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40. Siva as Lord of Music Sold Southern India 14th-16th c. bronze 5.7 cm (2 9/16 ins) |
A figure of a Siva as Lord of Music, the Supreme Guru (Vinadhara Daksinamurti), seated in virasana, with his left leg resting on the knee of his pendant right leg. He sits on the cosmic mountain in which small animals are visible surrounded by human inhabitants enjoying the music and listening to his teaching. The banyan tree would have formed a canopy over his head and was separately cast (now missing). At the base under his right foot is the dwarf Apasmarapurusa, the demon of forgetfulness, Siva's lower right hand forms vitarkamudra , and he holds in his remaining three hands (clockwise from upper right) a cobra, a flame and a book. Ref: Stella Kramrisch, 'Manifestations of Shiva', Philadelphia Museum of Art, 1981, cat no 21. Itemcode: Item 38 (A0705-055) |