The Vrishni heroes (

IAST The International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration (IAST) is a transliteration scheme that allows the lossless romanisation of Indic scripts as employed by Sanskrit and related Indic languages. It is based on a scheme that emerged during ...

: Vṛṣṇi Viras), also referred to as ''Pancha-viras'' (

: Pañca vīras, "Five heroes"), are a group of five legendary, deified heroes who are found in the literature and archaeological sites of

ancient India According to consensus in modern genetics, anatomically modern humans first arrived on the Indian subcontinent from Africa between 73,000 and 55,000 years ago. Quote: "Y-Chromosome and Mt-DNA data support the colonization of South Asia by m ...

. Their earliest worship is attestable in the clan of the

Vrishni The Vrishnis ( Brahmi: ''vri-shņi'') were an ancient Vedic Indian clan who were believed to be the descendants of Vrishni. It is believed that Vrishni was the son of Satvata, a descendant of Yadu, the son of Yayati. He had two wives, Gandhari a ...

s near

Mathura Mathura () is a city and the administrative headquarters of Mathura district in the states and union territories of India, Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is located approximately north of Agra, and south-east of Delhi; about from the to ...

by 4th-century BCE. Legends are associated with these deified heroes, some of which may be based on real, historical heroes of the Vrishni clan. Their early worship has been variously described as cross-sectarian, much like the cult of the Yakshas, related to the early

Bhagavata The Bhagavata tradition, also called Bhagavatism, refers to an ancient religious sect that traced its origin to the region of Mathura. After its syncretism with the Brahmanical tradition of Vishnu, Bhagavatism became a pan-Indian tradition ...

tradition of Hinduism, and with possible links to Jainism as well. They and their legends – particularly of Krishna and

Balarama Balarama (Sanskrit: बलराम, IAST: ''Balarāma'') is a Hindu god and the elder brother of Krishna. He is particularly significant in the Jagannath tradition, as one of the triad deities. He is also known as Haladhara, Halayudha, Bala ...

– have been an important part of the Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism. The Vrishnis were already known in the late

Vedic upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the '' Atharvaveda''. The Vedas (, , ) are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the ...

literature. They are also mentioned by

Pāṇini , era = ;;6th–5th century BCE , region = Indian philosophy , main_interests = Grammar, linguistics , notable_works = ' (Classical Sanskrit) , influenced= , notable_ideas=Descriptive linguistics (Devanagar ...

in ''Astadhyayi'' verse 6.2.34, while Krishna is referred to as Krishna ''Varshneya'' ("the Vrishni") in verse 3.187.51 of the ''Mahabharata''. Beyond texts, their importance in ancient India is attested by the ancient inscriptions found near Mathura and coins discovered in the ruins of

Ai-Khanoum Ai-Khanoum (, meaning ''Lady Moon''; uz, Oyxonim) is the archaeological site of a Hellenistic city in Takhar Province, Afghanistan. The city, whose original name is unknown, was probably founded by an early ruler of the Seleucid Empire and ser ...

(Afghanistan), bearing images of the two main Vrishni heroes, with Greek and

Brahmi Brahmi (; ; ISO: ''Brāhmī'') is a writing system of ancient South Asia. "Until the late nineteenth century, the script of the Aśokan (non-Kharosthi) inscriptions and its immediate derivatives was referred to by various names such as 'lath' ...

legends. The cult of the Vrishni heroes existed as an independent cult in

, as suggested by the Mora Well Inscription, and was then amalgamated very progressively into Vaishnavism. The deification of the Vrhisni heroes centered around the cult of Vasudeva-Krishna, known as Bhagavatism. Epigraphical evidence suggests that their legends and worship swiftly expanded to other parts of India by the start of the common era. The Vrishni heroes are generally identified as Samkarshana (

-Samkarshana, son of

Vasudeva Anakadundubhi According to Hindu scriptures, Vasudeva (Sanskrit: वसुदेव, IAST: ''Vasudeva''), also called Anakadundubhi, (''anakas'' and ''dundubhis'' both refer to ''drums'', after the musicians who played these instruments at the time of his b ...

and

Devaki Devaki ( Sanskrit: देवकी, IAST: ''Devakī'') is a character in Hindu literature, most noted for being the mother of the god Krishna. She is one of the seven daughters of Devapa or Devaka, a king of the Yadu dynasty, and has four b ...

