Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Echoes of Soundarya Lahari...Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini




Artist: Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini 



"How Uma Became ParvatiChange is at the heart of many religions and all good stories. 

This illustration depicts the dance through which Uma changes form into the hideous goddess Kalee - developing a third eye and dripping blood. I know that Daniela relished conveying the darkness and raw power of this scene. This illustration clearly shows the influence of Aubrey Beardsley, both in its exploration of female psychology and its striking deployment of line. Thankfully, this terrible transformation is only temporary, as Uma later becomes the beautiful Parvati"

(The Guardian, August 8 2013)

Wikipedia:

"Soundarya Lahari's hundred and three shlokas (verses) eulogize the beauty, grace and munificence of Goddess Parvati / Dakshayani, consort of Shiva."

"निसर्ग-क्षीणस्य स्तनतट-भरेण क्लमजुषो
नमन्मूर्ते र्नारीतिलक शनकै-स्त्रुट्यत इव ।
चिरं ते मध्यस्य त्रुटित तटिनी-तीर-तरुणा
समावस्था-स्थेम्नो भवतु कुशलं शैलतनये ॥ 79 ॥"


source: http://www.vignanam.org/veda/soundarya-lahari-devanagari.html

[("Oh daughter of the mountain,
You who is the greatest among women,
Long live your pretty hips,
Which look fragile,
Which are by nature tiny,
Which are strained by your heavy breasts,
And hence slightly bent,
And which look like the tree,
In the eroded banks of a rushing river."), translation by  P. R. Ramachander
     
http://shankaracharya.org/soundarya_lahari.php]