CHARACTERISTICS:

Visual description: solid, straight.

Composition: static, balanced, symmetrical.

Interpretive: Possibilities include strong, powerful, serious.

QUESTION:

How many arms does he have?

ATTRIBUTES:

Visnu has four arms to show his great power.

QUESTION:

Can you stand or pose like Visnu? Does he stand like a tree trunk, a leaf, or a twig?

CHARACTERISTICS:

The sculpture looks more like a tree trunk. The legs are solidly planted in the ground. He looks straight on; one can imagine him standing there forever, without moving. He looks like a king standing in command. You can imagine standing like him for a photographer to take a formal portrait.

QUESTION:

How is he decorated?

ATTRIBUTES:

His many bands of decoration include a crown, necklace, chest band, belts, arm bands, bracelets, folds in the skirt, and anklets.

QUESTION:

What do you think he might be holding?

ATTRIBUTES:

He holds objects that are his attributes: a conch shell in his left hand and a discus in his right hand. Since the shell comes from the bottom of the sea and the discus flies high in the air, these two objects tell us that Visnu encompasses the whole universe.

QUESTION:

Because he holds a weapon (discus) and something to command soldiers (conch shell), what do you think Visnu does?

ATTRIBUTES:

Both objects tell us that Visnu is also a great warrior.

QUESTION:

He holds out one hand (gesture). Do you know what he is saying?

ATTRIBUTES:

He is saying by this hand gesture, "Don’t be afraid; I will help you." Hand gestures are symbols to help us figure out what the figures are saying.

COMPARISON:

With Visnu as the Boar Varaha for poses and gestures and to identify attributes.

On to the Visnu as the Boar Vahara