HIndu Blog Posts, About Hindu Gods, goddesses

New Brass Statues of Hindu Gods

Brass Statue of Hindu God Ganesh — Click here to view all our brass statues of Hindu Gods including this seated Ganesh statue

Lotus Sculpture has received a new shipment from North India of brass statues of Hindu Gods. The brass statues are a completely new addition to Lotus Sculpture’s offerings. The Hindu brass statues are made in Delhi, India. Brass sculptures are less expensive than the bronze statues we carry making it possible for everyone to bring home a Hindu statue from Lotus Sculpture without spending hundreds of dollars.

Brass Hindu statues are typically much less expensive than bronze. This makes them very attractive to households looking for a Hindu deity for their home altar for daily puja. Brass statues take less time to make than their bronze counterparts as each design is copied from one master mold. It is possible to find multiple copies of each brass statue. Each statue Lotus Sculpture carries is hand selected by the founder of Lotus Sculpture, Kyle Tortora who regularly visits Asia to choose the statues for the store.

“I take great pride in personally selecting each statue Lotus Sculpture carries and am happy to now offer high quality, brass statues of Hindu gods further making Lotus Sculpture the destination to find the highest quality Hindu sculpture in the world.”
says Tortora

Over the years, the quality of brass statues has risen significantly. It is now possible to find quality brass statues in India which is the reason Lotus Sculpture is now carrying them. The quality will never reach the level of detail and power inherent in lost wax method bronze statues, however, the quality and price of the statues makes them the perfect statues for homes that want a quality Hindu god but cannot quite afford the highest quality bronze statues.

Bronze Hindu God Krishna statue — Click here to view all our Lost Wax Method Hindu Bronze Statues including this Krishna statue

Previously, Lotus Sculpture has exclusively carried one of a kind, lost wax method bronze statues. Bronzes are made in Tamil Nadu in the South of India. Bronze statues are one of a kind statues made by hand. The bronze making art has been passed on from generation to generation unchanged since the Chola dynasty in South India 1100AD. Lost wax bronze statues are used in Hindu temples throughout India and the world. Bronze statues are prized for their fine detail and their connection to the past. Bronze antiques are prized by collectors and are seen in museums around the world. The high quality bronzes take months and sometimes years to produce. Lost wax bronze statues are made from a combination of 5 metals with high amounts of copper which produces a high quality metal alloy; bronze. Only one statue is made at a time. Each step of the lengthy and complicated lost wax process is performed in rural villages using the same techniques passed down for centuries. Lotus Sculpture is pleased to play their part in keeping the lost wax tradition alive in India.

Lotus Sculpture’s addition of Hindu brass statues to our collection of lost wax bronze statues will further reinforce that there is only one place to find the highest quality Hindu sculpture in the world; Lotus Sculpture!

Agni: Hindu God of Fire

“Agni I laud, the high priest, god, minister of sacrifice, the invoker, lavishest of wealth.” Rigveda

Agni, Hindu God of Fire, is one of the most renowned Hindu deities within the Rigveda. Fire is a central component of all Vedic rituals. According to Vedic myth he is second in importance to only his twin brother Indra, Lord of the Heavens, and is distinguished as the supreme director of religious ceremonies serving as a middleman delivering Gods word to man. Agni is said to be a divine model for all priests, mediating between the Gods and humans. Priests should aspire to mirror his image in practice and devotion as he projects a patient and dignified reflection. No Vedic sacrificial ritual is complete without his presence. Angi is often depicted as having either two or seven hands, two heads, three legs, and seven fiery tongues as he rides atop a ram or fiery chariot.

As oldest son of Brahma, Agni joins with Indra and Surya, the Lord of the Skies, in the first Hindu holy trinity. He is said to embody ten forms, the first five of which are physical forms, and the last five ritual forms: ordinary fire, lightening, the sun, digestive fire, destructive fire, fire lit by sticks for ceremony, fire for home worship, fire given to initiate students, funeral fire, and fire of the ancestors. Although mostly seen as religious teacher, Agni is also sometimes feared for his destructive capacities. He is priest of Hindu Gods and God of priests. Among certain Vedic hymns, Agni can even be portrayed as that as a Supreme God:

‘Commingling, restless, he ascends the sky, unveiling nights and all that stands or moves, as he the sole God is preeminent in greatness among all these other Gods.’

Agni is one of the only Vedic deities to be so highly regarded still into present day. All life’s journeys are presided over by Agni and end with Agni as funeral fire marks our eventual end.

Shiva as Nataraja holds the Hindu God Agni in his left hand

Agni is rarely depicted in sculpture as a stand alone figure. However, he is included in one of the most recognizable poses in all of Hinduism; Shiva as the Lord of Dance Nataraja. Shiva holds the a burning flame in the palm of his left hand. The flame represents the Hindu god Agni.

