“Dakshinamurthy”- the form of Shiva facing south or Dakshina is the representation of the Lord as the supreme teacher or Guru. He who unveiled divine wisdom to Brahma and Vishnu, imparted the knowledge of Tantra to Parvati, he is the ultimate and primordial teacher or Adi Guru. Shaded by a Vata-vriksha or Banayan tree, a holy object in Hinduism and an Indian vision of the World Tree or tree of life, Dakshinamurthy in this bronze statue is engaged in imparting wisdom to the sages and ascetics who gather around him, with hands in Namaskar or the gesture of paying obeisance.
The form of Dakshinamurthy is adorned exquisitely, with a distinctive Jatabhara or hair ornamentation, embellished by a serpent, Ganga, and crescent moon. The ever-youthful countenance of Shiva is animated by a third eye and Tripunda, a serpent, and a round earring adorn his ears, a string of beads is his necklace, a Yajnopavita or sacred thread and a Udarbandha or belly belt adorn his torso and he wears a tiger skin garment.
In his four hands, Dakshinamurty carries a drum or drum symbolizing creation, Agni or fire as a source of awakening and annihilation, Veda and the mudra of Abhaya or fearlessness. Under his feet is Apasmara, the demon of ignorance, who is, unlike the trampling of Nataraja in Tandava, is only shadowed by the lotus foot of Dakshinamurthi. Above the Banyan tree sits a parrot, the great Shuka Deva, who is amongst the many receivers of Shiva-gyana (the knowledge of Shiva).
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.
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