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File:Sagar manthan (painting) circa 1820.jpg

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Summary

Author
Unknown authorUnknown author
Object type painting
object_type QS:P31,Q3305213
Description
English: "Depicts The Churning of the World. This remarkably detailed painting shows the Samudramanthana episode. At the centre of the composition is mount Mandara, identified by an inscription in English. As usual in South Indian painting, at the top of the mountain a temple's golden kalasha is visible. Just above it, Viṣṇu is emerging half bust from a cloud, carrying the amrita vessel in his hands. The densely forested Mandara, inhabited by gandharvas playing musical instruments, rests on the Kurma, duly identified by an inscription: 'Kurm raja'. Coiled around the mountain is the serpent Vasuki, identified as 'Vasuka', whose tail end is held by the dikpalas, here identified as 'Asuras' and the head by the asuras, here labelled 'Suras'. Both dikpalas and asuras stand in the ocean's water filled with fish. The dikpalas are headed by Indra easily recognizable by the vajra in his hand and by the thousand eyes on his body. He is followed by the two-headed Agni, the bushy-moustached Yama, and by Nirriti, Varuna, Vayu, Kubera, Ishana, Surya and Candra. On the opposite side are nine asuras, enveloped by the dark fumes spewed out by Vasuki. In the foreground are the many precious objects which emerged from the depths of the sea: the horse Uchchaihshravas, here depicted with only one instead of the usual seven heads, the white elephant Airavata, a throne(?), the fire, the tulsi plant, a chariot, the goddess Lakshmi seated on a lotus , identified by an inscription: 'Lakshmee, goddess of abundance', the parijata tree, Surabhi, Soma, a portly man seated on a throne carrying a book, identified by an inscription as 'Daruma god of water', possibly Varuna?, five precious stones, yet another tree, possibly the kalpavriksha, the apsaras, one of whom, Tilottama is immediately carried away by the asura brothers Sunda and Upasunda, and finally a goddess with a broom, possibly Jyeshtha or Alakshmi, sister of Lakshmi and goddess of misfortune. It should be noted that the list of the objects retrieved from the ocean varies according to the texts. The variety presented here is especially large, as it includes the throne, the fire, the tulsi, the chariot, and last but not least Alakshmi. It is also unusual to find the story of Tara, Sugriva and Vali hinted at in this context. Yet another remarkable feature is the presence of Varuna (?). It is generally Varuni the goddess of wine who appears in the renderings of this incident, and another strange omission is that of Dhanvantari, the physician of the gods, who appears with the amrita vessel in his hands. As noted above, in this painting it is Viṣṇu who carries the amrita to the devas. In the left upper corner of the painting Viṣṇu as Mohini, identified by an inscription 'Narayana', is doling out the amrita to the assembled gods seated opposite the asuras. While she is busy she is distracted by the asuras clamouring for their share. In that moment, Rahu seated among the devas, and anxious to get his share of amrita, is discovered and decapitated by Viṣṇu's cakra. The story continues in the upper right corner: the gods and the asuras are engaged in a fight, and immediately to the left, Śiva swallows the hahahala poison, shown as a blue line on his throat, under the watchful gaze of the gods and of Parvati."
Date circa 1820
date QS:P571,+1820-00-00T00:00:00Z/9,P1480,Q5727902
Medium gouache on paper
medium QS:P186,Q204330;P186,Q11472,P518,Q861259
Source/Photographer https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/A_2007-3005-7
Permission
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This is a faithful photographic reproduction of a two-dimensional, public domain work of art. The work of art itself is in the public domain for the following reason:
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Date/TimeThumbnailDimensionsUserComment
current06:56, 20 August 2020Thumbnail for version as of 06:56, 20 August 20206,836 × 4,240 (6.23 MB)Aavindraalarger
13:49, 30 March 2010Thumbnail for version as of 13:49, 30 March 2010750 × 449 (142 KB)Redtigerxyz{{Information |Description={{en|1="Painting on paper depicting The Churning of the World. This remarkably detailed painting shows the Samudramanthana episode. At the centre of the composition is mount Mandara, identified by an inscription in English. As

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