Studies in Indian Art c12.s13.34

c12.s13.34

A perfect example of a Gupta Viṣṇu is E. 6 of Vogel's *Catalogue*¹. It shows all the highest qualities of the Golden Age, the face revealing the contemplative serenity of celestial *samādhi*. The elaborate crown is adorned with the jewel (forming a *triratna* shape with its scroll), lion-faces emitting pearl festoons *siṃhāsyodgīrṇa mauktika-jāla* and a *makarikā* ornament consisting of two addorsed alligator heads. The figure wears a *vaijayantī yajñīya suvarṇa-sūtra*, *keyūras*, *ekāvalī* and *śatayashṭika* derachanda necklace, and also a creased clinging loin cloth (*sūkṣhma vimala kaṭi-vastra*) held by a girdle technically known as *netra-sūtra* in contemporary literature on account of its similarity with the cord round the *manthana daṇḍa*². The image was four-armed. The fore-arms separated near the elbow, the bifurcating line being still visible on the left side.