A & J Speelman
A Research Paper by
Freddie Matthews
Reclining Gaurī with child (Sadyojāta) Śiva. H: 29 cm (11.4 inches); L: 58 cm
(22.8 inches). Black chloritic schist. Pāla period; 11th century, Northeast
India or Bangladesh (Probably Northwest Bengal). Inscribed.
The image of the mother goddess in Indian art is an archetypal one. From
Ambikā- the Jain mother goddess - to Māyā, mother of the Buddha, Indian
religious mythology is rich in divine, maternal, Madonna like figures.¹ Whilst this
horizontal stele ostensibly characterizes this tradition, it actually represents a
specific passage within the Hindu Purānic text, the Brahmapurāna, whereby the
goddess Gaurī ('fair complexioned Parvati’), encounters her consort to be, Śiva,
albeit in neonate form (sadyojāta).² This subject matter was extremely popular
within Bengal sculpture of the mid Pala period, with several similar depictions
found in northern Bangladesh and the adjacent districts of West Bengal.³
Within the scene, Gaurī lies elegantly across a luxurious cot, framed by attentive
maidservants at either side in tribhangha poses, each equipped with flywhisks.⁴
Whilst a large, rounded cushion incised with a four-petal floral motif supports
her upper body, she also rests her head upon her left hand with her palm
presented frontally, as if offering abhaya (reassurance) mudrā to the beholder.
The walls of the cot slant outwards at about a ten-degree angle, and are
decorated with more four-petal medallions. Gaurī’s left leg is crossed and raised
behind her right leg, as a third maidservant massages her left foot. Her right arm
is stretched out parallel to her side, as she grasps a blooming lily (utpala) in her
hand. At her left side the child figure of sadyojāta-Śiva is respectfully turned to
the spectator in añjali mudrā.
The goddess is dressed in a long, striated sari secured by beaded belt decoration,
with a small ornate bow to her side. Whilst her garment is separated at her waist
to reveal her bare stomach and hips, three diagonal striations continue around
her left shoulder where they meet a long beaded necklace, as well as what
appears to be a yajñopavītam (sacred thread) draped down her left side. She is
also adorned with a heavy, stiff collar necklace characteristic of Gaya District
sculpture⁵ as well as a three-tiered, beaded tiara. Details such as Gaurī’s
fingernails have been carved with loving attention, as have her full cheeks, tearshaped tilaka and wide, deeply ridged eyebrow. Due to the fact that the depth of
carving appears to fade out when viewed from above (such as on the heads of
the attendants), it is likely that the stele was originally intended to be viewed
frontally from below.
A long undecorated horizontal band frames the scene at its top, whilst a broader
horizontal band decorated with triangular ‘half-lotuses’ extends across its
bottom. Upon the wall above Gaurī’s head, are the figures of Kārttikeya (Skanda),
Gaṇeśa and a Śiva-linga, confirming the Śaivite nature of the stele.⁶ The two sons
appear connected to their mother by a kind of ribbon, which emanates from
behind her side beside a bulbous, striated object. Four kneeling devotees in
añjali are also depicted beneath the horizontal base of the cot. Whilst three of
these figures are represented on double lotus bases (indicative of their divinity),
a single figure is also presented without such a base, suggesting that this may be
the donor to whom the stele is inscribed. To the right of these devotees, are two
items- an ornate cauldron and a rimmed circular object.⁷ The later probably
represents Gaurī’s mirror, which she uses to harmonize Shiva's extreme
asceticism with the illusory world.
Inscription:
[ornament] dānapati mā[dho/khā ]māsa || dā napati [mā]ālāï
This simply lists the two donors as probably mādhomāsa / mākhāmāsa and
mālāï /mālā, presumably husband and wife. The "m" of Mālā is a guess, it could
be read as vyā, ndhā, and a few other possibilities.
Note to the translation: there is an element of uncertainty over the names of the
donors. This could perhaps be because the engraver may have been illiterate; in
that case someone else presumably wrote the names with chalk and a craftsman
copied as best he could, but distorting some characters. These votive inscriptions
often have dubious elements to them.
Translated by Somadeva Vasudeva, Columbia University
Notes:
¹ Other Indian mother-goddess figures include Devakī (mother of Krsna), Yaśodā,
foster-mother of Krsna; Hārītī, the protectress of all children; Kauśalyā, mother
of Rāma; and so on.
² See Bhattasali. 1929., p. 136-142.
³ See, Haque and Adalbert J. 2008., p. 78.
⁴ The attendant behind Parvati’s head also seems to hold a small rectangular
object, perhaps a book.
⁵ See Huntington. 1984., p. 112.
