Minor Gods in Sculptural Art of West Orissa
Orissa Review * August - 2004 Minor Gods in Sculptural Art of West Orissa Sasanka Sekhar Panda Surya, Bhuliasikuan Surya, Kamsara-Majhipali Dist. Nuapada Dist. Sonepur One of the earliest iconographic description the navel of the god Visnu, sleeping on the body of Brahma is found in Brhatsamhita, in which of the serpent Sesa. in the center of the upper- he has been described as a four-faced god most portion of the back-slab of a Uma- holding a ritual water-vessel Kamandalu in Mahesvara image, at present kept in the one of his hands (Brahma kamandalukaras'- vestibule (Antarala) of the Indralath brick caturmukhah). In the last part of the Utpala's temple at Ranipur Jharial, the Hindu Trinity of commentary from Kasyapa, Brahma is Brahma, Visnu and Siva in a sequence from described as four-faced having a staff (Danda), left to right are carved, sitting on their the hide of a black antelope and a ritual water respective mounts (Vahanas) Hamsa, Garuda vessel (Brahma caturmukho dandi and Nandi bull. A detached image of krsnajinakamandali). The iconographic details Caturmukha (four-faced) Brahma is found of Brahma image have been found in the texts inside the premises of the Ramesvara Group like Amsumadbhedagama, Suprabhedagama, of temples at Baud. It is a four-handed figure Silparatna, Visnupurana and Rupamandana of Brahma, standing in the Samabhanga posture. also. His hands are invariably four in number, In his uplifted proper left and right hands are the attributes in them being Aksamala, Sruk, Pustaka and Sruk respectively, while in his Sruva and the Vedas etc.
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