Vāsudeva Vāsudeva ( sa, वासुदेव, ), later incorporated as Vāsudeva-Krishna (, " Krishna, son of Vasudeva"),"While the earliest piece of evidence do not yet use the name Krsna...." in Krishna-Vāsudeva or simply Krishna, was the son of ...

( Vāsudeva-Krishna, another son of Vasudeva Anakadundubhi and

), Pradyumna (son of Vāsudeva-Krishna and Rukmini),

Samba Samba (), also known as samba urbano carioca (''urban Carioca samba'') or simply samba carioca (''Carioca samba''), is a Brazilian music genre that originated in the Afro-Brazilian communities of Rio de Janeiro in the early 20th century. Havi ...

(son of Vāsudeva-Krishna and

Jambavati Jambavati () is chronologically the second '' Ashtabharya'' of the Hindu god Krishna. She is the only daughter of the bear-king Jambavan. Krishna marries her when he defeats her father, Jambavan, in his quest to retrieve the stolen Syamantaka j ...

), and Aniruddha (son of Pradyumna). Probably as late as the 1st century CE, the cult of the Vrishni heroes (''Vīravāda'') retained more importance than the Vyuha doctrine (''Vyūhavāda''), the subsequent cult of emanations that evolved from the Vrishni hero cult. Still later, it evolved into the ''Avatāravāda'' system of incarnations of Vishnu. Overall, according to Doris Srinivasan, "the absorption of the Vrishni hero into the Vaishnava worship is very gradual. The amalgamation process was preceded and concurrent with a cult of several Vrishni heroes". The Vrishni heroes also have distinct individual qualities:

is also associated with gentleness and strength, Samkarsana with knowledge, Pradyumna with female power, Samba with male power and Aniruddha with ferociousness and sovereignty."Gentleness and strength are associated with Vasudeva, knowledge with Samkarsana, (Narasimha) female power with Pradyumna (Varaha) and ferociousness and sovereignty with Aniruddha (Kapila)."

Identity

The historical roots and the identity of the Vrishni heroes is unclear. Several interpretations have been proposed.

Local heroes turned deities

According to Rosenfield, the five heroes of the Vrishnis may have been ancient historical rulers in the region of Mathura, and Vāsudeva and Krishna "may well have been kings of this dynasty as well". According to the Vayu Purana (97.1-2), the five Vrishni heroes were originally human, and their names were Samkarshana, Vāsudeva, Pradyumna, Samba, and Aniruddha. The heroes would then have evolved into Vaishnavite deities through a step-by-step process: 1) deification of the Vrishni heroes 2) association with the God

Narayana Narayana (Sanskrit: नारायण, IAST: ''Nārāyaṇa'') is one of the forms and names of Vishnu, who is in yogic slumber under the celestial waters, referring to the masculine principle. He is also known as Purushottama, and is cons ...

- Vishnu 3) incorporation into the Vyuha concept of successive emanations of the God. Epigraphically, the deified status of Vāsudeva in particular is confirmed by his appearance on the coinage of

Agathocles of Bactria Agathocles I Dicaeus ( grc, Ἀγαθοκλῆς Δικαῖος, Agathoklēs Dikaios, the epithet means "the just") was a Greco-Bactrian/Indo-Greek king, who reigned between around 190 and 180 BC, likely of the dynasty of Diodotus I, due to his co ...

