Chaturbhuja Vishnu with Elaborate Prabhavali - Bronze Sculpture

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In his proto manifestation Lord Vishnu is represented mostly either as standing straight or as reclining on the coils of the great serpent Shesh, though being four-armed, the former is better known as Chaturbhuja Vishnu, while the latter, as Sheshasana or Sheshasayi Vishnu, one representing him in act, while the other, as resting – one who redeems by his act, while the other, by his mere presence. His imagery abounds in great mystique especially his standing image – as this bronze-cast.

In such images he appears to lean upon his mace as also as making a forward move with one of his feet put ahead of the other though neither his figure bends over his mace nor his foot actually moves; it is often modeled to appear as doing something that it does not. Besides the mode of holding the mace, ordinarily a mere symbolic attribute and rarely a tool of war, the upwards pulled eyebrows, the fully stretched eyelids and a determination readably writ on his face characterize the image of Chaturbhuja Vishnu. He is represented essentially as the cosmic commander who commands for order, curves evil and promotes good.

The image has been raised over a pedestal consisting in two parts, each two-tiered representing the known and the unknown worlds that Lord Vishnu pervades. The bottom part consists of a rectangle base composed of conventionalized lotuses. It tapers in upwards rise and is topped by a plain but beautifully chamfered highly finished top. Over the projected front of this base unit is erected the proper lotus seat. It has been modeled like a bowl turned upside down the base unit of which – a plain roundel, holds over it the deity-image.

As over the lotus seat is raised the deity image from the base unit of the pedestal’s two rectangular ends begins the arch that the image of Lord Vishnu enshrines. The arch rises in a straight line over the icons of auspicious Yalis on both sides, and at the middle two makaras sprout a circular fire-arch from their mouths. The whole composition is topped by a ‘Kirtimukha’ motif.

With the multi-layered crown the image of Lord Vishnu acquires a far taller and robust form. The image has been conceived with a round face, sharp nose, lotus-like eyes, small cute lips, well fed cheeks, a well-defined neck and a highly balanced anatomy. The face of our benevolent Lord is radiating a divine smile, reassuring us of his presence whenever we are in distress.