Essay name: Vaishnava Myths in the Puranas
Author:
Kum. Geeta P. Kurandwad
Affiliation: Karnatak University / Department of Sanskrit
The essay studies the Vaishnava Myths in the Puranas by exploring the significance of the ten principal incarnations of Lord Vishnu as depicted in various ancient Indian texts like the Vedas, Upanishads, and Puranas. The research also investigates the social, political, philosophical, and religious impact.
Chapter 5 - Iconography of Vaishnava Avataras
40 (of 51)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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but they are cited just to bring to the fore the nubmer of varieties
of Rama images that evolved in that period. The Ramayana seems
to have become popular in the Gupta period as we find it sometimes
illustrated in stone on the walls of the early temples. It is surprising
that very few Ramayana scenes have come to light from the western
India till the mediaeval period, and even those that are found are
negligible. The Ramayana had a deep impact and it spread even
outside India, in Thailand and Cambodia. But still the Rama
worship, forming its own separate and distinctive cult, does not
seem to have existed before the mediaeval period, because as far
as is known to us, the sculptural evidence to prove its existence is
not abundant. The incarnation of Rama definitely remains a minor
one till the late mediaeval period, and a very strong prevalence of
the Rama cult is only a relatively later growth.
Iconography of Krsna Myth
Though the cult images of Krsna make their appearance very
late, Krsnavatara itself seems to have been very popular right from
the Gupta period, just as it happened in the case of Rama, but in
the case of Krsna only his childhood feats are very popular.
The Harivamsa gives a detailed account of Krsnalila which is
not to be found anywhere in the Mahabharata itself. The Bhagavata
Purana, the sacred book of the Bhagavatas or Vaisyas till the