(190-180 BCE) and by the devotional character of the Heliodorus pillar inscription (circa 110 BCE). Later, the association with

( Vishnu) is suggested by the

Hathibada Ghosundi Inscriptions The Hathibada Ghosundi Inscriptions, sometimes referred simply as the Ghosundi Inscription or the Hathibada Inscription, are among the oldest known Sanskrit inscriptions in the Brahmi script, and dated to the 2nd-1st-century BCE. The Hathibada in ...

of the 1st century BCE. It is generally thought that "by the beginning of the Christian era, the cult of Vasudeva, Vishnu and Narayana amalgamated". By the 2nd century CE, the "''avatara'' concept was in its infancy", and the depiction of Vishnu with his four emanations (the '' Chatur-vyūha''), consisting in the Vrishni heroes minus Samba, starts to become visible in art at the end of the

Kushan The Kushan Empire ( grc, Βασιλεία Κοσσανῶν; xbc, Κυϸανο, ; sa, कुषाण वंश; Brahmi: , '; BHS: ; xpr, 𐭊𐭅𐭔𐭍 𐭇𐭔𐭕𐭓, ; zh, 貴霜 ) was a syncretic empire, formed by the Yuezhi, ...

period. Banerjee too considered that they may have been semi-deified legendary kings who came to be considered as Vishnu's

avatar Avatar (, ; ), is a concept within Hinduism that in Sanskrit literally means "descent". It signifies the material appearance or incarnation of a powerful deity, goddess or spirit on Earth. The relative verb to "alight, to make one's appearanc ...

s. This would lead to an early form of Vaishnavism, currently described as the

Pancaratra ''Pancharatra'' (IAST: ''Pāñcarātra'') was a religious movement in Hinduism that originated in late 3rd-century BCE around the ideas of Narayana and the various avatars of Vishnu as their central deities. Also according to Gavin Flood – an Indologist and scholar of Hinduism, Vāsudeva may have originated in a real Vrishni hero or king, but the lineage is difficult to establish. This Vasudeva became deified in the Vrishni clan, its worship being traceable to the 4th century text of

, which mentions ''Vāsudevaka'' or a "devotee of Vāsudeva". Vāsudeva then fused with Krishna of the Yadavas clan. Over time, Vāsudeva was identified with Krishna and Vishnu. According to Christopher Austin, the Vrishni heroes are characters linked to the end of ''Mahabharata'', reflecting the three generations of Vrishnis of Krishna from the

Bhagavad Gita The Bhagavad Gita (; sa, श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता, lit=The Song by God, translit=śrīmadbhagavadgītā;), often referred to as the Gita (), is a 700-verse Hindu scripture that is part of the epic ''Mahabharata'' (ch ...

fame, his son, his grandson along with the Balarama (Samkarshana). This view is supported by Srinivasan and Banerjee based on evidence in two Puranic passages and the Mora well inscription. In early Hinduism, the five Vrishni heroes have been identified as Vāsudeva-Krishna, Samkarsana-

, Pradyumna, Aniruddha and

as known from the Medieval Vayu Purana.

Early coinage (3rd-2nd century BCE)

The Vrishni heroes appear on the coinage of

, circa 190-180 BCE: Samkarshana, with Gada mace and plow, and

, with Shankha (a pear-shaped case or conch) and

Chakra Chakras (, ; sa , text=चक्र , translit=cakra , translit-std=IAST , lit=wheel, circle; pi, cakka) are various focal points used in a variety of ancient meditation practices, collectively denominated as Tantra, or the esoteric or ...

wheel. This is "the earliest unambiguous image" of the two deities. On some of the Indian punch-marked coins, three individuals appear without attributes, possibly deities Saṃkarṣaṇa,

and Ekanamsha in the late 4th-2nd century BCE. The same type of coins was excavated in

Besnagar Vidisha (विदिशा, formerly known as Bhelsa and known as Besnagar in ancient times) is a city in central Madhya Pradesh, India. It is located 62.5 km northeast of the state capital, Bhopal. The name "Vidisha" is derived from th ...

