Two-Sided Stele with Vishnu (Flanked by Personified Attributes) and Durga. Northern or Eastern India, circa 7th century. Sandstone, height 43 1/4 in. (110 cm). Private collection
On one side of this piece (pictured), Vishnu holds a lotus bud and conch in his front hands while his rear hands rest on his two personified weapons. Sudarshana Chakra, the discus, and the goddess Gadadevi, who is the mace, can be identified by the weapons behind their heads. On the other side is an image of the warrior goddess Durga, who is sometimes described as Vishnu’s sister but more often worshipped separately. This unusual two-sided stele was probably set up on a freestanding altar to serve a community with sectarian affiliations to both Vishnu and Durga.
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Eastern Parkway/Brooklyn Museum
