SOUTH ASIAN SCULPTURE The sculptures displayed in this gallery were created for display in public temples and private devotional shrines in homes. They are products of the Buddhist and Hindu religious traditions that arose in India and neighboring regions. Like many people throughout the world, South Asians have attempted to explain and understand their place in the universe and their relationship to the spiritual realm. Buddhist and Hindu sculptures promote this understanding through the use of symbols. Over time, symbols became standardized for the depictions of gods and saintly beings, bringing certain beliefs and thoughts to the minds of devotees. The lotus flower, the flame, the halo, body postures, hand gestures, body markings and various attributes all hold special meaning. Graceful forms and special attention to detail invite contemplation and introspection by viewers. By focusing their attention on these godly depictions and symbols, worshipers hope to enter into a state of mind that will bring them fulfillment on a spiritual plane.

SOUTH ASIA Rama, the Archer South India, 15th–16th century Bronze (65.168) Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Samuel Eilenberg In times of great evil, Vishnu assumed various forms and descended to earth to restore order and goodness. Tradition lists ten incarnations or avataras for him––nine have already appeared, one is yet to come. Rama, the archer, is the seventh. He is shown here drawing his bow (now lost). Rama’s deeds are told in the great Indian epic the Ramayana in which he overcame the forces of evil. He is regarded as a symbol of incorruptibility, honesty, loyalty and tenderness. MAA 4/06

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The Buddha Calling the Earth to Witness India, Bihar, 10th century Basalt (66.118) The Buddha is seated in a meditative “lotus” pose (cross-legged with soles of the feet upward). He is shown under the stylized bodhi tree––the tree of Enlightenment that symbolizes supreme knowledge. He sits on a pedestal supported by two reclining lions and ornamented with lotus petals––the lotus being the symbol for purity. His right hand reaches downward over his knee in the gesture of “Calling the Earth to Witness” (bhumisparsha mudra). He is shown with several distinctive auspicious marks of supreme being: a cranial protuberance (ushnisha) atop his head––symbol of supreme wisdom; a mark (urna) between his eyebrows––symbol of spiritual insight; a halo (shiraschakra) behind the head––symbol for holiness; and a circular mark (dharmachakra) on the soles of his feet ––symbol of the “Wheel of the Law” or Buddhist doctrine. In addition, his ears are shown with long distended lobes but devoid of the heavy ornaments he once wore as a prince before rejecting earthly luxuries. Two saintly beings called bodhisattvas flank the Buddha: Avalokiteshvara with a tiny meditating Buddha in his headdress is on the left, while opposite is the bodhisattva Maitreya with a small Buddhist monument called a stupa in his headdress. At the upper sides of the relief, seated on lotus pedestals, are two Dhyani Buddhas: Amitabha to the right and Akshobhya to the left. “Calling the Earth to Witness” was an act the Buddha performed as he was meditating. The armies of Mara, the god of desire, had been distracting him from attaining his goal of Enlightenment. When, however, he reached down to touch the Earth, calling her to witness that he had never interrupted his asceticism, everything became clear, his torments ceased and he attained absolute Enlightenment. This act was a key moment in the life of the Buddha, and thus this pose and hand gesture have been used repeatedly for depictions of the Buddha in art. During the Pala period (ca. 750–1200), a time when both Hinduism and Buddhism were practiced in India, many such sculptures were created for use in religious sanctuaries, where they were set into niches in walls. MAA 4/06

SOUTH ASIA Durga Killing the Buffalo Demon Central India, ca. 12th century Bronze (66.153) Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Samuel Eilenberg Ten-armed Durga, a form of the Great Goddess, thrusts her trident into the anthropomorphized buffalo demon, Mahisha, an act that symbolizes the triumph of good over evil. The demon’s buffalo head, which Durga has already cut off, is at the feet of her lion. Her vigorous posture and swirling arms, with each hand holding a weapon or attribute, reveal her awesome power. The worn surface of the figurine indicates it has undergone centuries of ritual handling by devout worshippers. MAA 4/06