. On some post-Mauryan punch-marked coins, possible depictions of Saṃkarṣaṇa-Balarama appear. He is shown wielding a mace and a plough."Post-Mauryan punch-marked coin" These punch-marked coin are dated to the 2nd century BCE, and may be associated with Mathura. Coin_of_the_Bactrian_King_Agathokles.jpg, Coin of

(190-180 BCE) Mauryan Empire. Circa late 4th-2nd century BC.jpg, Mauryan Empire. Late 4th-2nd century BC Mauryan punch-marked coin with three deities 4th-2nd century BCE.jpg, Mauryan punch-marked coin with three deities 4th-2nd century BCE Besnagar silver punch-marked coins (anthropomorphical).jpg, Punch-marked coins excavated in Besnagar Mauryan Balarama Coin 3rd-2nd Century CE (detail).jpg, Post-Mauryan punch-marked coin with possible Balarama (detail)

Jainism

Another theory has been proposed by Heinrich Luders. Based on analysis of 10th to 12th century Jaina texts, Luders proposed that Vrishnis may have roots in Jainism, noting the co-existence of the Jain and Vrishni-related archaeological findings in Mathura, and the strength of Jainism at that time in Mathura. He names the Vrishni heroes as Baladeva, Akrura, Anadhrsti, Sarana and Viduratha – all Jain heroes and with Akrura as the commander.

Cross-sectarian deities

According to Quintanilla, the cult of the Vrishnis may have been cross-sectarian, much like the cult of the Yakshas, and "may not necessarily represent the roots of Vaiṣṇava theology at Mathura".

Devotional structures and symbolism (circa 115 BCE)

Several pillar capitals with symbolic statuary associated to the Vhrishni heroes have been found in

around the site of the Heliodorus pillar, dated to about 115 BCE. The Heliodorus pillar inscription explains that the pillar erected to honour

is a

Garuda Garuda (Sanskrit: ; Pāli: ; Vedic Sanskrit: गरुळ Garuḷa) is a Hindu demigod and divine creature mentioned in the Hindu, Buddhist and Jain faiths. He is primarily depicted as the mount (''vahana'') of the Hindu god Vishnu. Garuda is a ...

-vajra, although the Garuda statue has not been found. According to Susan L. Huntington, the Garuda capital on the Heliodorus pillar was probably similar to a portable Garuda standard illustrated on one of the nearly contemporary reliefs at

Bharhut Bharhut is a village located in the Satna district of Madhya Pradesh, central India. It is known for its famous relics from a Buddhist stupa. What makes Bharhut panels unique is that each panel is explicitly labelled in Brahmi characters mentio ...

. In Bharhut, a man riding a horse is seen holding a portable pillar-standard, crowned by a bird-man creature similar to a Kinnara. The same concept of Garuda pillar may have been adopted for the Heliodorus pillar."The rider of the horse holds a portable pillar-standard (dhvaja stambha) related to the stationary type seen since Maurya and pre-Maurya times, here probably intended as a royal insignia. It is interesting to note resemblance between this standard with its square abacus, lotus capital, and bird-man creature called a kinnara and what was probably the original concept of the Heliodorus Garuda pillar at Vidisa. Since this particular sculpture of the Bharhut vedika was dedicated by an individual from

Vidisa Vidisha (विदिशा, formerly known as Bhelsa and known as Besnagar in ancient times) is a city in central Madhya Pradesh, India. It is located 62.5 km northeast of the state capital, Bhopal. The name "Vidisha" is derived from th ...

, as indicated by an inscription, this resemblance is even more remarkable and may indicate that the Bharhut form was based specifically on the Vedika pillar, or a common prototype." in Other sculptures and pillar capitals were found near the Heliodorus pillar, and it is thought they were dedicated to Vāsudeva's kinsmen, otherwise known as the Vrishni heroes and objects of the

cult. These are a ''tala'' (fan-palm capital), a ''makara'' (crocodile) capital, a banyan-tree capital, and a possible statue of the goddess Lakshmi, also associated with the Bhagavat cult. Just as Garuda is associated with Vāsudesa, the fan-palm capital is generally associated with Saṃkarṣaṇa, and the ''makara'' is associated with Pradyumna. The banyan-tree capital with ''ashtanidhis'' is associated with Lakshmi. In effect, the findings surrounding the Heliodorus pillar suggest the cult of a trio of the Vrishni heroes in this time and area, composed of the three deities Vāsudesa, Saṃkarṣaṇa and Pradyumna.

