{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O66636"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O66636/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2026PT4868/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2026PT4868/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2026PT4868","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2026PT4865","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2026PT4864","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AF3959","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O66636/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O66636","accessionNumber":"IS.113-1986","objectType":"Figure group","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Shiva and Parvati, with Shiva represented as Vyakhyana-Daksinamurti, the divine exponent of the <i>shastras</i>, seated together on a lotus throne. The divine couple embody in gesture and expression the tender ‘loving glance’ of the <i>snigdha</i> mood. In this form Shiva is the great exponent of the <i>shastras</i>, teaching the sages the meaning of yoga and <i>jnana</i> (knowledge). This subject was more popular in southern India than the north, and its specific appearance in 9th century northern Uttar Pradesh may be linked to the presence, at that time, of the great Tamil Saiva guru Sankara, who established a Hindu monastery (<i>matha</i>) at Joshimath, in Kumaon. \r\n\r\nShiva is seen seated in <i>lalitasana</i>, with a meditation cord (<i>yogapatta</i>) around his legs. With his lower hands he expounds the divine knowledge (<i>vyakhyana-mudra</i>) whilst embracing Parvati with the other; in his upper hands he holds a rosary <i>(mala</i>) and his weapon, the <i>trisula</i>. His pendant foot is supported by a lotus, beside which Nandi sits restfully. Parvati gently rests her extended hand on Shiva’s foot, whilst apparently pointing with the other to their son Kartikeya who tugs at her pendant belt. Her feet are supported by a lotus, her lion below her left foot. Both gods are richly bejewelled, including  tripartite diadems, and wear finely patterned skirt-cloths.\r\n\r\nBeneath the lotus-throne appear the dancing skeletal figure of Camunda, Kartikeya on his peacock, and a seated obese figure, now damaged, but probably representing their second son, Ganesha. The composition is filled with other attendant and laudatory figures, including leonine beasts and <i>makara</i> throne uprights supporting a framing <i>prabha</i> of exuberant scrolling foliage, further enlivened with garland-bearing <i>devas</i>. A diminutive kneeling female figure, partly concealed behind Parvati’s foot, may be accepted to represent the donor of this image. That a woman was the patron is not surprising – it is a remarkably skilfully conceived scene of intimate and tender domesticity.","physicalDescription":"This relief represents Shiva as Vyakhyana-Daksinamurti, the great exponent of the <i>Shastras</i>, teaching the sages the meaning of yoga and<i> jnana </i>(knowledge). Shiva is seen seated in <i>lalitasana</i> on a lotus throne supported by Nandi, his right foot supported by a lotus flower, his consort with each foot supported by a lotus, a lion below her left foot, a dancing figure of Chamunda beside Kartikeya on his peacock below, three plump attendants to the left, one holding a fly whisk, a standing male and a kneeling female attending to the right; the god with a meditation cord (<i>yogapatta</i>) around his leg. With his right hand he makes the gesture of explanation (<i>vyakhyanmudra</i>) whilst embracing his consort Parvati with his left. His upper right holding a mala and scrolling <i>padma</i> with a cobra head resting on it; each wearing elaborate scrolling foliate jewellery, beaded necklaces and dhotis with incised floral decoration, each with elaborately knotted headdress, the whole in high relief, rampant leonine beasts and <i>makara</i> heads to either side, two <i>apsarasas</i> above holding floral garlands with aureole border carved with an inner lotus petal border and outer band of exuberant scrolling foliage.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":"Katyuri Period"}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[{"text":"carving","id":"AAT53149"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Green-grey stone","categories":[{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"},{"text":"Hinduism","id":"THES48941"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2026PT4868","2026PT4865","2026PT4864","2006AF3959"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES373268"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Figure","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"No","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Uttar Pradesh","id":"x29845"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"9th century","earliest":"0800-01-01","latest":"0900-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"44","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"33.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"17","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Bought from Spink price £20,000","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Shiva & Parvati (Uma Mahesvara), stone, Kumaon, Uttar Pradesh, India, 9th century","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"L Chandra & J Jain, Dimensions of Indian Art"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Guy, John: 'Indian Temple Sculpture', London, V & A Publication, 2007, p.130, pl.146.\r\nISBN 9781851775095."},{"reference":{"text":"L'escultura en el temples indis : l'art de la devoció : exposició organitzada per la Fundació \"La Caixa\" i el Victoria & Albert Museum, Londres. [Barcelona: Obra social, Fundació \"la Caixa\", c2007 Number: 9788476649466","id":"AUTH339669"},"details":"p.82, Cat.41","free":""}],"production":"Almora district, Kumaon, Uttar Pradesh, north India","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"Hinduism","id":"AAT73727"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"15. Architectural relief with the Hindu God Shiva\r\nExpounding Sacred Texts, with the Goddess Parvati\r\n800–900\r\nKatyuri period\r\nStone\r\nProbably northern India (Jageshvar, Almora District, Uttar Pradesh)\r\nMuseum no. IS.113-1986","date":{"text":"06/06/2011","earliest":"2011-06-06","latest":"2011-06-06"}}],"partNumbers":["IS.113-1986"],"accessionNumberNum":"113","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":1986,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LW4354"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-09-30","recordCreationDate":"2002-07-11","availableToBook":false}}