Vishnu (Primary Title)
Unknown (Artist)
To his devotees, the Hindu god Vishnu is everything. He is the creator, ruler, and maintainer of the entire universe, but most of all, he is the refuge and protector of all who need his help. The conch shell in his upper left hand refers to his great powers of creation - having brought forth the cosmos from the primordial waters - and the flaming discus opposite is a reminder of his equal capacity to destroy. Yet he holds his lower right hand in a gesture of comfort, though, reassuring his followers that he uses these enormous powers only for good. The rings at the sculpture's base were used to mount this image onto a large wooden temple cart for processions during religious festivals.
Adolph D. and Wilkins C. Williams Fund
Image released via Creative Commons CC-BY-NC
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