Gonardiya or Gonikaputra, Patanjali god as an Avatar of lord Vishnu Shesha

This beautiful Patanjali Statue is carved in brass by the artists of South India.

It adds to the mystical feel of the Patanjali sculpture. Patanjali's lower half of his body is enveloped in the thick folds of the 7 headed serpents' body. The large hood of the snake houses 7 serpent heads that shadow the figure of Patanjali. Patanjali has four arms two of which are pressed together in front of his chest in the standard position of greeting. In his other two hands he holds a conch and discus, two weapons associated with Lord Vishnu. The carving of the sculpture is defined and beautiful!

Often called "the father of yoga," Patanjali was the sage who codified his thoughts and knowledge of yoga in The Yoga Sutra of Patanjali. In this work, Patanjali compiled 195 sutras or concise aphorisms that are essentially an ethical blueprint for living a moral life and incorporating the science of yoga into your life. Although no one is sure of the exact time when Patanjali lived and wrote down his sutras, it is estimated this humble physician who became one of the world's greatest sages roamed India somewhere between 200 B.C. and 200 A.D.

Make: Made in heavy brass.
Brass is well known for its grasping capacity. It grasps the divine spirit upto 30%, when compared to other metals.The spiritual vibrations are attracted towards these shining idols easily.

Dimensions: 4.5 inches (H) x 3.75 inches (W) approx
Weight: 570 grams approx
Importance of Idol worship: Idols are not the idle fancies of sculptors, but shining channels through which the heart of the devotee is attracted to and flows towards God. Though the image is worshipped, the devotee feels the presence of the Lord in it and pours out his devotion unto it. Regular worship, Puja and other modes of demonstrating our inner feeling of recognition of Divinity in the idol unveils the Divinity latent in it. This is truly a wonder and a miracle. The picture comes to life. The idol speaks. It will answer your questions and solve your problems. The God in you has the power to awaken the latent Divinity in the idol. The lives of Mirabai, Sant Tukaram, Shri Ramakrishna Paramhansa and Shri Yogananda are a few instances to prove the point. They proved beyond doubt that idol worship has its own brighter side and through simple faith and intense devotion one can realize God through it.

Idols are the "finite representation of the Infinite". As per Vishnu Samhita (ch 29, v 55-7), persuasively endorses the use of imagery (idols) and puts it: "Without a form how can God be mediated upon? If (He is) without any form, where will the mind fix itself? When there is nothing for the mind to attach itself to, it will slip away from meditation or will glide into a state of slumber. Therefore the wise will meditate on some form, remembering, however, that the form is a superimposition and not a reality."