Himalayan Art Resources

Item: Shiva (Indian God)

ལྷ་དབང་ཕྱུག། ཧིན་དྷུ་དང་ནང་པ། 自在天(印度和佛教神)
(item no. 65818)
Origin Location Nepal
Date Range 1700 - 1799
Lineages Hindu
Material Metal
Collection Rubin Museum of Art
Notes about the Central Figure

Classification: Deity

Interpretation / Description

Shiva Lingam, Pashupatinath: there are four faces surrounding the Linga and a central formless face above that represent five aspects of Shiva and five geographic holy places. Tatpurusha is on the east side and represents Jaganath, Aghora on the south side representing Rameshwar, Vamadeva on the north side representing Badri Narain, Sadyojata on the west side representing Dvarika and Ishana in the center facing up representing Pashupati Temple complex in Kathmandu Valley. There are descriptions for the four different faces and the attributes held in the hands but generally they are difficult to differentiate.

Jeff Watt 12-2007

Secondary Images
Related Items
Thematic Sets
Collection of Rubin Museum of Art: Nepal
Collection of Rubin Museum of Art: Sculpture (Gallery 2)
Hindu: Shiva Lingam & Covers