Lord Buddha is the embodiment of peace, compassion, and happiness. The variation in the iconography of Buddha statues reflects through various hand gestures and sitting postures. In this idol, Buddha’s right hand is in Vitarka Mudra representing him in the state when he is transmitting teachings to the disciples while his left hand holds a begging bowl for alms. Exotic India presents a brass sta

Off the flute of the young and handsome Lord Venugopala, emerges divine music. The kind that perpetrated the woods and alleyways of Vrindavan not so long ago. The kind that uplifts and cleanses and elevates, makes space in the heart for bhakti. The desi cow that supports the figure of Lord Krishna in this composition is the very picture of bhakti. He looks up at his friend, the neck at a sharp ang

This image is that of Dakini Vajrayogini. A Dakini is the most important female principle in Tantric Buddhism, representing the ever-changing flow of female energy. They are the guardians of teachings and are considered the supreme embodiments of wisdom. The Dakini can help change human weaknesses into wisdom and understanding, and the concept of self into enlightened energy. There are two kinds o

The primordial female energy, the invisible Shakti (power) that is the basis of all our actions, armed with the power of all the gods, becomes the great goddess, Durga. The slayer of Mahishaur- Mahishasurmardini and the mother of the universe, Jagadamba, Devi Durga is the female element at the peak of its beauty and ferocity. In the terms of Hindu esoteric philosophy, Maa Durga among many things i

The image of the Sheshashayi Vishnu induces great calm and stability in the mind of the devotee. Shesha is the name of the naga (snake) on whose coils the Lord lies in sleep, which is the Sanskrit word for 'end'; 'shayi' in Sanskrit stands for one who is lain down. It is the volatile moment between destruction and re-projection, the transitional state between two cycles of time

In Sanskrit, Nata means dance and raja means Lord. There is an interesting legend behind the conception of Shiva as Nataraja: In a dense forest in South India, there dwelt multitudes of heretical sages. Thither proceeded Shiva to confute them, accompanied by Vishnu disguised as a beautiful woman. The sages were at first led to violent dispute amongst themselves, but their anger was soon directed a

Icons depicting Shiva as the Lord of Dance (Nataraja) seem to have originated in the North in Gupta times, and developed in the South under the post-Gupta Vishnukundin dynasty early in the seventh century. One of the first southern sculptures is a colossal dancing figure carved upon the cliff face above the facade of a cave- temple at Mogallarajapuram on the Krishna river. The Pallavas took up the

Durga-Mahishasurmardini, the Hindu mother goddess who battles the demonic forces and rescues her children is a popular deity not just in India, but in the rest of South Asia as well. Mingling with the local legends and beliefs, Maa Durga took new, magnificent forms, all the while remaining the protector mother. One such form of the great-goddess is known as Bathari Durga or Chandi in the island na

Krishna is one of the most respected Hindu gods and is glorified as the eighth avatar of God Vishnu. He is believed to be the God of love, solicitude and affection. This valuable brass-gold sculpture is an overall enlightener that fills your soul with an aureole of blessings that is displayed skillfully behind Krishna's head, as he is accompanied with the graceful and beautiful deepalakshmis,

Dharma-Artha-kama-moksha (virtue, finances, pleasure, liberation) - these are the four Purusharthas or pursuits of a person, in Hinduism. Goddess Lakshmi’s four hands, the most common attributes attached to her iconography, represent these four life goals. It is well established that in the pursuit of any of the above-mentioned goals, Ma Lakshmi’s Kripa (regards) is required by the devotee. La

We devote our thought to the one-tusked Lord, Aum ekadantaya vidmahe, vakratundaya dhimahe, tanno dantih prachodayat. We meditate upon Him who has a curved trunk. May the tusked One guide us on the right path. This is precisely for what we worship Lord Ganesh. The single tusked, or the one tusk broken form of Ganesh suggests that for accomplishing his devotee's prayer he would not hesitate in

The Skanda Purana, one of the 18 Puranas paints a word picture for the devotee and the seeker – of the marriage of Shiva and Parvati. As a part of the Hindu marriage ceremony, Lord Shiva was asked to name his lineage. But who could know about the family of “Svayambhu”- he who originated from the earth, thus had no parentage? To soothe the anxious heart of the parents of Parvati- Himalaya and

In Hindu Religion Lord Vishnu is a paramaguru, the creative aspect of the Hindu creator-preserver-destroyer trinity. He is a handsome, powerful deity who dreamed the world into being whilst He napped upon the back of Sheshanaga, the finality serpent (‘shesha’ is Sanskrit for ‘final’; ‘naga’, for ‘serpent’). The bronze composition that you see on this page depicts Lord Vishnu seated

An eight-legged creature of mythical repute, Sharabha is known to have cleared great valleys in a single jump. Stronger than an elephant and more powerful than a lion, He is an avatara (earthly incarnation of the divine) of the great Lord Veerabhadra. His form is a composite of man and beast and bird, as could be seen in this one-of-a-kind bronze made in South India. Lord Shrabha has a fierce, lio

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In the Shaiva shrines of South India, the wife of Mahadeva Shiva- Parvati, resides as Shivakamasundari – the beautiful woman who is the sole focus of Shiva’s passionate love. Resonating with her descriptions in the Hindu textual traditions, Devi Parvati in her sculptures appears as a divine amalgamation of yoga (spiritual attainment) and Bhoga (material fulfilments). Maa Parvati’s standing i

" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. " ( John 14:6 ) | " And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. " ( Philippians 4:7 ) | " "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to com

Sai Baba of Shirdi was an ethereal master, who is regarded by his devotees as a Saint and a fakir. Therefore, He is revered by both his Hindu and Muslim followers. He preached the importance of self-realization and criticized love towards perishable things with His teachings concentrating on a moral code of love, forgiveness, charity, inner peace, and devotion to God and guru. Simplicity reach

Lord Hanuman with five faces staring in different directions is the most magnificent, powerful, and revered form. He assumed this form when he was assigned with the responsibility of protecting Lord Ram’s life. According to the legend, Ravana asked one of his brothers, Mahiravana (King of the netherworld) to kidnap Lord Rama and Lakshman. The demon Mahiravana’s soul rested in five lamps and to

" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. " ( John 14:6 ) | " And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. " ( Philippians 4:7 ) | " "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to com

Shadakshari Lokeshvara, the supreme soul (‘ishvara’) of the realm of existence (‘loka’) wherein it thrives, is a manifestation of the six (‘shad’) syllables (‘akshara’) of om-mani-Padme-hum, is a form of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. He is mentioned in the sixth form of the Sadhanamala. The name Chenrezig has its origin in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. A solemn, bitone sculptu

Kumara, Karttikeya, Skanda, - the divine ever-youthful, firstborn son of Shiva and Parvati is hailed in the Hindu pantheon as the destroyer of Tarakasur, the head of Indra’s celestial army and the god of war. Born from the essence of Shiva, cradled by Agni, supported by the mother-goddess Ganga and nurtured by the six Krittikas, Karttikeya is the manifestation of the powerful supreme yogic poten

" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. " ( John 14:6 ) | " And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. " ( Philippians 4:7 ) | " "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to com

A glorious description of Lord Venkateshvara, a form of Bhagwan Vishnu. Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practices and an increase in irreligiosity, the Supreme Lord descends to reestablish Dharma and deliver the impious people. In Kali Yuga, Lord Vishnu appeared in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh in the form of Bhagwan Venkateshvara to attract people to God-consciousness. Today, tho

" In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. " ( John 1:4 ) | " Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. "