1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 16L 16T 16ab 16s 17 18 19 20a 20b 21 22 23 24 24a1 24a2 25 26 27 28 29 30 30a 31 32 32y 33 34 g1,2,3,4,5 g6,7 g8,9,10,11,12 g13,14,15,16 g17,18,19 j1,2 j3,4
Ellora Cave Temples



Vishnu

From the porch, which was provided with comfortable benches (now much restored) connecting the pillars on either side one can see a shrinelet for the pot-bellied and four faced Brahma on the right, facing a similar shrinelet with a standing Vishnu on the left. As expected, the priestly Brahma wears a jata (ascetic's) headdress, while the more regal Vishnu wears a crown. Vishnu's hands are broken, but Brahma's hands show (from the left) the rosary, abhaya (reassurance) mudra, broken (but probably held amrita flask), and (perhaps) a bent danda. Both gods are honored by flying dwarfs, and by female attendants below. The latter are probably goddesses, but are hard to identify. Perhaps the figure to Brahma's proper left is his consort Saraswati, with her water-jug, and the other Savitri.

1954 (_CAV2255.jpg)










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