19th Century Antique Bronze Vishnu Vaikuntha Sculpture 4 Headed Vishnu in Tribhanga Posture 26"

This antique bronze sculpture of Vishnu Vaikuntha is from Kashmir Valley. The statue depicts Lord Vishnu standing in tribhanga posture on a rectangular pedestal with four heads, and flanked by his personified attributes, Gada Devi on right and Chakrapurusa on left, both are engaged in fanning the god with flywhisks. A tiny image of goddess Earth is also emerging between the god's feet. The four heads of Vishnu are those of a human being in the front, a lion and a boar on sides. and another being at the back. Adorned heavily with jewelled ornaments and a crown, the deity places his rear hands upon the heads of Gada Devi and Chakrapurusa and holds the lotus and conch in his front hands. Braided hair locks are spread on the shoulders and part of the hair is gathered up in a conical pile at the top of the head. The dhoti is seen tied around the thighs in a very stylistic manner. The eyes are inlaid with silver. The pedestal is provided with a spout to drain off fluids poured ritually over the image. The images of three faced Vishnu of Gupta period were enlarged by an addition of a fourth head (Kapila/Rudra) on the backside during the 8th century A.D. in Kashmir. According to Vishnudharmottara Purana these four heads correspond with Vasudeva (human head), Samkarsana (Narsimha head), Pradyumna (Kapila head) and Aniruddha (Varaha head) symbolizing respectively, bala (strength), jnana (knowledge), aisvarya (sovereignty) and sakti(energy).