Lord Krishna Shows Vishwarupa to Arjun in The Gita | Traditional Colors with 24K Gold

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A rectangular wooden frame outlines the dramatic visuals of Krishna’s message to Arjuna in the vocabulary of Thanjavur artworks. The Bhagavad Gita describes that when Sri Krishna appeared in his cosmic form, Arjuna was bewildered and overwhelmed, but also scared. The suddenness and magnitude of Sri Krishna’s aura were beyond comprehension for even his dear Arjuna.

Thus, at the behest of Partha, Sri Krishna reappeared in his heavenly Chaturbhuja form, and later in his Sri Krishna roopa, as a two-armed man. The scenes that you see in this Tanjore painting are an amalgamation of the visuals of Vishwarupa (with multiple limbs) and Krishna in his Narayana avatar.

Like a fresh Nilakamala- blue water lily, the divine body of Krishna blossoms in the center of the composition. The vibrant indigo blue used on his limbs, adorned with 24-karat gold leaf creates a stunningly auspicious image of Sri Krishna. The life-size Thanjavur painting depicts Krishna’s Vishwarupa positioned on a golden pedestal, holding the attributes of Sri Vishnu (conch, discus, lotus, and mace), with his primary hands in the gesture of dispelling fear (Abhaya mudra).

His body is ornamented with a towering Kiritamukuta (Vaishnava crown), Kundala (earrings), Kavacha (armor), Haaram (necklaces), Skandhabhushan (shoulder ornaments), armlets and bracelets, Kamarbanda (waistband) and anklets. The U-shaped Vaishnava tilak is drawn on his forehead, along with elongated eyes, a sharp nose, and delicate lips that give his countenance an ethereal beauty. On his torso are images of his female energy Sri Lakshmi, in her four-armed form, wearing the auspicious green color.

Over his stately shoulders are the images of Uma-Maheshwara and Brahma with Saraswati, completing the iconography of Trideva (three great gods) and Tridevis (three goddesses). The elegance of Sri Hari- in his wide shoulders, tapering waist, gently curving fingers, and lotus-patterned waistcloth marks the attention to detail by the maker of this Tanjore Vishwarupa painting.

Following the textual mentions of Vishwarupa, in the background of Krishna’s image are the various existential plains- the lowest one inhabited by souls, the oceanic waters, the human realm, the abode of sages, the residence of divine beings, and above all the home of the gods. All these worlds which are a part of Vishwarupa Sri Krishna, are linked to him in this painting by a  golden frame that fuses with the body of Adi Shesha in the feet of Narayana.

Above the different Loka (realms) are Surya and Chandra, the solar and lunar gods in their respective chariots, with Apsaras (celestial maidens), prettifying the imagery with their presence. In the lower section of the rectangle is Arjuna, bowing to the cosmic being in front of him, his bow laid down on the ground and his chariot with Bhagwan Hanuman on the top waiting for its rider and charioteer.

Bordering the appearance of Sri Krishna in his Vishwarupa is a variety of divine beings, nestled in symmetrical ovular frames with a striking red color, which is a feature of classical Tanjore artworks. On the uppermost file are Sri Ganesha and Shiva, dressed in a kingly manner and performing their divine dances.

They flank the Sheshashayi form of Sri Vishnu, which depicts the god lying on the coils of Adi Shesha, with his wives Sridevi and Bhudevi, inside the aureole of two Yali (lion-elephant composite animal). On either side of the icon is Lord Brahma with Maharishi Narada (right) and a ten-armed divinity with lotuses in her hands (probably goddess Lakshmi).

Outlining the magnificence of Sri Krishna in his Vishwarupa are the Dashavatara or ten incarnations of Sri Vishnu such as his fish or Matsaya avatar on the left side of the viewer, Varaha (boar-faced) roopa, Vamana (dwarf) form, Krishna, Sri Rama, Narasimha and so on. In each alternative frame alongside the Dashavatara are the Navagraha or nine planetary deities, elephant-riding Brihaspati, Buddha on Yali, and Shukra and Shani on their horses.

Each of these Navagraha has a crucial role in the passage of time and turn of events, and their depiction in the painting connects them with the supreme godhead, Sri Krishna. In the fourth frame on each side of the composition are two distinctive Hindu deities- Yama, the god of death, riding on his buffalo, and Kubera, the lord of Yakshas seated on the back of a man.

The level of intricacy in this Tanjore Vishwarupa painting, suitable for the visual narration of Sri Krishna’s cosmic powers, is beyond words. Even the embellishment of the painting’s space with flowing vines covered with 24-karat gold and studded with red, green, and white stones enchants the mind. The facial features of the celestial subjects carry an individualistic look and their ornamentation shows a masterful finish possible only for a seasoned Thanjavur artist.

A multitude of colors in the details with primacy to red and golden is inspired by the earliest Tanjore paintings, which are some of the best-preserved specimens of traditional Indian artworks.  With awe-inspiring handiwork, the occult truth, the form of Krishna unseen to the most prolific sages is contained in this painting. Monumental in its size and aesthetics, this Tanjore Vishwarupa painting is your grand gateway to the grace of Vishwamurti Sri Krishna and his words of universal wisdom.

Gilded Elegance: Unraveling the Artistry of Tanjore Paintings

Tanjore painting is a traditional form of art in the South Indian style and was started by the inhabitants of a small town known as Thanjavur of Tamil Nadu. This gives it another name called “Thanjavur painting”. This painting draws its figures, designs, and inspiration from the time when Vedic culture was prevalent in India. Certain remarkable features of a Tanjore painting distinguish it from other paintings. Some of these are pure gold or gold foil coating on gesso work, the use of rich and vivid colors, and the inlay of cut-glass or semi-precious and precious stones. The subjects of most of the Tanjore paintings are Hindu Gods, Goddesses, and saints. The main devotional figure is portrayed in the central portion of the painting and is usually surrounded by various secondary figures.

The process of making a Tanjore painting

The classic Tanjore paintings are done on wooden planks and hence are also referred to as Palagai Padam in South India (Palagai = Wooden plank, Padam = Picture). Creating a masterpiece is never an easy task but the skilled artists of Thanjavur have been following the tradition of making timeless Tanjore paintings for decades.

The making process begins with preparing the wooden board or canvas. The size of the board depends upon the choice of the patron. The next step is to paste cardboard over the wooden board and then a cotton fabric is stretched and pasted upon it using Arabic gum.

Now that the cloth is attached to the wooden panel, a rough sketch of the motifs and figure is drawn onto the fabric. After this, a paste of chalk powder and water-soluble adhesive is evenly applied over the base and smoothed.

Thereafter, the outlines which were made or traced using a stencil are now ready to be beautified and decked with various add-ons. The usual materials for decoration are cut-glass, pearls, semi-precious and precious gems, gold leaf, and laces. 22 or 18 Karat Gold leaves and gems of varied hues are especially inlaid in areas like pillars, arches, walls, thrones, and dresses. In the final step, the rest of the painting is filled with rich and striking colors such as shades of red, blue, and green. Formerly, the artists used natural colors like vegetable and mineral dyes instead of chemical paints. The entire painting is then cleaned and refined to give a flawless finished look.

Since the making of a single piece of Tanjore painting requires a complex and elaborate process, the artists usually take at least one or two months to complete it. The use of pure gold foil and gems for beautification is a characteristic of an authentic Tanjore painting. Due to this, Tanjore paintings last for generations without getting tarnished and are much more expensive than general paintings. Though the art form has undergone various changes and technique modifications over the years, it continues to attract the hearts of art lovers.