SOUTH ASIA Dancing Krishna (Navanitakrishna) South India, ca. 16th century Bronze (66.185) Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Samuel Eilenberg Krishna, the much-loved Hindu god, is one of the incarnations of Vishnu. Here he is depicted as a nude boy gracefully dancing on a lotus pedestal. In his right hand he holds a butterball that he had stolen from his mother. When his mother caught him, she opened his mouth to find the butter and found instead the entire universe, twinkling inside. Worshipers would have been quite familiar with the god’s unusual childhood as well as his other stories and exploits that give proof of his divine powers of cosmic transformation. MAA 4/06

SOUTH ASIA Parvati South India, perhaps 18th century Bronze (66.228d) Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Samuel Eilenberg This tiny figurine depicts the Hindu goddess Parvati, the consort of Shiva and the benevolent aspect of Shakti (Cosmic Feminine Energy). Small figurines like this are used in personal devotion as a means for focusing worship on a chosen deity. Even at this small scale, artisans meticulously adhered to prescribed standards for the depictions of the various gods. MAA 4/06

SOUTH ASIA The Buddha with Bodhisattvas Pakistan (Gandhara), ca. 2nd century Schist (67.137) Gift of the Mary and Leland Hazard Fund, Pittsburgh Plate Glass Foundation, in memory of Governor and Mrs. James T. Blair The large Buddha in the center is hieratically scaled to emphasize his importance. Richly dressed attendant bodhisattvas, Avalokiteshvara (right) and Maitreya (left) are smaller; monks in lower corners are even smaller. The Buddha is seated on a lotus flower, the symbol of purity. A canopy of leaves from the tree of Enlightenment––the bodhi tree––arches over his head. He makes a gesture of teaching with his hands (vyakhyana mudra). The Buddha’s faithful bearded bodyguard, Vajrapani, stands behind at the upper left and holds a vajra, the symbol of the emptiness that is the essence of all existence. The other small figure at the upper right is probably Manjushri, the bodhisattva of wisdom. Reliefs like this were affixed to Buddhist monuments called stupas or surrounding structures, often located within religious or monastic sanctuaries. As part of their pilgrimage, devotees ritually walked around the stupas. The sculptural reliefs served as instructive as well as decorative devices. MAA 4/06

SOUTH ASIA Ganesha South India, Chola period, late 12th century Bronze (67.173) Gift of Michael de Havenon Ganesha, the son of Shiva and Parvati, is one of the most popular Hindu gods. Invoked at the beginning of worship or any other venture, such as the start of a business day or a journey, Ganesha’s name is daily on the lips of virtually every devout Hindu. Such large sculptures were not used in homes but were displayed in temples. The two upright spikes attached to the base were meant to support an aureole (a full-body halo) that surrounded the image, and the rings on each side were used to carry the figure in processions on festive occasions.

In his upper hands the god carries a battleaxe, symbolizing power, and a noose, symbolizing attachment to worldly matters as well as the god’s capacity to capture evil and bind ignorance. His lower right hand holds his broken tusk, and his lower left hand holds sweet cakes that he picks up with his trunk. He wears a crown ornamented with a lotus. Flowers decorate his shoulders, and he has a “sacred thread” around his torso.

Ganesha came to have an elephant’s head because, according to myth, his father Shiva, who had been absent during his birth, didn’t recognize him and, when he first encountered him, killed him as an intruder. Shiva later restored Ganesha to life with the head of the first animal that walked by––an elephant.

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SOUTH ASIA Narasimha South India, 17th century Bronze (69.1068) Gift of Dr. Samuel Eilenberg Narasimha is the half-man, half-lion incarnation of Vishnu. Here he is shown reclining in slumber on a coiled serpent-bed that floats upon the cosmic waters during the interval between two cycles of existence of the universe. The god Brahma, the creator, emanates from his navel on a lotus stem. Bhudevi, the earth goddess, and Sridevi (also known as Lakshmi), the goddess of wealth, attend him. He holds attributes common to Vishnu: the discus and conch shell trumpet. MAA 4/06

