Gaze upon the captivating Trimukhi Ganesha, representing the three-faced deity sculpted with utmost precision through Madhuchista Vidhana on the canvas of Panchaloha Bronze from Swamimalai. Each face signifies a facet of the cosmic trinity, fostering a deep connection with the divine forces that govern the universe. He has been depicted in red-coloured complexion in many art forms. Two right hands hold the Japa Mala of Rudraksha beads and the elephant goad, and two left hands hold a noose and an urn filled with nectar. In addition, although his main right-hand projects the boon-granting Varada mudra, the other hand shows the Abhaya mudra, which protects the devotees. With all the auspicious iconography and the divine form of Lord Ganesha, this sculpture invites contemplation on the intricate balance maintained within the cosmic order, symbolized by the three faces of Lord Ganesha.
This ‘Trimukha’ or three-headed form of Ganapati, the lord of auspicious starts and the remover of obstacles, is the manifestation of an effulgent twenty-eighth iteration of the lord that is detailed in the Mudgala Purana, and visually depicted in the temples at Nanjangud and Chamarajanagar along with their ‘dhyanashloka,’ or meditation verse. This particular form is manifested with six arms: the three on his right carry the elephant goad, a rosary bead or ‘rudraksha mala,’ and grant boons with the ’varada mudra’ posture. The arms on the left carry the ‘pasha’ or the noose, an urn of celestial nector, or the ‘amritakumbha,’ and the hand gesture of ‘abhaya mudra,’ dispelling fear.
Ganesha’s attributes serve as benevolent as well and vengeful instruments of righteousness. The goad and the noose are symbolised to guide the devotee on the path of dharma, and break through the pestilence of adharma. The rosary beads channel the prayers Ganesha’s devout, and also receives Shiva’s blessings. The Purna-Kalasha, which carries the elixir ‘amrita,’ is said to be the embodying symbol of Ganesha himself.
The combined elegance of such attributes and their mythic traditions, coupled with the graceful and royal poise of ‘lalitasana’ in which the ‘sthapati’ has presented the ‘Trimukha’ Ganesha on top of a raised rectangular plinth here makes for a splendid bronze sculpture to acquire.
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