Large 4ft tall wood carved hanuman sculpture..?

[onegroovydude]

Hi. I bought this sculpture from a man who said it was supposed to be a god warrior. That was the extent of his knowledge on the piece. The only monkey god I could think of was hanuman. I looked for days for a similar piece for comparison but could not find anything this large or this much detail. Could anyone verify that this is supposed to be Hanuman..? Thank you.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...1202872ABC.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...12202DFB9D.jpg

[charitra]

Great work of art. Since there are multiple snakes themonkey is holding, it is unlikely to be a depiction of hanuman. But then the jury is still out...Namaste, Welcome.

[Jodhaa]

The best I can contribute is that it appears (stylistically) to be Indonesian, judging by the style of the snakes. It's really beautiful. Perhaps start by looking for Indonesian myths/stories involving a Monkey? I'll see what I can dig up.

Thanks for sharing!

[Jodhaa]

okay...the best I've been able to do is find these two, what I believe to be modern carvings of Hanuman fighting a naga. My memory is failing me so I don't know if that is something Hanuman was ever said to do, so someone with more knowledge will have to take over. But I think that what you might have is Hanuman fighting a naga.

http://www.carvedearth.com/wp-conten...3.2012-011.jpg

http://thehiddengallery.co.uk/wp-con...od_carving.jpg

[onegroovydude]

Great work of art. Since there are multiple snakes themonkey is holding, it is unlikely to be a depiction of hanuman. But then the jury is still out...Namaste, Welcome.

Hello. Thank you. I just fell in love with it.

[onegroovydude]

okay...the best I've been able to do is find these two, what I believe to be modern carvings of Hanuman fighting a naga. My memory is failing me so I don't know if that is something Hanuman was ever said to do, so someone with more knowledge will have to take over. But I think that what you might have is Hanuman fighting a naga.

Hello. Thank you for all the help. Just scaled larger and with a lot more detail maybe..

[onegroovydude]

I believe you might be right on the naga. Here's a picture I found on the net that is a painting of hanuman fighting a naga. I see some familiar similarities.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...7294E9D56D.jpg

[McKitty]

Vanakkam,

Jodhaa beat me on this one, but yes this is a thai version of HanumanJi, and He is fighting a Naga.

You can tell it's hanuman by the circular carvings on His body and His crown, else it could have been Sugriva, Palee Luang or Aonkod. They have different different skin colors, different crowns and sometimes different carvings.

Very beautiful work indeed ! I am very fascinated by thai art, it's powerful and expressive

If I remember right HanumanJi is viewed more like a warrior in thailand than a devotee like we can see in India. The sak yang (magical yantra tatoo) of Hanuman are all very popular among people. It is say that Hanuman magic and Hanuman worship bring courage and force to the devotee


Aum Namah Shivaya

[Jodhaa]

Vanakkam,

Jodhaa beat me on this one, but yes this is a thai version of HanumanJi, and He is fighting a Naga.

You can tell it's hanuman by the circular carvings on His body and His crown, else it could have been Sugriva, Palee Luang or Aonkod. They have different different skin colors, different crowns and sometimes different carvings.

Very beautiful work indeed ! I am very fascinated by thai art, it's powerful and expressive

If I remember right HanumanJi is viewed more like a warrior in thailand than a devotee like we can see in India. The sak yang (magical yantra tatoo) of Hanuman are all very popular among people. It is say that Hanuman magic and Hanuman worship bring courage and force to the devotee


Aum Namah Shivaya

Well you sound far for knowledgeable about the artistic depictions than I. I just recognized the style of the serpent/Dragon and that lead me to my conclusion. I didn't know that Hanuman was depicted differently from his famous kin. Thank you for contributing that. This makes me want to study the stylistic differences between Hindu art in India and other Hindu cultures around the world.

Peace!

[ShivaFan]

Namaste

I would like to offer a suggestion as to the answer of this question of the carving. But there is a Bengali twist to the explanation, where we first look in the direction far from the shores of Lanka and to the presence of Manasa Devi, as well as back to Lanka where certain endowed cobras who are ardent devotees of Manasa Devi protect certain "Shiva diamonds" (sapphires) and Lanka is the home of many of these gems some of which very large ones are precious Lingams, also there were many of such Lankan gems at the time of King Ravan and they were of interest to Rakshasas.

I want to point out I am not a Bengali, nor South Indian, nor do I claim this suggestion is authorized. Also, it may cause jalpa but the upside is it only again shows that Hinduism is a very large family and how the Devas and Devi somehow, one way or the other, interweave all the members of the Family together.

I admit some of this suggestion comes from vague memory of things told probably decades ago, there could be some confusion in my recollections, certainly I am not offering any direct quotations from sacred text or Ved. It might not be popular today to discuss such things as many young Hindus enjoy quoting shlokas from Gita and such as jnana yoga and philosophy and very little about the histories and presence of Devas and Devi who make their presence in Mother India as well as all over Mother Bhumi Earth. But I am old school, not a philosopher or jnani.

Now, there is no doubt as to the Majesty of Manasa Devi, She ardently loves Her devotees and does not like anyone taking their attention away from Her or away from looking into Her eyes like a cobra looks into the gemstone or listens to the bhajan of Devi played from a wind instrument so She gives Her ardent protection to Her devotees who are absorbed into the music of Her worship. She is known as such a Goddess, if I am mistaken in anything I might mention then I ask directly to Padma Sri Manasa to forgive me, "I am your slave, Gauri".

Some say She is the adopted daughter of Shiva, it is not important to discuss complex relations in context of this question of the wooden murti of Hanuman, anyone with large families enjoys the broad love of the family and the busy work involved, apparently She might be a little aloof from Lord Shiva since She mostly thinks of Her devotees.