SOUTH ASIA Vishnu Flanked by Lakshmi and Sarasvati Bangladesh, Pala period, end of 11th century Basalt (77.292) Anonymous gift Vishnu is the Hindu god who preserves the universe. He stands in the straight and sturdy pose called samabhanga––a pose that fits his role to uphold and preserve order. He holds four attributes in his hands: a conch shell to summon troops to battle the forces of evil (symbol of eternal space); a club with which to defeat his enemies (symbol of eternal law); a discus––a throwing weapon (symbol of eternal time); and a lotus (symbol of purity and ever-renewing creation). He wears a long garland composed of groups of gems that derive from the five elements of earth, water, fire, air and ether. He is flanked by two goddesses: Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, who holds a flywhisk, and Sarasvati, the goddess of learning, who holds a stringed musical instrument (vina). Vishnu and his flanking consorts all stand on double lotus pedestals. Among the convoluted tendrils decorating the pedestal is Vishnu’s sacred animal (vahana), the eagle-like Garuda, at the center; at the bottom corners are figures of donors. The back slab of the stele forms a great vertical throne decorated with mythical aquatic animals (makaras), leogryphs rearing over combating heroes and fallen elephants, celestial musicians (kinnaras), and garland bearers (vidyadharas) flying through clouds. At the very peak of the stele was once a decorative motif called a “face of glory”(kirtimukha), a symbol of auspiciousness.

Such steles were made for display in niches in temple walls and votive shrines. Worshippers often place offerings before them and anoint the figures with pigments as an act of devotion. MAA 4/06

SOUTH ASIA Head of the Buddha Pakistan (Gandhara), ca. 3rd–4th century Stucco (78.113) Gift of Alan and Ann Wolfe Stucco was a preferred medium for decoration of stupas in the later Gandharan period. Heads like this were molded separately, then joined to bodies, and finally affixed to stupas with tenons; thus many are in actuality very high reliefs, not works fully in the round. The cranial protuberance (ushnisha) atop the Buddha’s head, a symbol of intellectual wisdom, has been rendered as a topknot; the curls of the hair are shown as rows of dimples––a style that appears in stucco renditions but is uncommon in stone sculptures. The Buddha’s partially closed and downcast eyes indicate his introspective detachment. The mark (urna) between his eyebrows, symbolizing spiritual insight, was rendered by means of a slight indentation and red pigment, only traces of which remain. In such delicate and deftly modeled heads, artists gave perfect expression to the Buddha’s serene withdrawal from the material world. MAA 4/06

SOUTH ASIA The Buddha Visited by Indra Pakistan (Gandhara), ca. 2nd–3rd century Schist (80.192) Gift of Dr. Eric Neff Here, the Buddha is shown meditating in the Indrasala cave. He is visited by Indra, an ancient Vedic deity and king of the gods. Indra had come to pose questions about karma, or human actions and their consequences. Indra, seen at the right, rides his elephant and makes a gesture of greeting and respect, bowing his head as he does so. With his trunk the elephant holds a parasol, a symbol of nobility. Indra’s harpist, Panchasikha, plucks his instrument at the left side of the relief. With this encounter Indra acknowledges the superiority of the Buddhist doctrine over the older teachings of Vedic Hinduism.

Events from the life of the Buddha were presented on stupas in sculptural panels such as this. The scenes were often shown in static, isolated episodes, framed and separated by pilasters. The play of light and shadow over their surfaces must have made for a dazzling display. MAA 4/06

SOUTH ASIA Vishnu South India, Chola period, 11th century Bronze (80.240) Gift of Dr. Samuel Eilenberg

The Hindu god Vishnu is shown holding two of his normal attributes, the war discus and the conch shell trumpet. His lower right hand makes the gesture of protection or reassurance (abhaya mudra), his lower left is held in an attitude of ease. His sturdy upright posture (samabhanga––literally “without bending”) is typical for his representation and is appropriate to the god’s role as upholder and preserver of the universe. The upper set of rings on the side of the base once supported an aureole, a full-body halo, and the lower set facilitated attachment to a platform so that the statue could be carried in processions. Normally, such large sculptures are displayed in temples.

The sculpture was cast in bronze using the “lost-wax” casting technique. Artists in southern India during the Chola period (900–13th century) excelled in this technique, creating sophisticated works, some on a large scale and often with sensuous forms and delicately rendered surface details.

