NARRATOR:
Sun worship in India goes back thousands of years. And verses to Surya, the Hindu sun god, appear in the earliest Indian body of literature, the ancient Rig Veda, written about 3500 years ago or earlier.
ACTOR:
“Aloft his beams now bring the god
Who knows all creatures that are born,
That all may look upon the sun.
To him the higher light, we now
Have soared to Surya, the god
Among gods, the highest light.”
NARRATOR:
Until the 13th century, Surya had major temples built in his honor across the northern part of the subcontinent. He still plays a role in modern Hindu ritual and, as the leader of a group of nine planetary deities, he is venerated by Buddhists and Jains too.
You can identify Surya by the two fully open lotus blossoms he holds, symbolizing his life-giving functions. Flanking him are his spouses, also grasping lotuses. The smaller males standing in front of them are Surya’s attendants.
Beside Surya’s hands, on the slab behind him, are kneeling goddesses shooting arrows—named “the dawn,” and “pre-dawn.” They dispel the demons of darkness with their weapons as Surya rises.
Surya with Retinue
9th century
Asia: India, Uttar Pradesh
On View
Images of Surya, the Vedic sun god, typically depict him standing in front of a solar aureole, with both hands raised, holding a lotus flower. Here, Surya is accompanied by his large retinue, which includes his two wives, Rajni and Nikshubha, two smaller male attendants, Dandi and Pingala, along with other celestial figures. A female figure, perhaps the earth goddess Bhudevi, stands between his feet in a spot usually reserved for his charioteer, Aruna. The absence of Aruna and the presence of the female figure both suggest that this sculpture was made in Uttar Pradesh.
Details
- Title: Surya with Retinue
- Date: 9th century
- Medium: Sandstone
- Dimensions: overall: 44 1/2 x 23 1/2 x 10 1/2 in. (113.0 x 59.7 cm)
- Credit Line: Norton Simon Art Foundation, from the Estate of Jennifer Jones Simon
- Accession Number: M.2010.1.48.S
- Copyright: © Norton Simon Art Foundation
Object Information
- Pal, Pratapaditya, Asian Art at the Norton Simon Museum, Volume 1: Art from the Indian Subcontinent, 2003, no. 77 p. 118
- Campbell, Sara, Collector Without Walls: Norton Simon and His Hunt for the Best, 2010, cat. 1016 p. 363
Related Media
Image reproduction permission may be granted for scholarly or arts related commercial use. All image requests, regardless of their intended purpose, should be submitted via the reproduction request form.
Images may be protected by copyright and other intellectual property rights. Additional permission may be required.
Please allow up to four weeks for your request to be reviewed. Approved requests for the reproduction of an image will receive a contract detailing all fees and conditions of use of the image. Upon receipt of both the signed contract and full payment, the Office of Rights and Reproductions will provide the image. A complimentary copy of the published material must be provided to the Norton Simon Museum.