Hindu Deity Brahma or Trimurti, 10th-15th Century CE
Bronze
MK.003
Brahma is a Hindu god, referred to as the 'Creator' within the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva. Iconographically, he can be shown as multi-headed and usually...
Brahma is a Hindu god, referred to as the "Creator" within the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva. Iconographically, he can be shown as multi-headed and usually carries a water-pot, signifying his position as the deity who associated with creation, knowledge, and the Vedas. Brahma is traditionally depicted with four faces and four arms. He is often depicted with a white beard, implying his sage-like experience. This bronze statue, believed to have been made in Java, Indonesia, depicted a male deity of Hinduism with three heads and six arms. He holds Lakçana (attributes or symbols) of Hindu deity such as a radle, water pot, lotus flower, vajra, and walking staff (or Weapon). It is possibly a representation of the Hindu deity Brahma or Trimurti. Trimurti, the word means 'three forms', is triad of the three gods Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva in Hinduism. The trimurti combines the three gods into a single form with three faces. Each god is in charge of one aspect of creation, with Brahma as creator, Vishnu as preserver, and Shiva as destroyer. Trimurti is considered the doctrine to be an attempt to reconcile different approaches to the divine with each other and with the philosophical doctrine of Brahman, the Ultimate Reality. The Trimurti is sometimes depicted as a three-headed figure. This symbolizes the Hindu belief that Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are all aspects of one supreme being, Brahman.
(Reference: Bansal, Sunita Pant. Hindu Gods and Goddesses. New Delhi: Smriti, 2005; Zimmer, Heinrich. Myths and Symbols in Indian Art and Civilization. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1972.)
(Reference: Bansal, Sunita Pant. Hindu Gods and Goddesses. New Delhi: Smriti, 2005; Zimmer, Heinrich. Myths and Symbols in Indian Art and Civilization. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1972.)