Shiva is often accompanied by a bull, his companion and mode of transportation, who is described as having a huge body, soft brown eyes and skin white as snow. While the Sanskrit word for bull is vrisha, Shiva’s bull is more commonly known by the misnomer Nandi, which means “joyful.” In a temple, he usually sits facing the image of his master.
Details
- Title: Shiva's Bull (Vrisha)
- Date: c. 800
- Medium: Sandstone
- Dimensions: 20 x 22 x 12-1/2 in. (50.8 x 55.9 x 31.8 cm)
- Credit Line: Norton Simon Art Foundation
- Accession Number: M.1975.18.5.S
- Copyright: © Norton Simon Art Foundation
Object Information
- Pal, Pratapaditya, Asian Art at the Norton Simon Museum, Volume 3: Art from Sri Lanka & Southeast Asia, 2004, no. 131 pp. 106, 170-171
- Campbell, Sara, Collector Without Walls: Norton Simon and His Hunt for the Best, 2010, cat. 1283 p. 390
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