads, arms and eyes. This convention grows out of imagery conceived by Vedic sages to explain creation. This book for the first time investigates into the meaning of this convention. The author concentrates on its origins in Hindu art and on preceding textual references to the phenomenon of multiplicity. The first part establishes a general definition for the convention. Examination of all Brahmanical literature up to, and sometimes beyond, the 1st - 3rd century A.D., adds more information to this basic definition. The second part applies this literary information mainly to icons of the Yaksa, Śiva, Vāsudeva-Kṛsṇa and the Goddess, and indicates how Brahmanical cultural norms, exemplified in Mathurā, can transmit textual symbols. Both Part I and Part II provide iconic modules and a methodology to generate interpretations for icons with this remarkable feature through the Gupta age. |
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Many Heads, Arms and Eyes: Origin, Meaning and Form of Multiplicity in ... Doris Meth Srinivasan No preview available - 2021 |
Common terms and phrases
Agni Agnicayana altar ancient arms associated Atharva Veda Ātman attributes Bhagavad Gītā Bhīṭā body Brahmā Brahman Bṛhadāraṇyaka Buddha Buitenen Caturmukha Caturvyūha century A.D. Chapter coins concept cosmic creation creator Cultural D.M. Srinivasan deity Delhi depicted divine early eight eight-armed eightfold Ekamukha epic example figure five four four-armed Gandhāra Gītā god's gods Gonda Government Museum Gupta Härtel heads Hindu iconography icons Indian Art inscription Kṛṣṇa Kuṣāņa Kuṣāṇa period Linga Mahā Mahābhārata Mahānārāyaṇa Mahāvīra Maheśa Male manifestation Mathurā Mathura Museum mukha Mukhalinga multiple bodily multiplicity convention names Nārāyaṇa nature omniform Pañcamukha Linga phenomenal Photograph courtesy Prajapati Prakṛti Purāņa Purușa relief religious represents Rig Veda ritual Rudra Rudra-Śiva sacrifice śaiva Samdhyā Samhitā Sāmkhya Satapatha Brāhmaṇa sculpture Śiva Śiva's Skambha Sonkh Śvetāśvatara Upanisad symbolic terracotta two-armed Upanisad vaiṣṇava Vasudeva Vasudeva-Kṛṣṇa Vedic verse Viṣņu Viśvarūpa Warrior Goddess womb worship Yajur Veda Yakṣa