The Temple Guardian III

The bull, is of significance in many ancient cultures. In buddhism The Bull represents "desire" during the life of the Buddha as a prince. Amongst the Jains The bull is the emblem of Adinath, the first Jain tirthankara. In Greek mythology it is a symbol of male sexuality, illustrated by Zeus, in the form of a white bull, unrelentingly pursuing Europa.

Within Hinduism, the bull is best known as Nandi, the sacred steed of Shiva and is depicted as a powerful white bull. The white color is a symbol of purity and devotion. Nandi is regarded as the gatekeeper and protector of Shiva as well as Shiva’s consort the Hindu Goddess Parvati and It is believed that one must first gain the approval of Nandi before being allowed to worship Lord Shiva. Nandi also means joyous, and in ancient times, the bull was also worshipped as the Lord of Joy.

In this work the bulls are shown as Nandi the guardian, but not just of shiva as believed amongst the Hindus but also of The Lord Buddha represented by the central Lotus. The lotus in buddhist/ tibetan art is the symbol that represents the birth of the Buddha.

Acrylic and pen on canvas 18" X 50 / 2012 / Framed
Status: Acquired
via Gallerie NVYA - GMR Artwalk project at IGI Airport, New Delhi.