Goddess Rajarajeshwari- “queen of the kings”, is the great Hindu mother goddess, one of the 10 (Dasa) Mahavidyas (great wisdom). She is the tutelary deity, evoked in the “Lalita-Sahastranama” (thousand names for the beautiful goddess) and Saundarya Lahari, and is the source of the 10 incarnations of Vishnu, the potencies of Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva, the central deity of the Sri Vidya cult. Embodying her descriptions in the hymns and chants that worship her, goddess Rajarajeshwari appears as the queen-mother in this splendid bronze Hoysala idol of the Devi.
In the famous Lalita-Sahastranama, goddess Rajarajeshwari or Lalita-Tripurasundari is described as “seated on a royal throne, adorned with beautiful jewels and fortunate signs of a married woman, possessing a youthful form, a crescent moon on her head and a smile that allures Shiva himself.” In this Hoyasal bronze goddess Rajarajeshwari statue, all these elements are masterfully included by the craftsman. The lotus that forms the throne of the queen-mother Lalita-Tripurasundari, is believed to be emerging from the naval of Lord Shiva.
The ornamentation of the bronze icon is amazing, with a grand Kirtimukha aureole surrounding the goddess, decorated with yali (composite animal figures, mostly horse and lion) pillars that represent the royal prowess of the sovereign goddess and peacocks joining the aura with the pillars, symbolizing the celestial beauty of Tripurasundari. As seen in this awe-inspiring bronze goddess Rajarajeshwari statue, the mother-goddess is the presiding deity of the realm of richness, royalty, and spirituality. In her four hands, the goddess holds a goad, a noose, a lotus, and a beautifully depicted sugarcane piece or “Ikshu-Khanda”. Filled with nourishing sweet juice, the sugarcane represents the nectar of wisdom that the goddess provides.
On her pitha (shrine), stands goddess Lakshmi- who rules over wealth and Lord Ganesha- the remover of all obstacles. Goddess Lakshmi as Sri is closely related to Devi Rajarajeshwari- both of them important deities in the Lakshmi Tantra and Sri Chakra. As the central goddess in the Matrika (mother-goddess) cluster, Devi is also connected to Ganesha, who is often mentioned as assisting the Matrikas in goddess Durga’s battles with the forces of the demon-kings.
Embodying the great mother’s powers in this bronze Rajarajeshwari icon composite, are two couchant lions, an extension of her unparalleled powers. Beautiful detailing has gone into the making of this bronze icon, made clear from the symmetry of the images, and the treatment of minor elements. The platform on which goddess Rajarajeshwari is enthroned is in itself an inspired work of art, decorated with flowing vines that sprout from the entirety of the stand.
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