One is Shakti- the primordial source of all the creation, the second is the consciousness, the wisdom that allows the various beings in the universe to understand and comprehend their existence- Buddhi, and the third is the provider of nourishment to the life forms, through food and material wealth- Lakshmi. This Panchaloha bronze composite of the great Hindu Tridevis- three mother-goddesses is a rare representation of the powerful female divinities in one icon.
Saraswati, Lakshmi, and Durga (sometimes Kali or Parvati) are the manifestations of the potencies of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva- the three male deities who look after the task of creating, preserving, and destroying. Without the presence of the active female element alongside them, the great male trinity (Tridevas) is rendered useless. Only when the passive male element or Purusha combines with the active female- Prakriti, the wheel of time is set into motion, and the phases of creation, stagnation, and destruction all occur in the desired harmony. Besides their role as the enabler of the Tridevas, these three goddesses are also seen as three different aspects of the primordial mother- Adi Shakti or Para Shakti, who is the culmination of all the active material aspects of the universe. It is She who becomes Saraswati and inspires Brahma to create, it is She who becomes Vishnu’s Mahamaya and assists him by creating the unending illusion of human existence and it is She who becomes Kali and instigates Shiva into performing his great dance of destruction. In her form as the great female energy, the goddess is evoked by the mantra or chant- “Om Aim Hreem Kleem Chamundaye Viche”. The “Aim” in the chant represents Saraswati, “Hreem” Lakshmi and “Kleem” signifies Kali or Parvati. Together, these goddesses are the representative of the various characteristics of Chamunda- the omnipresent divine warrior goddess, who is the creator, savior, and annihilator of the universe. Therefore, the three goddesses as presented in this magnificent Panchaloha icon are not three different deities, but three aspects of one great divine made visible through the means of sculpture.
All three goddesses are four-armed, beautifully adorned with divine ornaments and attire, and are provided separate padmasana or lotus platforms. Maa Saraswati and Durga are seated in Lalitasana, while goddess Lakshmi stands gracefully in the center of the idol. The devoutness of the artist towards his craft, which is visible in this bronze work, appears to have pleased the great mothers, whose motherly presence is felt in their representations. This rare Panchaloha composite is nothing short of the Adi Shakti’s benevolence for her ardent devotee or anyone who seeks to benefit from the affectionate gaze of the Adi Shakti- the primordial mother.
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