Varuna on the Crocodile (#2513/6)
Opaque watercolor and gilt on paper
Nathawara School (Rajastan) 
Circa 1800
31 cm x 41.25 cm /12.25” x 16.25”

EXHIBITED:
Ithaca College Museum of Art Ithaca, New York, 1971

Lycoming College Gallery, Williamsport Pennsylvania, 1981

DESCRIPTION:
Varuna, one of the oldest of the Vedic gods, is god of water and the guardian of the west-quarter. His images not commonly seen, but in paintings he is shown as a white man. In depicting, Varuna holds either a noose or lotus, with a crocodile as a vehicle, and with two or four hands. In this painting Varuna is seen on his vehicle Makara crocodile, holding a lotus in his upper right hand and a kalash (holy vase) in his left hand. This in Hindu worship is representative as a personification of a deity. Varuna is robed in a white diaphanous garment enhance with gold embroidery, His hands are colored with henna; his arms with bracelets; his aureole a brilliant green surrounded with bursts of gold . The crocodile wears two bands of necklaces.  The ground is a marsh with lily pads; the sky a rich, dark blue. The figure of the crocodile spills out of the frame into the yellow foliate border and the surrounding red painted band.

Placed Private Collection