Antique Indian Bronze Buddha Statue
Durga
Multi-Armed
South India, Circa: early 20th century
H 4.5 in.(11cm), W 3.25 in.(8cm), D 1.5 in.(3cm)
Condition: missing trident, o.a. very good

This antique bronze goddess Durga, who pervades the cosmos and creates, maintains, and periodically destroys it. In this she is like a female Vishnu, descending to the world when it is necessary to restore cosmic balance. She personifies Maya; creating the world and bewitching the creatures she has created, but she also hears her devotees and attends to their needs. Born from the mouths of the gods as jets of fire that united into a blazing sphere which took the shape of the goddess, she rides out on a lion to defeat the armies of the antigods, restoring the gods to heaven. Her image may take many forms; here she has three eyes and eight arms and holds in her hands the lion tail, hair of a demon, sword, club, conch shell, bell, and possibly a missing trident. Despite its small size the work is complete with full details, particularly in her head dress and the folds and the dotting of the garment. It is a spectacular statuette with commanding spiritual power.