The rumour is it appears that prior to joining with Ram, Hanuman may have visited Bengal though we may have controversy and dispute over details. Wherever the specific location might have been, apparently Hanuman had assisted Manasa Devi in the past in regards to some disputation between Saiva sadhus and saints and Shakta followers of a particular community of devotees of Manasa the Nagini Goddess and the siddhi aspirants who obtained and practiced very powerful sadhanas and satsangs with Nagini (snake) mysteries. Apparently, Manasa Devi wanted some of these Saiva savants to worship Her, but they would not "convert" and so She asked Hanuman to assist in some adventures which strikes me as odd since I consider Hanuman as Mahadeva Siva Himself. But you can discuss such jalpa with the Bengali pundits, not me, I have only heard these things and do not know all the facts. Just to mention, this Devi who is a Goddess of snakes and poisons and Who very much accompanied by Chandi and Shitala Devi (Jai Shitala of Varanasi ki Jai!), She watches Her sick "children" if you ask.

Perhaps the speculation is She is the daughter of Shiva and thus Hanuman, Who is Siva, will not have anything but cherishment for beloved Mata Mansa no matter what, even if She doesn't like particularly the enlightened Saiva saints who will not give Her exclusive worship or might turn the eyes of Her devotees away even for a moment from the gem of Her Eye.

Keep in mind also, Hanuman also wrote a Ramayana but felt sorry for Valmiki that Hanuman's was considered "better" than Valmiki, so He let Valmiki have the day however some mystics are given vision of the Hanuman Ramayana. So I don't know anything about that, but for what it is worth Ramayana is bigger than imagined, it is as big as Mother India Herself and every nook of India is touched by the Ramayana.

Here is a picture of Manasa Devi:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...anasa_Devi.jpg



So it is possible that Hanuman knew Shakti Manasa. Now back to the Nagini aspect of this suggestion.

On Hanuman's journey to Lanka, prior to the arriving armies, He encountered a manifestation of Devi named Surasa which can mean nectar. She came in the form of a sea serpent or snake and proposes a riddle to him saying He could not proceed further unless He finds a way to enter Her mouth.

I should mention the nectar is sometimes thought to be the snake poison.

Hanuman has the siddha power to grow larger in size, or smaller like the size of a cat. Being challenged with this proposal, He pulls a trick on the Nagini demoness. He grows in size as if to challenge her, who then also starts to grow in length and wrap about Him, and Her head also grows, when suddenly He transforms to the size small enough to quickly enter Her open mouth and back out again. Upon succeeding in the riddle by trickery, He then offers namaskar with both hands in prayer to the Nagini after She revels Herself as the Snake Nagini in Her original form or rupa.

I believe this wooden murti of Hanuman is a depiction of this event, the snake in this case is the Sea Serpent rupa of the Nagini Snake Goddess, and this is the wooden Murtis carved in Thailand (same theme popular in Indonesia and Bali).

Here is a Thai murti from late 1800s AD for sale on the market for range up of $35 to $5,000 dollars:

http://p2.la-img.com/171/13468/4046264_1_l.jpg



http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/4046264#


Here is another example of what I am referencing of such an Indonesian carving currently for sale on the market of exotic and antique art, this item was carved in the early 1900s:

http://esotericstuff.com/main/wp-con.../S_4660_03.jpg

Here is another also from Indonesia for sale on the market, also circa 1900 AD, look at the round eyes:

http://asian.sudokuone.com/images/wood/hanuman2.jpg

And yet another one, Indonesia 1900 AD:

http://esotericstuff.com/main/wp-con.../S_2869_03.jpg

Here is what I suggest. This wooden murti is of Hanuman and depicts the time Rama came eons ago, at that time the Shakta priests along the outskirts of Lanka were in the Seva of Manasa Devi who has the nickname Padma. She wants to hold onto Her devotees tight. Ravan, who was a Saiva, was also in the accompany of Rakshasas who were a threat to taking certain sapphires guarded by endowed nagini cobras. To add to the concern of Manasa Devi, Hanuman who approached the sea to cross into Lanka to search for Mother Sita was soon to bring armies. She could see Siva in Hanuman. Have they come to further expand Saiva path and take away Her beloved Shakta devotees?

Some say, Surasa was sent to test the will and power of Hanuman. That she was given the boon to "eat" whoever tried to cross in Her mouth as a sea storm eats the ships of sea. But She revealed Herself when Hanuman found the way to pass the riddle of the frog and the snake, that the frog who can dance in the mouth of the snake and return is like the lover who will do any risk for the beloved and return even from the mouth of death simply on the wings of such love, so Hanuman showed to Devi of all Nagas and Naginis that He knew the answer to the riddle of pure love and dedication of the heart. I suggest that Devi was Manasa Herself, ardent to hold onto Her beloved devotees. Only equal love is acceptable to pass on through. The answer to the riddle is love that is higher than lust, which can fly. It becomes fearless. In the end, Hanuman gave His respects to Devi as He continued His journey. And why should He not? After all, some say in Her, Hanuman also saw Her as if She were His own adopted daughter.

I suppose this is pure speculation. And probably so. But in regards to Manasa Devi and how Siva may think of Her. Anyone who has a daughter knows the love a father has for her, whether she is his own, first, second, seventh, adopted, or simply appeared as a gift from Devas and Devi, or that every such one is immediately thought of as one's own daughter for reasons that are profound. Even when she is bad, in the end she is always good to the eye of the father. Even if she loses one eye, the father will want to look into the eye remaining.

Om Namah Sivaya