Shiva-Gauri

Depictions of Shiva and Parvati-Gauri in their Himalayan abode on Mt. Kailash has been a favorite subject since the early medieval period, as relief sculptures from Kashmir and Nepal attest. Here the artists of the Calcutta Art Studio have re-envisaged this traditional subject, creating a hybrid interpretation that owes as much to late Victorian imagery as it does to Indian conventions. The incident depicted is elaborated in the note sheet that accompanied this print: Gauri asked Shiva to explain the secret of the Yoga-shastra to her, but as this is not intended for human ears, they found an isolated spot and placed Nandin to stand guard. Eventually Gauri fell asleep while Shiva went on talking, but Shiva was so absorbed in his exposition that he continued without noticing. When Gauri woke up she asked what she had missed. Shiva was surprised. Someone has been saying “Ay” to him at the end of every point. Looking about they discovered a bird hidden in a nearby tree. Wishing to preserve the secret knowledge of yoga, Shiva aimed his trident at the bird. The bird hastily escaped, with the trident hot in pursuit. After flying all over the world, the bird finally took refuge in a woman’s womb, certain that Shiva would not kill a female. The woman became wife of Vyasa, and their child later revealed the secret Shastra of yoga that it had overheard Shiva telling Parvati.

Here we see a crimson-robed and crowned Gauri listening intently to her husband, Shiva, who accompanies his discourse with the drone of a tambura. Shiva’s mount the calf-bull Vrsabha is seen upper left gazing at Shiva and to the right of Parvati sits her lion. The bird that heard the recitation of the yoga-sastra, here a green parrot, is perched in branches above the divine couple and in the distant pine forest stands the bearded ascetic Nandi, the anthropomorphic door-keeper cum guardian of Shiva’s abode, Mt. Kailash; he carries his Lord’s trident (trisula).