. English: 'Painting on paper depicting The Churning of the World. This remarkably detailed painting shows the Samudramanthana episode. At the centre of the composition is mount Mandara, identified by an inscription in English. As usual in South Indian painting, at the top of the mountain a temple's golden kalasha is visible. Just above it, Viṣṇu is emerging half bust from a cloud, carrying the amrita vessel in his hands. The densely forested Mandara, inhabited by gandharvas playing musical instruments, rests on the Kurma, duly identified by an inscription: 'Kurm raja'. Coiled around the mount
. English: 'Painting on paper depicting The Churning of the World. This remarkably detailed painting shows the Samudramanthana episode. At the centre of the composition is mount Mandara, identified by an inscription in English. As usual in South Indian painting, at the top of the mountain a temple's golden kalasha is visible. Just above it, Viṣṇu is emerging half bust from a cloud, carrying the amrita vessel in his hands. The densely forested Mandara, inhabited by gandharvas playing musical instruments, rests on the Kurma, duly identified by an inscription: 'Kurm raja'. Coiled around the mountain is the serpent Vasuki, identified as 'Vasuka', whose tail end is held by the dikpalas, here identified as 'Asuras' and the head by the asuras, here labelled 'Suras'. Both dikpalas and asuras stand in the ocean's water filled with fish. The dikpalas are headed by Indra easily recognizable by the vajra in his hand and by the thousand eyes on his body. He is followed by the two-headed Agni, the bushy-moustached Yama, and by Nirriti, Varuna, Vayu, Kubera, Ishana, Surya and Candra. On the opposite side are nine asuras, enveloped by the dark fumes spewed out by Vasuki. In the foreground are the many precious objects which emerged from the depths of the sea: the horse Uchchaihshravas, here depicted with only one instead of the usual seven heads, the white elephant Airavata, a throne(?), the fire, the tulsi plant, a chariot, the goddess Lakshmi seated on a lotus , identified by an inscription: 'Lakshmee, goddess of abundance', the parijata tree, Surabhi, Soma, a portly man seated on a throne carrying a book, identified by an inscription as 'Daruma god of water', possibly Varuna?, five precious stones, yet another tree, possibly the kalpavriksha, the apsaras, one of whom, Tilottama is immediately carried away by the asura brothers Sunda and Upasunda, and finally a goddess with a broom, possibly Jyeshtha or Alakshmi, sister of Lakshmi and goddess of misfortune. It should be noted
Size: 2889px × 1730px
Photo credit: © The Picture Art Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., /, /., 1820., circa, unknown.
