Ascetic Ardhanarishvara

Lord Shiva fuses into His Devi Parvati. With the loincloth wrapped around His hips and the formidable trishool in His hands, He traverses the exacting Himalayan terrain with equanimity. Devi Parvati is clad in a rose-coloured saree and befitting gold shringar, but the asceticism of Her husband is reflected in the kamandalu in Her hands and the composure of Her countenance. In this fluid composition, the two are depicted as a single harmonious unit, the Ardhanarishvara deity.

Ardhanarishvara is a composite Hindu deity. It is unlike anything found in the theism of other cultures and encapsulates one of the basic existential principles of Sankhyadarshana (Indian philosophy). According to the Sankhyakarika (the primary Sankhyadarshana text), all of srshti (creative projection) as we know it (drshyam) is a result of the confluence of purusha and prakrti, of the masculine/energy principle and the feminine/matter principle, of Lord Shiva and Devi Parvati. Herein lies the singular nature of Ardhanarishvara.

This superfine marble sculpture captures the beauty of Ardhanrishvara with great finesse and skill. The iconography has been done with a great deal to precision and attention to detail - the congruence of their adornments, the symmetry of composure and hair, the signature karnakundalas. Such a murti would be a valuable and unusual addition to the space of any devotee.