The legend is that at a very remote period when the gods felt their powers weakened and were desirous of obtaining amrita the beverage of immortality, Vishnu directed them to churn, together with the demons, the ocean of milk. For this purpose they took the mountain Mandara as the churning stick. But they could succeed only when Vishnu himself consented to support the mountain on his back; after having assumed the shape of a gigantic tortoise.

From the churning of the ocean, in addition to the ambrosia of immortality, the following substances came forth:

1). Dhanvantri, the physician of the gods,
2). Lakshmi, the goddess of fortune,
3). Varuni, the wine goddess,
4). Soma, the sacrificial elixir,
5). Apsaras, the celestial nymphs,
6). Uccaihshravas, the divine horse,
7). Kaustubha, the celestial jewel,
8). Parijata, the celestial tree,
9). Surabhi, the wish cow,
10). Airavata, the royal elephant,
11). Panchajanya, the conch,
12). Sharanga, the bow, and
13). Halahala, the poison.

Here the four-armed Kurma Avatara is shown carrying the symbolic attributes of Vishnu.

The upper-right arm holds the mace. The mace of Vishnu is known as Kaumodaki, which literally means "that which inebriates the mind." The mace thus represents the power of knowledge, because knowledge dazzles and intoxicates the mind. Also all physical and mental powers are derived from the power of knowledge. Nothing else can conquer time and itself become the power of time. As such the mace is identified with the goddess Kali, who is the power of time. According to the Krishna Upanishad "The mace is Kali, the power of time. It destroys all that opposes it."

The second right arm holds the lotus. The lotus represents detachment, for though this beautiful flower grows in muddy waters, neither water nor dirt are ever seen sticking to its petals. Like the lotus, Vishnu is the partaker of life's pleasures who never gets ensnared by the charms of the world.

The upper-left hand holds the discus. The discus of Vishnu is known as Sudarshana, which literally means beauteous-sight. It symbolizes a sharp instrument which severs obstacles in the attainment of enlightenment.

The other left hand holds the conch. The conch is the symbol of the origin of existence. It has the form of a multiple spiral evolving from one point into ever-increasing spheres. It is thus associated with the elemental waters. When blown, it produces a sound associated with the primeval sound from which creation developed.

Below the central figure can be seen the yantra of the Kurma Avatara.

This description by Nitin Kumar, Executive Editor, Exotic India.

References:

Danielou, Alain. The Myths and Gods of India: Vermont, Inner Traditions International, 1991.

Garrett, John. A Classical Dictionary of India: Delhi, Low Price Publications, 1996.

Pattanaik, Devdutt. Vishnu - An Introduction: Mumbai, Vakils, Feffer and Simons Ltd., 1999.

Santiago, J.R. Sacred Symbols of Hinduism: Delhi, Book Faith India, 1999.

Colors of Tradition: Exploring the Artistry Behind Madhubani Paintings

Madhubani painting is also known as Mithila art as it is practiced in the Mithila region of India and Nepal. It has specifically originated from the Madhubani district of the state of Bihar. Traditionally, the women of this region created these paintings and in recent years, it has become a widely practiced art and has now become renowned throughout the world. This art expresses the creativity and culture of the people of Mithila and is passed from one generation to another. In this way, the heritage of Madhubani art has been preserved for many decades. The subjects of these paintings are usually religion, love, and fertility. Sometimes, social events like festivals, weddings, and royal court are also depicted in the paintings. The most commonly painted designs and themes are the forms of Hindu Gods and Goddesses such as Ganesha, Shiva, Saraswati, Lakshmi, Krishna, and Ram. The characteristic features of Madhubani paintings are their vibrant colors and eye-catching geometrical patterns. The empty spaces are filled with traditional motifs such as floral and foliate patterns, animals, birds, geometrical structures, and other designs. The local artists create these paintings using a variety of items such as matchsticks, twigs, brushes, pens, or even their own fingers. The paints are usually made with natural dyes and pigments.
As simple as it may seem, the making process of the world-famous Madhubani paintings is certainly not easy and requires lots of hard labor.

Traditional Madhubani paintings are done either on cloth, handmade paper, or canvas. Select the medium of painting as per your choice. If you have chosen cloth, attach it to cardboard to make a solid base. The making of the painting begins with making a double-lined border. This is a very important step because the border is filled with various geographical shapes and patterns or other motifs. The average width of the border is 1.5 - 2 cm. Now that the border is created, you will be left with a blank middle space. This is the main workspace. Start drawing your choice of figure, designs, and shapes. These must be relevant to the Madhubani painting themes.

When the key design has been made, the empty spaces in between are filled with some designs.
Now is the time to color the painting using vivid shades and hues. Colors in Madhubani are sourced from nature; Indigo is used to produce blue, flower juice produces red, turmeric gives yellow, leaves produce green, cow dung mixed soot gives black, and rice powder gives white.

To paint these colors, the artist uses a bamboo stick and wraps cotton around it. This acts as a traditional brush.
The entire painting is now painted using this special brush with natural vibrant colors. · However, in modern times, the common brush is used and instead of natural colors, artists prefer to use acrylic paints.

Since the entire painting is made with natural materials and colors, it appears simple yet enriching. Originally, this art was created on mud walls or soil grounds but when it evolved over many years, the people of Madhubani started to make it on fabric and paper. Today, this art has become globalized and is receiving worldwide attention and appreciation.