⁶ The Navagrahas (‘Nine Planetary Gods) are also frequently depicted on similar
steles, as well as occasionally the Dikpāla (Guardians of the Directions).
⁷ Similar steles often depict various naivedyas (holy offerings) and upacāras
(pujā attendances) in this area below the cot.
* The scene to which this stele references can be found within chapter XXXVIII of
the Brahmapurāna, in a passage that reads:
“When the divine daughter of the Mountain came with a garland in her hands to
the assembly of gods where she was to choose her husband, Siva, in order to test
her, assumed the form of a child and was found sleeping on the lap of the bride. She,
perceiving the child and coming to know through meditation that he was the god
Siva himself, accepted him with pleasure. Then the daughter of the Mountain, glad
to receive the husband that her heart desired for, returned from the assembly
holding the child against her breast.”
(Passage from the Brahmapurāna, chapter XXXVIII. In Bhattasali, 1929., p137138)
Sources:
Bhattasali, Nalini Kanta. 1929. Iconography of Buddhist and Brahmanical
Sculptures in the Decca Museum. Rai S.N. Bhadra Bahadur, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Bussagli, Mario and Sivaramamurti, Calembus. 1974, 5000 Years of the Art of
India. H.N. Abrams, New York.
Haque, Enamul and Gail, Adalbert J. Eds. 2008. Sculptures in Bangladesh: An
Inventory of Select Hindu, Buddhist and Jain Stone and Bronze Images in Museums
and Collections of Bangladesh (up to the 13th Century). The International Centre
for Study of Bengal Art, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Lefèvre, Vincent and Boussac, Marie-Françoise. Eds. 2000. Art of the Ganges
Delta: Masterpieces from Bangladeshi Museums. Musée Guimet, Paris.
Pal, Pratapaditya. 1988. Indian Sculpture: A Catalogue o the Los Angeles County
Museum of Art Collection (Volume II). University of California Press, Berkeley.
Compare with:
Gaurī with child (Sadyojāta) Śiva. Kosham Shahar, Bogra. Mahasthan
Museum, Bangladesh.
Gaurī with Śiva Sadyojāta. Black stone. 70 x 32 x 10 cm. 11th century.
Khetlal (Joypurhat). Mahāsthān Archaeological Museum. Published in:
Lefèvre and Boussac. 2000., p. 258-259.
A Recumbent Lady. Bengal; early 11th century. Schist; 18.7 cm. The Los
Angeles County Museum of Art Collection, Gift of Neil Kreitman. Published
in: Pal. 1988., p., 93.
‘Mother and Child’ and Inscription. Rajsahi Museum, India. Published in:
Bhattasali. 1929., pl. LIV.
Gaurī with Śiva Sadyojāta. Black stone. 70 x 32 x 10 cm. 11th century.
Khetlal (Joypurhat). Mahāsthān Archaeological Museum. Published in:
Lefèvre and Boussac. 2000., p. 258-259.
Sadyojata. The Decca Museum, India. Published in: Bhattasali. 1929., pl.
LIV.
Gaurī with child (Sadyojāta) Śiva. Kosham Shahar, Bogra. Mahasthan
Museum, Bangladesh.
Goddess Gauri with child. 58 x 32 cm. Chowra-kasba, Rajshahi district,
Bangladesh. 11th-12th Century. Indian Museum, Calcutta.
Gaurī with sadyojāta-Śiva. Mahasthan Museum. Blackstone; 28 x 69 cm; c.
11th-12th century; Mahadebpur, Naogaon district; generally preserved.
Published in: Haque and Gail. 2008., pl. 21.
Gaurī with sadyojāta-Śiva. Bangladesh Collection. Published in: Haque and
Gail. 2008. pl. 359.
Gaurī with sadyojāta-Śiva. Bangladesh Collection. Published in, Haque and
Gail. 2008., Pl. 361.
Gaurī with sadyojāta-Śiva. Rangpur Museum. Blackstone; 43 x 102 cm; c.
11th/12th century; shifted from Department of Archaelogy, Dhaka; right
side damaged. Published in: Haque and Gail. 2008., pl. 360.
Gaurī with sadyojāta-Śiva. Bangladesh Collection. Published in: Haque and
Gail. 2008., pl. 359.
Gaurī with sadyojāta-Śiva. Bangladesh Collection. Published in: Haque and
Gail. 2008., pl. 358.
Gaurī with sadyojāta-Śiva. Bangladesh Collection. Published in: Haque and
Gail. 2008., pl. 362.
Gaurī with sadyojāta-Śiva. Bangladesh Collection. Published in: Haque and
Gail. 2008., pl. 363.
Gaurī with sadyojāta-Śiva. Bangladesh Collection. Published in: Haque and
Gail. 2008., pl. 361.