Vrishni Temple structure

Excavations suggests that these various pillars with their symbolic capitals were standing in line at the site, and that the Heliodorus pillar was just one of them, standing at the end of the line. Although the pillars are

aniconic Aniconism is the absence of artistic representations (''icons'') of the natural and supernatural worlds, or it is the absence of representations of certain figures in religions. It is a feature of various cultures, particularly of cultures which ...

, it is probable that now lost sculptures representing the deities, broadly similar to the depictions on

and Samkarshana on the coins of

(190-180 BCE), were located in adjoining shrines. The 1963–65 excavations at the site suggest that the site had an elliptical shrine – possibly dating to the 4th to 3rd-century BCE – with a brick foundation and likely a wooden superstructure. This was destroyed by a flood around 200 BCE. New soil was then added and the ground level raised to build a new second temple to Vāsudeva, with a wooden pillar (Garuda dhvaja) in front of the east-facing elliptical shrine. This too was destroyed by floods sometime in the 2nd-century BCE. In late 2nd-century BCE, after some ground preparation, yet another Vāsudeva temple was rebuilt, this time with eight stone pillars aligned in the north-south cardinal axis. Only one of these eight pillars have survived: the Heliodorus pillar. File:Deity_Krishna-Vasudeva_on_a_coin_of_Agathocles_of_Bactria_190-180_BCE.jpg, Depiction of Vasudeva circa 190-180 BCE. File:Garuda_pillar_from_Bharhut_relief.jpg, The ''

'', symbol of

, was probably similar to this design from

, circa 100 BCE. Besnagar fan-palm capital.jpg, The fan-palm capital, found next to the Heliodorus pillar, is associated with Saṃkarṣaṇa. File:Besnagar Makara pillar capital.jpg, The ''

Makara ''Makara'' ( sa, मकर, translit=Makara) is a legendary sea-creature in Hindu mythology. In Hindu astrology, Makara is equivalent to the Zodiac sign Capricorn. Makara appears as the vahana (vehicle) of the river goddess Ganga, Narmada, a ...

'' capital, found at the site of the Heliodorus pillar, is associated with Pradyumna. 2nd century BCE. Gwalior Museum File:Kalpadruma.jpg, A pillar capital shaped as a Kalpadruma tree, also found nearby at Besnagar, probably associated with

Lakshmi Lakshmi (; , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism. She is the goddess of wealth, fortune, power, beauty, fertility and prosperity, and associated with ''Maya'' ("Illusion"). Al ...

Saṃkarṣaṇa in Indo-Scythian coinage (1st century BCE)

Saṃkarṣaṇa, the Vrishni elder and the leading divinity until the rise to precedence of Vāsudeva, is known to appear on the coinage of the

Indo-Scythian Indo-Scythians (also called Indo-Sakas) were a group of nomadic Iranian peoples of Scythian origin who migrated from Central Asia southward into modern day Pakistan and Northwestern India from the middle of the 2nd century BCE to the 4th c ...

rulers Maues and

Azes I Azes I (Greek: , epigraphically ; Kharosthi: , ) was an Indo-Scythian ruler who ruled around c. 48/47 BCE – 25 BCE with a dynastic empire based in the Punjab and Indus Valley, completed the domination of the Scythians in the northwestern Indi ...

during the 1st century BCE. These coins show him holding a mace and a plough. File:Maues coinage with Balarama.jpg, Samkarsana-Balarama on a coin of Maues (90-80 BCE) File:Samkarsana on the coinage of Maues.jpg, Samkarsana-Balarama on a coin of Maues (90-80 BCE) File:BalaramaMauesCoin1stCenturyBCE.jpg, Samkarsana-Balarama on a coin of Maues (90-80 BCE) File:Azes coinage with Balarama image.jpg, Samkarsana-Balarama on a coin of

Azes Azes I (Greek: , epigraphically ; Kharosthi: , ) was an Indo-Scythian ruler who ruled around c. 48/47 BCE – 25 BCE with a dynastic empire based in the Punjab and Indus Valley, completed the domination of the Scythians in the northwestern Indi ...

