DevÄ« DurgÄ MahiÅÄsuramardinÄ«
DurgÄ the formidable one as slayer of the rÄkį¹£asaĀ MahiÅÄsura ā the buffalo demon; whence the appellation MahiÅÄsuramardinÄ«.
Himalayan Art was heavily influenced by art produced in the Indian heartland. The influence of PÄla Artwork from eastern India is especially evident. Yet, both NepÄla and Tibet developed their own stylistic conventions and interpretations. Much of PÄla Art was executed in stone, but the art of NepÄla seems to reach its acme in some stunning metalwork.
This magnificent gilded copper image of DevÄ« DurgÄ MahiÅÄsuramardinÄ« is a superb example of this evolution. Placing the main icon on a pedestal marked with lotus petals is a classic PÄla convention.Ā The goddess is portrayed with a slim waist and a calm visage with the eyes almost half closed in meditation ā characteristic of the iconography of NepÄla.
The rÄkį¹£asa MahiÅÄsura, obtained a boon that he could only be killed by a woman ā foolishly assuming that a weak female could never kill him thus making him immortal! Thus intoxicated with power, MahiÅÄsura embarked on world conquest wreaking violence and disruption, threatening to throw the cosmic order out of balance. Then, borne forth from the combined energy ā ÅaktÄ« ā of all the great Gods, having gathered their powerful weapon, mounting a giagantic and fierce lion as a vÄhana, the DevÄ« set out to destroy MahiÅÄsura.
The figure beautifully conveys the dynamism of the scene, depicting the DevÄ« in her moment of triumph over evil. Having cut off the head of the buffalo form assumed by the rÄkį¹£asa, the DevÄ« has seized MahiÅÄsura by his hair and dragging him out of the buffalo body, fatally stabbed him with her triÅÅ«la ā trident before he can even draw his sword.
Her aį¹£į¹adaÅabhuja ā eighteen-armed ā form, each arm wielding a celestial weapon, is depicted with the arms fanned out on either side, creating a whirling sense of motion and the immense power DevÄ« wields. This is in contrast with the Goddessesā exquisitely beautiful form and calm and dispassionate expression.
Gilded copper alloy, 13th Century CE
