The crowded pantheon of Hinduism, magnificently represented in art and dramatically described in the great classics of Hindu religious literature, is a fascinating but often complex subject. Hindu Gods and Goddesses is a modest contribution to an understanding of the major groups of deities that feature in the Vedas, Epics and Puranas as well as in Hindu folk religion.
The deities are chosen from a delightful but often neglected group of bronzes, many illustrated for the first time, that are mainly nineteenth century South Indian in origin. The text provides a brief account of the rich mythology associated with the principal deities. Its explanation of terms, the diagrammatic guide to symbols and hand gestures and the index make this a useful and straightforward introduction to Hindu iconography.
Contents:
Deities are listed in plate number Introduction Fig. I Hand gesture (mudras), hair styles, symbols, etc. Fig. II Symbols and weapons Bibliography Surya (Surya Narayana) Brahma Brahma Sarasvati Sarasvati Vishnu Vishnu, Bhogasthanakamurti Vishnu, with Shridevi and Bhudevi Lakshmi-Narayana Lakshmi-Narayana on Garuda Matsya Kurma Varaha Narasimha Vamana Parashurama Rama Shatrughna and Lakshmana Yashoda Krishna Krishna Kaliyadamana Krishna as a boy stealing the butter ball Krishna and Radha The child Krishna lying on a fig leaf Balarama Kalkin Vishnu reclining on the serpent Shesha Vitthali Garuda Ramanuja Shiva Somaskanda Shiva Chandrashekhara Virabhadra Shiva and Parvati (Uma Maheshvara) Shiva Nataraja Nandin Ganesha Skanda Karttikeya Narada Khandoba and Mhalsa Bhairava Hanuman Ravana Arjuna and Bhima Durga Mahishasuramardini Pidari Karaikkal - Ammaiyar Shani (the planet Saturn) Index
Vedas (1226)
Upanishads (513)
Puranas (636)
Ramayana (768)
Mahabharata (381)
Dharmasastras (169)
Goddess (528)
Bhakti (253)
Saints (1634)
Gods (1315)
Shiva (407)
Journal (176)
Fiction (64)
Vedanta (383)
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