The blue complexioned Vishnu, the Lord of three worlds, has been painted with his usual four arms. His blue complexion denotes the colour of cosmos, which the ocean and the sky define by their blue. He has on his breast a horizontal triple lined red mark with a white circle in its centre. They represent Shrivatsa, the mark which sage Bhragu made on his breast when he hit him, and Kostubha-mani, the most invaluable gem the creation has ever known. It is said to have the glow of multiple suns. He is wearing his usual yellow 'dhoti' and has on his shoulders a long decorative sash flanking on both sides. His ornaments are mostly the same as conceived conventionally, though in his crown he has a couple of lotuses in characteristic Basohli art-style. He is carrying in his four arms his usual attributes, lotus, conch, mace and disc.
Lord Vishnu with two consorts, Shridevi and Bhoodevi, is a concept of South Indian iconography. In South Indian bronzes, the image of Vishnu often has the images of Shridevi and Bhoodevi flanking it. It is born of the belief that Lakshmi, usually named Shridevi in South, had her re-birth as Bhoodevi. After the annoyed sage Bhragu hit Lord Vishnu on his breast, Lakshmi, insulted by the act and disgusted by Vishnu not avenging the same, deserted Vishnu and came down to earth. Vishnu, unable to live without her, followed her. It is said the penitent Bhragu himself sought the re-union of Vishnu and Lakshmi. Lakshmi merged into cows grazing near the termite hill in South. Bhragu, disguised as a cowherd, began thrashing the cows. Vishnu could not tolerate that anyone beat cows. He punished the cows' teaser with his mace. Bhragu appeared and worshipped the Lord for beating him. Lakshmi, who lived in cows, was appeased for Lord Vishnu had avenged Bhragu and appeared before him but not as Lakshmi. She appeared as Bhoodevi and united with Vishnu. Yet another legend relates it to Vishnu's act of rescuing Bhoodevi from Hiranyaksha. It is said after she was rescued, Lord Vishnu took her as his other consort. Lord Vishnu is the Lord of three worlds. Obviously, he is master of both, the fortunes of heavens and the riches of earth, that is, of Shridevi representing the fortunes of heavens and of Bhoodevi representing those of earth.
This description by Prof. P.C. Jain and Dr Daljeet. Prof. Jain specializes on the aesthetics of ancient Indian literature. Dr Daljeet is the chief curator of the Visual Arts Gallery at the National Museum of India, New Delhi. They have both collaborated on numerous books on Indian art and culture.
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