Uma-Mahesvara (An Iconographic Study of the Divine Couple)

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About the Book The book on Uma Mahesvara is a comprehensive iconographic study of Siva' s only one of the several benign forms current in different parts of India. Uma-Mahesvara is a particular form of the divine couple of Uma. and Siva. Various Silpa texts lay down certain rules for making an image of Uma-Mahesvara. Following the scriptural injunctions, Indian artists have carved the lovely and youthful couple in warm embrace, usually face to face (sammukhina mudra) and engaged in various love sports viz. embracing each other (alingana), touching and caressing Uma' s breast by Siva (kuca-sparsa), uplifting her face by her chin (cibukotthapana) and holding the spouse in his lap (atikarohana). Uma-Mahesvara is a symbol par excellence of the union of the supreme god Siva with the supreme goddess Uma. This cosmic union of Purusa and Prakrti, the male and female principles, leads to procreation (srsti) and keeps the cycle of creation in it proper rotation.

The form of Uma-Mahesvara pulsating with human emotions was so fascinating that some other gods namely Visnu, Brahma, Ganesa, Kubera, Nandikegvara etc. were also represented in similar charming and embracing posture. This lovely form of Uma-Mahesvara also travelled in some neighbouring countries.

This discussion on Uma-Mahesvara sculpture has been substantiated by sixty-two halftone and sixty-four line-drawing illustrations. Details of illustrations, Bibliography, Glossary of Sanskrit words, Appendices (A-C) for Sanskrit quotations in Devanagari script with English translation and index have been appended. A chart showing state wise salient features and regional variations in Uma-Mahesvara sculptures at a glance is also attached at the end as Appendix D.

About the Author Dr. A L Srivastava, a student of the Lucknow University and a retired Professor of the Allahabad University, has been a good researcher in the field of Ancient Indian art and culture. He has contributed more than hundred papers on Indian art, sculpture, iconography and numismatics; and even more papers in number to the leading Hindi periodicals in the country.

Dr. Srivastava special field of study has been the auspicious art symbols like Svastika, Srivatsa, Nandyavarta, Palcahgulanka, Savatsago, etc. He has not only delivered series of lectures on these symbols in many reputed institutions and art centres but also produced books on them. Two of his books, Srivatsa and Bharatiya Kala-Pratika have been awarded.

More than twenty books on Indian art and symbols to his credit include: Life in Sanchi Sculpture (1983), Srivatsa :An Auspicious Symbol (1983), Bharatiya Kala (1988), Bharatiya Kala-Pratika (1989), Silpa-S'ri: Studies in Indian Art & Culture (1990), Nandyavarta : An Auspicious Symbol in Indian Art (1991), Pracina Bharatiya Deva-Martiyan (1998), Mahgalika Pratika (1999), Bharatiya Kala-Sampada (2001), Panchala Sculpture (2002) and Bharatiya Samskrti our Silpa (2003).

His Keen interest in the field of research enabled him to be invited by the Canadian Asian Studies Association, Ottawa to present his paper on an ancient art symbol Nandyavarta to the annual conference of the Learned Societies of Canada, held at the University of Montreal in June 1985, which later published in their Journal South Asian Horizon, Vol.4,1986.

Dr. Srivastava has been contributing regularly his research papers to the annual sessions of many academic bodies. Besides being a Life Member of some societies, namely the Indian Art History Congress, Guwahati, Panchala Research Institute, Kanpur and the Numismatic Society of India, B.H.U., Varanasi, Dr. Srivastava has also edited the research journals Kai-a (IAHC.Vols.I and II) and Patichala (Parichftla Research Institute, Vols. V to XI).

Credit goes to Dr. Srivastava for discovering a rare silver coin of the `Chandragupta Kumaradevi Type' and some rock paintings in the hills of Sanchi-Kanakhera and Nagori, District Raisen, M.P. (Prachya Pratibha, Bhopal, Vol. IV, No. 1).

Presently Dr. Srivastava is the President of the Panchala Research Institute, Kanpur.

Foreword Dr. A.L. Srivastava needs no introduction. He has already established himself in the scholarly field through his papers, articles and books in Hindi and English throwing welcome light on different topics of ancient Indian Art and Iconography. So far the undersigned knows there are 20 books and more than 100 research papers to his credit. Being a teacher of graduate and postgraduate classes throughout his life he could realize the difficulties, which average students with limited knowledge face now a days in their academic career. Keeping those in view Dr. Srivastava has written handy books in Hindi on Art and Architecture well illustrated with his own line sketches. For proper understanding and unchallengeable interpretation of sculptures sound grounding in Sanskrit is the foremost necessity and Dr. Srivastava does not lack in it. He often goes on citing passages from original texts in course of his writings and lecturers to support his views. His `sketch-pen' is also equally efficient. What one fails to describe in words can well be expressed in line drawings. Moreover, the line drawings not only reduce the cost of production, but at times these are more useful than photographs.

The present work on Uma-Mahesvara is a fresh addition to what Dr. Srivastava has already produced. General work on Hindu Iconography can never do full justice to individual deities of major or minor importance, specially to their respective forms current in different pockets of the country. This is truer in case of mediaeval sculptures; say those ranging between c.7th to le" centuries A.D.

Like Visnu, Siva too commanded popularity right from early times and is still worshipped under various names and forms. Uma-Mahesvara that is diva and his consort Parvati is one of the common benign forms of the god. Dr. Srivastava has studied this form in all its aspects. Even some parallel foam of some other deities have not escaped his notice. In his presentation Ube author has not only discussed several concerned sculptures from distant corners of India, but also has freely and copiously used related literary data collected from the religious and secular works. This has undoubtedly given rational colour to the iconographic discussion of the images.

Preface Uma-Mahesvara is one of the best icons of the Saiva sculpture among the whole repertoire of Indian Plastic art. In technical terminology, Uma-Mahesvara is a particular form of the divine couple of Uma and Siva. Various silpa texts lay down certain rules for making an image of Uma-Mahesvara. Following the scriptural injunctions, Indian artists have carved the lovely and youthful couple in warm embrace, usually face to face (sammukh7na mudra) and engaged in different love-sports viz.- embracing each other (alingana), touching the nipple of Uma' s breast by Siva (kuca-sparsa), uplifting her face by her chin and holding the spouse in his lap (ankarohana). Uma-Mahesvara is a symbol par excellence of the union of the supreme god Siva with the supreme goddess Uma. This union of Purusa and Prakrti, the male and female principles, leads to procreation and keeps the cycle of creation in its proper rotation. And_ therefore, Uma and Siva are regarded as the universal parents, jagatah pitarau (Raghuvaritha, I.1). This esotericism was translated into a visible form of Uma-Mahesvara.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages