Krishna, the eternally youthful form of Vishnu is the beloved of the milkmaids of Vrindavana, whose heart he has captured with the melodies of his flute and the magnificence of his beauty, manifests himself in this beautiful bronze idol. Enchanted by the divine opulence of Sri Krishna, the gopis offer their hearts and minds to the lotus feet of their loving Sakha (friend), like a devotee who offers flowers to her God. One day jestingly, the lover “Kanha” transformed himself into the lord of the primordial waters, “Narayana”. In this exquisite Krishna Panchaloha bronze sculpture, He appears in his “Chaturbhuja” or four-armed Narayana Roopa (form).
The story of Krishna becoming Narayana is told in the Chaitanya Charitamrita, where the Gopis, upon encountering the celestial body of Narayana, as seen in this bronze murti, expressed their adulations for him and immediately began inquiring about their Kanahiya. They asked, “Where is our Kishora, all-beautiful Krishna?” The pure, devotional ecstasy that the milkmaids felt for the dark-skinned youth was absent in their meeting with the great Narayana. There was devotion, but there was no Prema Bhava (emotion of love). The intense affections that they had for the divinely romantic Lilas (plays) of Krishna were solely for Him. Towards no other being, not even Narayana-Vishnu who is the source of all beauty and exquisiteness of the universe, could they feel the attraction they felt for the young cowherd playing his flute, in the groves of Vrindavana. This is the zenith of Prema (love) and Bhakti (devotion). Immersed in such tales of the Gopis’ pure love, Krishna in his manifestations appear to be Madhurya-nilaya, the dark-skinned lord who is the eternal source of blissful sweetness. Such infinite divine lavishness of the lord is the inspiration behind this superb Krishna bronze.
On a sturdy bronze platform, with his lotus-feet “Charana Kamala” on an upturned lotus stands Krishna. He is also called “Venugopala” because of the Venu or flute that he so delicately holds in his primary hands. In his other two hands, Sri Krishna has the conch and discus, attributes connected to Sri Vishnu, whose delicate decorations mimic the gentleness of how He holds the divine weapons. Adorning the angelic physique of Krishna are the distinctive conical Kiritamukuta, earrings, and armbands- all of the jewelry pieces embellished by the Makara- a symbol of celestial beauty. The Kirtimukha- face of glory, usually placed on the top of the aureole encircling the presence of the divine, is present in the intricately sculpted girdle, strings from which hang between the dhoti-clad legs of Sri Krishna. Framed by a floral garland whose petals are amazingly delineated in this bronze icon, Krishna’s splendor puts to shame the reputation of Kamadeva- the god of love and passion. Behind “Gopala”- the guardian of cattle stands a cow, affectionately licking the bent foot of the triple-bent or Tribhanga Krishna. A bell hangs from the neck of the cow, signaling that it is the beloved pet of the lord. The stance and body of the cow are highly naturalistic, which shows the painstaking focus of the maker. The splendid aura that surrounds this wonderful bronze murti of Krishna, is decorated with stylized floral vines and instead of the ravenous Kirtimukha, we find peacocks- birds that represent beauty and pride, as the centerpiece of the aureole. It is a very fitting innovation by the artist since the aura is an extension of the personality of the divinity it encircles. As the definitive embodiment of all that is beautiful and pleasing in the universe, Krishna in this Panchaloha bronze could not have been offered a better aura. A captivating inward smile is discernible on the visage of Krishna. The supreme godhead appears to be amused by the innocent and pure affections of the milk maidens of Vrindavana.
Eternal Brilliance Unveiled: The Mystique of Panchaloha Bronze and Artful Maintenance Rituals
Bronze is a metal alloy that has the primary composition of Copper and Tin. There is also an addition of other metals such as Manganese, Aluminium, Nickel, and some non-metals such as Phosphorus. This composition of several metals and non-metals makes Bronze an extremely durable and strong metal alloy. It is for this reason that Bronze is extensively used for casting sculptures and statues. Since Bronze has a low melting point, it usually tends to fill in the finest details of a mould and when it cools down, it shrinks a little that makes it easier to separate from the mould.
" If you happen to have a bronze statue, simply use a cotton cloth with some coconut oil or any other natural oil to clean the statue. "
A village named Swamimalai in South India is especially known for exceptionally well-crafted Bronze icons of Hindu Gods and Goddesses. The skilled artisans of this place use Panchaloha Bronze for casting the icons. Panchaloha Bronze is made of five metals; Copper, Zinc, Lead, and small quantities of Gold and Silver. Zinc gives a golden hue to the finished figure and Lead makes the alloy softer for the easy application of a chisel and hammer. The common technique for producing these statues and sculptures is the “Lost-wax” method. Because of the high durability of bronze sculptures and statues, less maintenance is required, and can still last up to many decades.
Exotic India takes great pride in its collection of hand-picked Panchaloha Statues. You will find the murtis of Gods (Krishna, Hanuman, Narasimha, Ganesha, Nataraja, and Kartikeya) and Goddesses (Saraswati, Lakshmi, Durga, and Parvati), and Buddha statues. You can also buy Ritual paraphernalia (Wicks lamp, Puja Kalash, Cymbals, and Puja Flag) on the website. All these statues and items have been made with a lot of care and attention, giving them a flawless finish. Their fine carving detail represents the rich tradition of India.
For privacy concerns, please view our Privacy Policy
Send as free online greeting card
Email a Friend
Manage Wishlist