VISHNU ON GARUDA EARLY JAVANESE  STATUE     This is a statue of Sri Vishnu riding the Garuda. This statue is found in  Java.  It was sculpted during the time of Airlanga, who was the king of Java in the early 11th century A.D. He was a contemporary of Rajendra Chola I. He overthrew the suzerainty of the Emperor of SriVijaya and proclaimed independance. In this Javanese version, we see a very different style altogether. It is more dynamic than most such sculptures found in India. Part of the statue is missing. Otherwise we would have been able to see the out-spread wing of Garuda.  We still can see the  anterior edge of the out-spread wings   extending upwards on either sides of the figure of Vishnu. Note the feathers on the legs. And the sharp claws-talons      clutching a coiled serpent.  The eye of Garuda seem to be fixed intensely on something while he is emitting his falcon-scream through his open beak, which you seem to hear, piercing through the cyber-space. The figure of Vishnu is unique in the sense that Vishnu is found in the Yogic posture like Dakshinamurthi minus the CinMudra.  But he is seated like the Buddha .  Note the discus (Sudarsana Cakra) and the conch (Pancajanya). The discus is held in what is known as the Prayoga pose - but in the horizontal plane. by DR.S.JAYABARATHI Malaysia

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