--- title: Vishnu with Lakshmi and Saravati author: James Blake Wiener source: https://www.worldhistory.org/image/7930/vishnu-with-lakshmi-and-saravati/ format: machine-readable-alternate license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/) updated: 2024-12-04 --- # Vishnu with Lakshmi and Saravati _Authored by [James Blake Wiener](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/jbw288/)_ ## Image File [![Vishnu with Lakshmi and Saravati](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/7930.jpg)](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/7930.jpg) ## Image Caption [Vishnu](https://www.worldhistory.org/Vishnu/) with [Lakshmi](https://www.worldhistory.org/Lakshmi/) and Saravati, phyllite [sculpture](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Sculpture/) from West Bengal, [India](https://www.worldhistory.org/india/), 12th century. The [Hindu](https://www.worldhistory.org/hinduism/) [god](https://www.worldhistory.org/God/) Vishnu, the preserver of the universe, is flanked by two female figures. His sister [Sarasvati](https://www.worldhistory.org/Sarasvati/), the patron goddess of knowledge and the arts, stands to his proper left, playing a stringed instrument called a vina, which is her distinguishing attribute. Vishnu's consort Sri [Devi](https://www.worldhistory.org/Devi/), or Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity, stands to his proper right holding a fly-whisk. Vishnu holds his own attributes in his four hands: the upper right and left hands hold the weapons with which he strikes down his enemies, the club and discus; the lower left holds a conch shell [war](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/War/) trumpet, the sound of which terrorizes his enemies; and the open lower right bears a lotus bud, a symbol of the universal life force and his role as preserver. A [Sanskrit](https://www.worldhistory.org/Sanskrit/) inscription on the base of this sculpture indicates that it was a gift to a Hindu [temple](https://www.worldhistory.org/temple/) and gives the donor's name. The inscription is flanked by a portrait of the donor and his wife to his right, and small image of the bird-man [Garuda](https://www.worldhistory.org/Garuda/) and Vishnu's mountain, to his left. 12th century CE and is likely made of phyllite. It comes from West Bengal, India. [Iris](https://www.worldhistory.org/Iris/) & B. Gerald Cantor Center for Visual Arts at Stanford University, Stanford, California. #### Editorial Review This human-authored image has been reviewed by our editorial team before publication to ensure accuracy, reliability and adherence to academic standards in accordance with our [editorial policy](https://www.worldhistory.org/static/editorial-policy/). ## About the Author James Blake Wiener has a particular interest in cross-cultural exchange and world history. He is a co-founder of World History Encyclopedia and formerly was its Communications Director. - [Linkedin Profile](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameswiener) ## Cite This Work ### APA Wiener, J. B. (2018, January 16). Vishnu with Lakshmi and Saravati. *World History Encyclopedia*. ### Chicago Wiener, James Blake. "Vishnu with Lakshmi and Saravati." *World History Encyclopedia*, January 16, 2018. . ### MLA Wiener, James Blake. "Vishnu with Lakshmi and Saravati." *World History Encyclopedia*, 16 Jan 2018, . ## License & Copyright Submitted by [James Blake Wiener](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/jbw288/ "User Page: James Blake Wiener"), published on 16 January 2018. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/deed.en). This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.