Height: 24.5 inches Base Width:10.5 inches Base Depth:7 inches Weight: 39 pounds Materials: Panchaloha bronze made of 5 metals; Copper, Tin, Zinc, with small amounts of Gold & Silver Casting:Lost Wax Method
Defining Features of the
Bhikshatana Statue: Shiva is handsome and striking. He embodies the
wandering ascetic Bhikshatana in this statue. His headdress has a cobra and a
crescent moon. His face is beautiful with Shiva's third eye on His brow. He
wears a woman's and man's earrings which is an attribute from Shiva synthesis
with His wife, Parvati as Ardhanari. His hair is long and matted with curls on
the ends and a crescent moon on the left side. He has four hands which hold a
dhamru or drum and a skull bowl. Shiva's arms have beautifully carved designs
on all of his biceps with intricate bracelets on his wrists. A long cobra acts
almost like a belt as it rests on his hips. His long naked form is smooth a
untainted. He wears sandals on his feet. To Shiva's right is a dog up on his
heels looking to lick Shiva hand. The base is rectangle shaped with two poles
sticking up that are used in processions to carry the deity around during
dharsan. Shiva has a beautiful antique green patina except for his nose
which is spot touched by devotees.
"On the Tiruvadiral festival day, Shiva comes forth from the main shrine in
the guise of a beggar. the iconographic form of this bronze is known as
Bhikshatana or Enchanting Mendicant, and it refers to a well-known narrative of
Shiva's manifestation in the Pine Forest hermitage. In order to convert a group
of Vedic forest-dwellers to a more efficacious form of worship, the story goes,
Shiva once took on the appearance of a naked, ash-smeared beggar and showed up
unexpectedly in their ashram. Despite his unprepossessing appearance, the
mendicant proved irresistible to the wives of the Pine Forest sages. The women
sang, danced and clung to him in erotic abandon. Failing to recognize the
disguised deity, and enraged by this invasion of their austere lives, the sages
tried to attack the beggar, but all their curses and sacrificial weapons were
useless against the god. Finally, in a verbal confrontation, Shiva tore off and
threw down his penis (Linga) before the astonished hermits and disappeared. In
the end, the sages became successful practitioners of the new rites of
worshipping the Shiva-Linga." Excerpt taken from "The Sensuous and the Sacred Chola Bronzes From South
India".
Care:The piece can be used both indoors and outdoors. Dust the piece regularly. If you would like the piece to shine use a cotton cloth with some coconut oil or other natural oil to wipe down the statue.
Shipping:Shipping is automatically calculated by UPS for shipping within the US and Canada. This piece should be shipped within 24 hours of the order with the exception of the weekend. If you are in Canada please select "UPS Standard to Canada" for the shipping option. If you are an international customer please select "TNT International Shipping" during checkout. The shipping will come out as $0 and will be added to your order. Please call 203-629-0902 or email us info@bronzecreative.com for a shipping quote.
Please call Bronze Creative @ 866-568-8712, International 203-629-0902 or email us info@bronzecreative.com