Indian Art: A History of Indian Art from the Earliest Times up to the Third Century A.D. c13.s7.14

c13.s7.14

This early formulation of the Brāhmanical stone images representing the deities of the Bhāgavata pantheon was a fact of supreme value in the evolution of image worship in ancient India. Surely this movement brought about far-reaching changes in the religious ideas of the people of all denominations and naturally could not have left the followers of the Buddha without coming under its influence. During the couple of centuries, i. e. from the first century B. C. to the first century A. D. a Bhāgavata predilection for image-worship gave such universal acceptance and momentum as ultimately culminated in throwing open the doors to the making of the image of the Buddha as well.