This Stylized Bronze Vishnu Dashavatara Panel in Hoysala art is a magnificent handmade wall hanging from South India, showcasing the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu, known as the Dashavatara. Arranged left to right, the avatars depicted are Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Narasimha, Vamana, Parasurama, Rama, Balarama, Krishna, and Kalki. The semi-spherical shape of the panel adds to its aesthetic appeal.
Flanking the panel, two three-wick lamps illuminate the divine scene, featuring the iconic symbols of Shankha and Chakra as crowning images. This creation not only exemplifies the intricate craftsmanship of Hoysala art but also serves as a spiritual focal point, narrating the divine narrative of Lord Vishnu's incarnations and invoking reverence in the hearts of devotees.
This highly ornate and exquisitely beautiful wall depicts the ten major forms or ‘avatars’ of Vishnu, along with three important symbols of the Vaishnavite tradition. Such wall hangings form an integral part of the Hindu household, and typically placed over a door or a walkway, these symbolise as spiritual gateways.
Vishnu’s presence as the supreme god of preservation dictates his duty that as the protector of good and the ‘para brahman,’ his divine powers are always working to keep the righteous cycle of dharma in balance. Thus, in every ‘yuga’ or age, Vishnu has manifested himself in various avatars to cleanse the earth from the evils of adharma.
From the left, we see Matsya, the fish avatar; Kurma, the tortoise avatar;’ Varaha, or the half boar/half man avatar; Narasimha, the half lion/half man avatar; Vamana, the dwarf avatar; Parashurama, the warrior avatar;’ Rama, the king of righteousness and morality; Balrama, an extension of Ananta Shesha and the elder brother of Krishna; Krishna, the mischievous avatar central to the Mahabharata; and Hayagriva, the half horse/half man avatar that reigns as the god of knowledge and wisdom. Kalki’s absence as the final form is a reminder to the viewer that that avatar of Vishnu is yet to come, for its coming shall herald the end of our current ‘yuga.’
The other three symbols in place are the ‘shankha’ or conch in the lower left, the ‘sudarshana chakra’ or war discus at the lower right, and the ‘Urdhava Pundra tilak’ or mark placed on the top. The ‘tilak,’ specifically the ‘sricharanam’ here, is a mark of identification that members of the Sri Vaishnava tradition wear. The two outer lines represent the feet of Vishnu, while the middle part represents Lakshmi.
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