Wood Lord Venkateswara, Popularly known as Balaji with Arch, Hand Carved 48"
- Lord Venkateswara is an incarnation of Vishnu, popularly known as Balaji, and is the presiding deity of the Tirumala Hills, in Andhra Pradesh, India, where he is known as the lord of the 7 hills
- In front of his shoulders are a discus (a symbol of power) and a conch shell (a symbol of existence) with his right hand extended downwards in the varada mudra he asks devotees to have faith and surrender to him for protection
- Balaji is richly attired with a crown, opulent earrings and an array of necklaces that stretch down to his ankles and surrounded by an elaborately carved arch with 2 mythical beasts called, yalis on either side of him with the face of Mahakala or great time looming above him
- He is hand carved by the artists of South India and completely one of a kind, you will receive this exact statue in your order
You just know when you find the right piece to bring into your home and into your heart. - Kyle Tortora, Founder of Lotus Sculpture
"Only the unlearned deem myself (Vishnu) and Shiva to be distinct; he , I , and Brahma are one, assuming different names for the creation, preservation and destruction of the universe. We, as the triune Self, pervade all creatures; the wise therefore regard all others as themselves."
~ Vishnu explains the Nature of the Trinity (trimurti ~
Vishnu is one of the principal Hindu deities, worshiped as the protector and preserver of the world and restorer of dharma (moral order). He is known chiefly through his avatars (incarnations), particularly Rama, Krishna and Buddha. In theory, Vishnu manifests a portion of himself anytime he is needed to fight evil, and his appearances are innumerable; but in practice, ten incarnations are most commonly recognized.
Vishnu appears to be a prime example of how older gods and cults have been absorbed into Hinduism. Thought to be linked with an earlier sun god, Vishnu's ten incarnations may also be examples of older gods that have been amalgamated.
Vaishnavites, one of the largest Hindu groups, are the devotees of Vishnu as Ishvara, the Supreme Being, worshiped in the forms of his manifestations or incarnations. Because of his pervasive presence, images as the focus of worship are of great importance, as are temple architecture and carving.
The Ten Avatars of Lord Vishnu
Vishnu's preserving, restoring, and protecting powers have been manifested in the world in a series of ten earthly incarnations known as avatars. The avatars arrive either to prevent a great evil or to affect good upon the earth. Nine are said to have descended already: three in nonhuman form, one in hybrid form and five in human form. The most important are Rama, fearless upholder of the law of dharma and Krishna; youthful hero of the Bhagavad-Gita Vishnu's final avatar is expected to arrive at a time when the earth is at the end of its present cycle, with the purpose of destroying the world and subsequently recreating it.
Matsya the Fish - Saved humanity and the sacred Veda text from the flood.
Kurma the Turtle - Helped create the world by supporting it on his back.
Varaha the Boar - Raised the earth out of water with his tusks.
Narashima, half-man, half lion - Destroyed a tyrant demon king.
Vamana the Dwarf - Subdued king Bali, a powerful demon.
Parashurama the Brahmin - Destroyed the warrior caste.
Rama - Rescued his with Sita and killed the demon Ravana.
Krishna - told the Epic poem Bhagavad-Gita to the warrior Arjuna.
Buddha - The enlightened one.
Kalki the Horse - Yet to come to the earth.
Wood statues are easy to take care of as they just need some annual upkeep to keep them looking as they did when they were first carved. All the wood used by Lotus Sculpure's artists is dried out for months. Moisture causes cracks in the sculpture as the wood contracts and expands in different temperatures. Our wood has little to no moisture in it assuring that the sculpture is not going to crack in its journey into different climates. Here are some simple tips to keep your statue in good condition:
- Dust the statue as needed to prevent dirt build up
- To make the statue shine use a natural wood cleaner and a cotton cloth to buff the sculpture
We prefer Old English to polish and buff our statues. The use of a wood polish like Old English will keep the wood looking fresh and keep the colors looking vibrant. For natural wood and painted wooden statues we recommend Old English for lighter woods. For darker wood statues we recommend Old English for darker woods. Lotus Sculpture cleans and polishes each wooden statue prior to shipping them to the customer.
We recommend keeping wooden statues in an indoor environment. Wood statues can go outside however, they will wear more quickly and develop an antique appearance. If you would like to put a wood statue from Lotus Sculpture outside and keep the same appearance of the sculpture we would recommend first coating the statue with a couple of layers of sealant or polyurethane. We would then recommend placing the statue in a partially covered area. The more exposure to the elements the more the statue will wear over time. Please feel free to contact us directly if you have any questions regarding your wooden statue from Lotus Sculpture, (760) 994-4455 or [email protected].
USA Shipping
This sculpture is in our Oceanside, California gallery and ready for immediate packing & shipping. Packing takes anywhere from 1-4 business days. Shipping takes anywhere from 1-6 business days. The shipping price is automatically calculated from Oceanside, California to the destination in the online checkout. Or you can get a shipping quote by clicking the Calculate Shipping link beneath the Add to Cart button. Shipping will be calculated based on the weight of the sculpture and the distance to the destination from our Oceanside, California showroom.
The delivery charges include insurance, a residential lift gate delivery to your home or business. The freight company will call you to schedule a delivery day and time frame to make the delivery. Someone must be present to receive the statue. Depending on where you are located we will use either R&L Carriers, UPS Freight, Estes, DHX or Roadrunner Transport.
The freight company will use a lift gate to bring the sculpture to the ground and then use a pallet jack to move it anywhere on the same level. They will move it anywhere in your driveway or in your garage. They will not take it to your backyard or in the elevator to your apartment or up or down any steps. They will not be unpacking the statue and taking the crate away. Think of them as you would UPS or Fedex. They only deliver the statue. If you require a little extra service, (within reason) a tip to a delivery man usually works wonders!
For placing the statue our customers have either placed the statue themselves with help of a friend and a tool like a hand truck or a dolly. Or by contacting their landscaper who is used to moving large and heavy objects like rocks and trees into place. For much larger and heavier sculptures sometimes the customer needs a piece of heavy equipment for placing the statue like a crane or forklift. If you have any questions contact me directly at [email protected] or (760) 994-4455
International Shipping
This sculpture is in our Oceanside, California showroom and ready for immediate packing & shipping. This piece is too heavy to ship via UPS and will be shipped using an international freight service. Packing takes anywhere from 1-4 days depending on the statue. We can ship the statue using either sea or air freight to either the your home or the closest port.
If you place your order online shipping will show in the order as $0. Shipping will be calculated based on the weight of the sculpture and the distance from Oceanside, California to determine the shipping price. The shipping quote will be emailed to you and no charge will be made without your approval.
You can obtain a shipping quote for any statue by clicking the link, Calculate Shipping beneath to the Add To Cart button on every statues' page. Or you can email [email protected] or call us 760-994-4455 to receive a shipping quote. Please include the item number of the statue you are interested in purchasing as well as your country and postal code.
Here you can view how our freight statues are professionally crated.