Vishnu Vaikuntha

This magnificent and ornate bronze of Vishnu Vaikuntha is from Kashmir Valley, displaying four headed Vishnu standing in tribhanga posture on a rectangular pedestal, and flanked by his personified attributes, Gada Devi on right and Chakrapurusa on left, both are engaged in fanning the god with flywhisks. A tiny image of goddess Earth is also emerging between the god's feet. The four heads of Vishnu are those of a placid human being in the front of a lion and of a boar on sides and of a ferocious being at the back. Adorned heavily with jewelled ornaments and a crown, the deity places his rear hands upon the heads of Gada Devi and Chakrapurusa and holds the lotus and conch in his front hands. Braided hair locks are spread on the shoulders and part of the hair is gathered up in a conical pile at the top of the head. The dhoti is seen tied around the thighs in a very stylistic manner. The eyes are inlaid with silver. The pedestal is provided with a spout to drain off fluids poured ritually over the image. The images of three faced Vishnu of Gupta period were enlarged by an addition of a fourth head (Kapila/Rudra) on the backside during the 8th century A.D. in Kashmir. According to Vishnudharmottara Purana these four heads correspond with Vasudeva (human head), Samkarsana (Narsimha head), Pradyumna (Kapila head) and Aniruddha (Varaha head) symbolizing respectively, bala (strength), jnana (knowledge), aisvarya (sovereignty) and sakti(energy).