The Development of Hindu Iconography c19.s1.11.2

c19.s1.11.2

An image of the god belonging to the early Chālukya period hailing from Aihole is illustrated by Rao. The god is seated astride on the back of his swan mount (an unusual sitting posture) his four hands holding a rosary, a manuscript and two other indistinct objects; he is surrounded by a number of Ṛṣis in bowing and praising poses, who are all shown bearded (Rao, *op. cit.*, Vol. II, p. 506, Pl. CXLIV). The other Brahmā relief from the same place illustrated by him shows some variations; the three beardless faces are there, but the god is seated in *lalitāsana* on a lotus-seat, and his four hands show a rosary, a noose, a water-vessel and *varamudrā* (ibid, Pl. CXLVI). The Kumbakonam and Halebidu reliefs of Brahmā of the early Chola and late Hoysala schools, reproduced by Rao (ibid, Pl. CXLVII) are *Sthānakamūrtis* of the god, the latter showing his two consorts, Sāvitrī and Sarasvatī; but the faces of the god have no beards. One of the most remarkable and earliest figures of the god is the metal image found at Mirpur Khas in Sindh (it is now in the Karachi Museum). It is of great iconographic interest, for it does not correspond to the usual mode of representation of the deity. As the image is fully in the round, all four beardless faces of the god are shown;