Veda’s most powerful divine being remembered as “Hiranyagarbha” (he who is and is born from the golden womb)- Bhagwan Brahma in this immaculate bronze statue is represented as described in the sacred Shiva Purana.
In the Srishtikhanda of Rudrasamhita, Brahma is born from the lotus, with the sacred Tripunda on his forehead and four faces, glowing with the radiance of molten gold which represents purity.
This bronze is a rare masterpiece, firstly for the depiction of Brahma, who does not have many sculptures as compared to other gods, and secondly, for representing him in an eight-armed or ashtabhuja form. Reserved mostly for warring deities and a symbol of power, the eight arms in this sculpture of Lord Brahma are an evocation of his incomprehensible potency as the primordial creator.
In his right hands, Brahma carries the Veda, the Brahmastra or Brahmashirastra (legendary weapons, bestowed by Brahma on his devotees), Trishula, and Japamala. In his left hands, he holds the ladle (for sacrificial offerings), Ankusha (goad), Gada (mace), and Kundika (spouted water pot).
Though often seen as an aged man due to his role as the officiating priest of all divine sacrifices, Brahma in the ancient temples of Southern India is presented as a young man, a tradition also followed by this icon.
As rare and divine as its subject, the technique of bronze sculpting used in this artwork adds to the aura of the sculpture. From the gentle smile on Brahma’s countenance to the fine incised lines delineating his ornaments, from the polish of his torso to the elaborate work on his lower body garments and jewelry, each part of the statue expresses the heritage of Chola bronzes, which is carried by the sculptors of Swamimalai.
The two-tiered platform of Lord Brahma is a square base on which an inverted lotus is placed. On the pedestal, Hamsa (swan) the mount, and the symbol of Brahma is engraved.
Conceiving an icon perfect for the Creator to descend in, this might just be the pinnacle of Indian bronze artistry.
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