(58-12 BCE)

Ghosundi Inscriptions (1st century BCE)

Vasudeva in the Ghosundi Fragment A inscription

The two major Vrishni heroes Saṃkarṣaṇa and Vāsudeva, still in their proper seniority order, are again mentioned in the

, dated to the 1st century BCE. For the first time they seem to be associated to a higher divinity, as the inscription mention that their cult is made on a precinct of

Mora Vrishni heroes (circa 15 CE)

The Vrishni heroes are mentioned in the Mora Well Inscription in Mathura, dated to the time of the

Northern Satraps The Northern Satraps (Brahmi: , ''Kṣatrapa'', "Satraps" or , ''Mahakṣatrapa'', "Great Satraps"), or sometimes Satraps of Mathura, or Northern Sakas, are a dynasty of Indo-Scythian rulers who held sway over the area of Eastern Punjab and Math ...

Sodasa, in which they are called ''

m''. Statue fragments were found in Mora, which are thought to represent some of the Vrishni heroes. Two uninscribed male torsos were discovered in the mound, both of high craftsmanship and in Indian style and costume. They are similar with minor variations, suggesting they may have been part of a series. They share some sculptural characteristics with the Yaksha statues found in Mathura, such as the sculpting in the round, or the clothing style. Sonya Rhie Quintanilla also supports an attribution of the torso to the five Vrishnis, and dates them to around the time of Sodasa (circa 15 CE), which is confirmed on artistic grounds.

Vrishni Temples (circa 15 CE)

Mention of Vrishni Temples appears in the Mora Well Inscription, which describes a pratima (murti, images), a stone shrine (temple) and calls the five Vrishnis as ''bhagavatam''. The inscription is dated to the early decades of the 1st century CE during the reign of Sodasa, probably circa 15 CE. A decorated doorjamb, also probably belonging to a Temple, on which is inscribed the Vasu Doorjamb Inscription, is dedicated to deity

, and mentions the rule of the Northern Satrap Sodasa, and has similar carving to the Mora doorjamb. The decoration of these and many similar doorjambs from Mathura consists in scrolls of grapevines. They are all dated to the reign of Sodasa, circa 15 CE and constitute a secure dated artistic reference for the evaluation of datation of other Mathura sculptures. It has been suggested that the grapevine design had been introduced from the Gandhara area in the northwest, and maybe associated with the northern taste of the

Satrap A satrap () was a governor of the provinces of the ancient Median and Achaemenid Empires and in several of their successors, such as in the Sasanian Empire and the Hellenistic empires. The satrap served as viceroy to the king, though with consid ...

rulers. These designs may also be the result of the work of northern artists in Mathura. The grapevine designs of Gandhara are generally considered as originating from Hellenistic art. File:Vasu doorjamb horizontal.jpg, The Vasu doorjamb, dedicated to

"in the reign of Sodasa",

, circa 15 CE. Mathura Museum, GMM 13.367 File:Mora doorjamb designs Mathura, 1st century CE.jpg, Mora doorjamb with grapevine design, probably belonging to a Vrishni Temple at Mora, near

, circa 15 CE.

State Museum Lucknow State Museum, Lucknow is a prominent museum located in the capital city of Uttar Pradesh, India. The museum is currently located in the Nawab Wajid Ali Shah Zoological Gardens, Banarasi Bagh, Lucknow. The museum was established in 1863 from t ...

, SML J.526.

Chamunda Tila Vrishni symbols (1st century CE)

Chamunda Tila pillar capital, Mathura (background)

The ''Chamunda Tila'' pillar capital, also found in Mathura, may be another example of the Vrishni cult in the area of Mathura, this time using the Vrishni ''lanchana'' symbols around a central figure. This pillar capital uses five symbols on both sides: a lion, a palm leaf, a

makara ''Makara'' ( sa, मकर, translit=Makara) is a legendary sea-creature in Hindu mythology. In Hindu astrology, Makara is equivalent to the Zodiac sign Capricorn. Makara appears as the vahana (vehicle) of the river goddess Ganga, Narmada, a ...

