Interpretation
The Hindu text Devi Mahatmya centers on Durga, the mother goddess in the Hindu pantheon, and her fight against evil. Devi means “goddess” in Sanskrit, and the Devi Mahatmya is one of the earliest surviving works of literature to focus on a female Hindu deity. In the painting at left, Durga demonstrates her ability to protect those in every direction by wielding a weapon in each of her many arms to vanquish the attacking demons. In the right scene, a brown-skinned messenger-demon announces the arrival of five guests to the large, blue-headed monster who
is seated inside a building. One of the guests is the god Indra, identifiable by the eyeballs on his body.
is seated inside a building. One of the guests is the god Indra, identifiable by the eyeballs on his body.
Information
- Title
- The Goddess Durga Slaying Demons
- Object Number
- y1947-341.4
- Description
- Devi is depicted in the center of this painting, astride a tiger. Her eighteen arms form a fan around her and each wields a weapon. She is attacked from all sides by ferocious demons, but is successfully vanquishing them. Bodies of those she has already dealt with lay bloody and broken along the bottom of the painting.
- Medium
- Opaque watercolor on paper
- Dates
- ca. 1690–1710
- Dimensions
- 14.5 × 19.3 cm (5 11/16 × 7 5/8 in.) mat: 27.9 × 35.6 cm (11 × 14 in.)
- Credit Line
- Gift of Frank Jewett Mather Jr.
- Culture
- Indian
- Place made
- Asia, India, Himachal Pradesh, Mankot
- Type
- Materials
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The Museum regularly researches its objects and their collecting histories, updating its records to reflect new information. We also strive to catalogue works of art using language that is consistent with how people, subjects, artists, and cultures describe themselves. As this effort is ongoing, the Museum’s records may be incomplete or contain terms that are no longer acceptable. We welcome your feedback, questions, and additional information that you feel may be useful to us. Email us at collectionsinfo@princeton.edu.
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