Shiva as Ardhanari: ‘Lord Who is Half Woman’

red marble shiva as ardhanari statue — Click here to view our Shiva as Ardhanari statues

Shiva as Ardhanari, or Ardhanarishvara, translates to ‘Lord who is half woman.’ Ardhanarishvara is the androgynous combination of Shiva and his consort Parvati, split down the middle as half man half woman. Shiva, usually depicted on the right, is often adorned with headdress of a half crescent moon, serpent earring, third eye upon the center of his forehead, and wears a sacred thread across his chest. Parvati down the left is commonly portrayed with basket shaped crown, kundala earing, red dot matching Shiva’s third eye, and multi-colored or white linen dress. Visually, Shiva and Parvati embody their corresponding gender vigorously so as to starkly contrast their opposing counterpart.

Ardhanarishvara is said to characterize the fusion of the masculine and feminine energies of the world and exemplifies how Shakti, the female principle of God, is inseparable from Shiva, the male principle of God. The merger between these masculine and feminine energies is regarded as the root of all creation.

God is both Shiva and Parvati, “both male and female, both father and mother, both aloof and active, both fearsome and gentle, both destructive and constructive” and unifies all other oppositions of the universe.

It is believed that Parvati is not just Shiva’s consort, but an actual part of him.

Ardhanari is one of the most popularly worshiped forms of Shiva and can be found in virtually every temple or shrine throughout India and south-east Asia. It is often regarded that the ultimate goal of a devotee is to be united with Shiva as Parvati is in the Ardhanarishvara form.

Click to read more about Shiva or Parvati.

Learn to Quiet Your Anxious Mind with Shiva as Dakshinamurthy

The practice of yoga in the United States has been on a constant rise over the last 30 years since its introduction in the 1980s as a wonderful form of physical health and well being regardless of its original religious context. As of January 2012 it was estimated that over 20 million Americans regularly practiced yoga as both a form of exercise and spiritual release, up from around 4 million in 2001.

It is no question that given the swelling numbers many have found value in the practice to both their physical and mental health. Today yoga is even used as cancer treatment to decrease symptoms of depression, insomnia, pain, and fatigue in patients. Hatha yoga specifically has become very popular in the west for its incorporation of physical exercise, breathing control, and meditation. If you are looking for a way to reduce stress, symptoms of tiredness, increase general mood, and to get your body in shape, yoga is a great practice for all age groups and gender.

Slowing down and taking the time to become in touch with ones body can be a highly fulfilling practice as we all struggle with the stresses of daily living in our modern fast paced society. As the Buddha said,

“Meditate. Live Purely. Be quiet. Do your work with mastery. Like the moon, come out from behind the clouds! Shine.”

Almost all of us have a special place we hold dear and go to clear our heads and think…a favorite park bench, out for a run, sitting with our toes in the sand. But what many don’t realize is that it isn’t the destination that is key, but actually the state of mind that place brings to you. Instead of escaping somewhere external, try yoga and meditation. Anyone can develop inner peace, without really going anywhere but in.

To help with your practice, add a Dakshinamurthy statue by Lotus Sculpture to your meditation corner. Shiva in the form of universal teacher, Dakshinamurthy, can help guide you in your path to inner awakening.

The Origins of Ganesh & His Elephant Head

“Shiva returned and fitted the elephant head on the child’s body and breathed new life into the boy.”

Bronze Parvati statue with her sons Ganesh and Murugan 36″

In Hindu mythology, traditional stories have been passed down for generations regarding the birth of Ganesh and the reason behind his elephant head. Ganesh is the son of Lord Shiva, the Destroyer and Restorer, and his wife Parvati, an incarnation of the Great Mother Goddess, Devi. They lived high in the Himalaya Mountains, where Lord Shiva was away for many years at a time, creating, destroying, and preserving life. While Shiva was absent, Parvati became very bored and lonely, and her motherly instincts made her yearn for a son.

Legend says that Parvati decided to create a baby by scrubbing her skin with sandal paste and mixed it with clay to mold a figure of a boy. She used her powers to breathe life into the clay mold and instantly fell in love with the boy. One day, while Shiva was still away, Parvati asked her son to guard the entrance to her room and let no one enter, while she took a bath. Unannounced, Lord Shiva returned home and was refused entry by this boy who was a complete stranger. Irritated by the child’s insolence, a battle ensued and Shiva cut off the head of his young son with his trident.

When Parvati discovered her headless son, she was stricken with such grief that she threatened to destroy the heavens and earth. With the balance of the entire Universe at stake, Shiva wanted to console his wife and bring his son back to life. Lord Shiva and his troops set out into the forest to find anyone sleeping with their head facing north (the auspicious direction associated with wisdom). The first living being they came upon was a baby elephant and took its head. Shiva returned and fitted the elephant head on the child’s body and breathed new life into the boy. His wife’s reaction was one of enchantment and she declared this boy was even better than her first creation. They named their son Ganesh. Lord Shiva praised his son for his courage by being made Lord of New Beginnings and guardian of entrances. Ganesh is worshiped at the beginning of any new undertaking to reach success and a safe journey.

Ganesh Chaturthi is the celebration to honor the birthday of the Lord of Beginnings. It falls on the fourth day after the new moon in the month of Bhadrapada (August – September).

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