Posted on: 16 May 2014

A sandstone figural relief of Surya
Central India, 10th/11th Century

The solar deity standing in a frontal hieratic pose with both hands raised and holding a stylized blossoms, a small figure of his consort standing between his boots and accompanied by his two sons Shani and Yama standing on the rectangular plinth, a pair of apsaras flanking a floriform mandorla to the top, now supported on a metal base.

Source: Bonhams


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So beautiful!........Lathasshree KS

...so the lady in the centre should be Yamuna... wonder how they did the id-ing of the little people...

So you think, Latha instead of his consort that the middle figure is his daughter Yamuna? What is "iding of the little people"? :)

Id is identifying 8-) ... Surya has 2 wives, so.... Tonia MacMillan

have problems with the description still- apsaras on the top typically apsaras are female, and these flying ppl have no erm, ....

yamuna with pot, yama with danda, what is the chap on the left holding? Corinna Wessels-Mevissen

Cute story: http://journey2light.wordpress.com/2012/05/25/the-story-of-surya-sun-god-sanjana-sandhya-chhaya-shani-yama-yamuna-ashwini-kumars-twin-sons-of-surya/

I learned and practiced the sandhya vadanam for a time and so yes this story was very interesting. Here's another article abt iconography of Surya that I thought might held ID the devas at the top corners. Not definitive but some great info. http://orissa.gov.in/e-magazine/Orissareview/2011/Dec/engpdf/28-34.pdf

actually the absence of Usha-Pratyusha and the chariot makes this image different!

To the right and left are, as usual Dandin and Pingala, Surya's attendants, with Pingala holding a pen, I believe, Lathasshree KS.

ah! that makes more sense- so who's thelady? Corinna Wessels-Mevissen

My teacher, Prof. A.J. Gail, has elsewhere (in examples from Mathura) identified her as 'earth goddess Mahāśvetā'.