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SOUTH ASIA Prince Siddhartha Preparing to Leave the Palace Pakistan (Gandhara), ca. 3rd–4th century Schist (81.4) Gift of Mr. Eric Neff This relief comes from a stupa––originally a symbolic grave mound around which a Buddhist monastery developed. Stupas were visited by pilgrims who came to experience the unseen presence of the Buddha. Such stupas were often encased in sculptural reliefs that told the life stories of the Buddha. Here, Prince Siddhartha, who was to become the Buddha, has awakened in the night. Surrounded by his still-sleeping wife and servants, he prepares to leave the palace on his quest to find Enlightenment. MAA 4/06

SOUTH ASIA Bodhisattva Maitreya Pakistan (Gandhara), ca. 2nd–3rd century Schist (84.66) Gift of Mr. Eric Neff In Mahayana Buddhism, a bodhisattva is an enlightened being who has done everything necessary to attain nirvana, but instead of progressing to that state, has held back in order to help other human beings who are still on the path to that goal. Maitreya is the bodhisattva who, according to Buddhist teachings, will be the next mortal Buddha to appear on earth. His name in Sanskrit means “friendly and benevolent.” Maitreya is shown with half closed eyes, a sign of his spiritual detachment. He is splendidly bejeweled and in his left hand he holds a flask, his defining attribute. His right hand, now lost, originally made the gesture of reassurance and protection (abhaya mudra). He has the mark of Enlightenment (urna) on his forehead and a large halo. The cranial bump atop his head (ushnisha), the sign of superior intellect, has been rendered as a hair knot––a stylistic convention that resulted from Greco-Roman artistic influence. Such influence was strongly evident in the art of Gandhara, a region in the far north of ancient India, mostly now in northern Pakistan and an adjoining area of Afghanistan. MAA 4/06

SOUTH ASIA Shiva Bhairava North Central India, perhaps Rajasthan, ca. 11th–12th century Sandstone (86.21) Purchased with funds generated from gifts of Dr. and Mrs. Renato Almansi, Mr. and Mrs. Judson Biehle in memory of Dean Martha Biehle, Mrs. Josefa Carlebach, Dr. Samuel Eilenberg, Dr. and Mrs. Martin J. Gerson, Mr. Robert Landers, Dr. Richard Nalin, and Mr. And Mrs. Irwin A. Vladimir Bhairava is the terrifying aspect of the Hindu god Shiva. He is the ultimate in divine destruction. This monumental image manifests Shiva’s power over the material world. Here, his eyes bulge with anger; his staff is topped by a grimacing human skull; snakes curl around his ears; and his hair, with the matted locks of an ascetic, is adorned with severed human hands and another skull. In many of his aspects, Shiva is represented in art as a wandering hermit; as a doting family man; as creative power embedded in the phallus; as the cosmic dancer who sets the calendric, climactic and metabolic rhythms of the world; and as a ferocious destroyer. Ultimately, Shiva is the cosmos and its energy. The destructive power of Shiva, represented as Bhairava, illustrates the Hindu belief that creation and destruction go hand in hand. Ultimately, we are to understand that the manifest world is nothing but illusion. Shiva Bhairava is the destructive force that liberates us from entanglement in illusion and in so doing brings transcendent peace. MAA 4/06

SOUTH ASIA Victorious Durga Standing on the Head of the Buffalo Demon India, Tamil Nadu, Chola period, 9th–11th century Granite (86.81) Gift of Mrs. Carol Brewster The Hindu goddess Durga is a form of Shakti (Cosmic Feminine Power). Her name in Sanskrit means “invincible.” She is shown standing victoriously on the head of the buffalo demon Mahisha, whom she battled and killed. (See also the smaller bronze depiction of Durga in the display case where the goddess is actively killing the demon.) The battle is symbolic of the struggle of good over evil. Here, in two of her four hands, she holds a conch shell trumpet and a war discus. Her raised right hand makes the gesture of protection, offering reassurance for humans; her lower left hand makes the gesture of royal ease, as if to indicate the outcome of the contest was never really in doubt. MAA 4/06

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Shiva Nataraja South India, 16th or 17th century Bronze (2004.4) Gilbreath-McLorn Museum Fund Shiva Nataraja, Lord of the Dance, symbolizes the eternal and cyclical nature of the universe that the regular rhythm of the dance sets in motion. He embodies both creation and destruction. With his drum, he beats out the sound to which creation occurs. The flame in his upper left hand symbolizes destruction; his lower right hand makes the gesture of protection. His raised left foot symbolizes liberation. The circle of flames around Shiva is energy in its purest form. Underfoot he crushes a dwarf who represents ignorance. MAA 4/06