, an adorned woman, and Yaksha in central position, with a probable top symbol missing. The ''Tāladdhvaja'' (palm leaf column) is known to symbolize Samkarsana, the ''Garuḍadhvaja'' (

garuda Garuda (Sanskrit: ; Pāli: ; Vedic Sanskrit: गरुळ Garuḷa) is a Hindu demigod and divine creature mentioned in the Hindu, Buddhist and Jain faiths. He is primarily depicted as the mount (''vahana'') of the Hindu god Vishnu. Garuda is a ...

column) symbolizes

, the ''Makaradhvaja'' (

crocodile column) symbolizes Pradyumna, and the ''Ṛṣyadhvaja'' (white antilope column) corresponds to Aniruddha. The lion pillar capital corresponds to Samba. The function of the adorned woman is Shri Rukmani. The central figure uses the iconography of a Yaksha, pointing to the association of Vrishni iconography with Yasha iconography, as seen in the Mora statue found with the Mora Well Inscription.

Triads (1st-2nd century CE)

A few triads are known from Mathura, dated to the 1st-2nd century CE, showing Vāsudeva and Saṃkarṣaṇa with their attributes, together with a female standing in the middle, thought to be Ekanamsha. In these triads, the kinship of the warrior heroes is still emphasized, with the depiction focusing on the elder brother, the younger brother and the sister, with a prominence still given to the elder brother Samkarsana. They are still presented as warrior "''

kshatriya Kshatriya ( hi, क्षत्रिय) (from Sanskrit ''kṣatra'', "rule, authority") is one of the four varna (social orders) of Hindu society, associated with warrior aristocracy. The Sanskrit term ''kṣatriyaḥ'' is used in the cont ...

''" heroes who are not yet fully deified or considered as royals, and are only the object of

Bhakti ''Bhakti'' ( sa, भक्ति) literally means "attachment, participation, fondness for, homage, faith, love, devotion, worship, purity".See Monier-Williams, ''Sanskrit Dictionary'', 1899. It was originally used in Hinduism, referring to d ...

devotional worship towards ancestral heroes, focusing on their enshrined icons.

Caturvyūha (2nd century CE)

Chaturvuyha Sankarshan Vasudeva 2nd century CE, Mathura Museum

The famous " Chatur-vyūha" statue in Mathura Museum is an attempt to show in one composition

together with the other members of the

clan of the

Pancharatra ''Pancharatra'' (IAST: ''Pāñcarātra'') was a religious movement in Hinduism that originated in late 3rd-century BCE around the ideas of Narayana and the various avatars of Vishnu as their central deities.Samkarsana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha, with

missing, Vāsudeva being the central deity from whom the others emanate. The back of the relief is carved with the branches of a

Kadamba tree ''Neolamarckia cadamba'', with English common names burflower-tree, laran, and Leichhardt pine, and called kadam or cadamba locally, is an evergreen, tropical tree native to South and Southeast Asia. The genus name honours French naturalist Jean- ...

, symbolically showing the relationship being the different deities. Vāsudeva is fittingly in the center with ornate crown and flower necklace, making the Abhaya Mudra and holding his decorated heavy mace on the side, his elder brother

to his right under a serpent hood, his son Pradyumna to his left (lost), and his grandson Aniruddha on top. Vishnu image rear view, background, Mathura Museum.jpg, Tree and branches sculpted in the back, showing their genealogical relationship. File:Caturvyuha, Balarama under his snake hood holding a cup.jpg, Samkarsana-

under his snake hood holding a cup File:Caturvyuha, vasudeva's mace held by one of his supplementary hands.jpg, Vasudeva's ornate mace held by one of his supplementary hands

Cult images of Vāsudeva (2nd-3rd century CE)

Vishnu_statuette,_3rd-4th_century_CE,_Udayagiri,_Vidisha_District

Cult images of

continued to be produced until the 4th century CE, the worship of this Mathuran deity being much more important than that of Vishnu during that period. Statues dating to the 2nd and 3rd century show a possibly four-armed Vāsudeva standing with his attributes: the wheel, the mace and the conch, his right hand saluting in '' Abhaya mudra''. Only with the Gupta period, did statues focusing on the worship of Vishnu himself start to appear, using the same iconography as the statues of Vāsudeva, but with the addition of an

aureole An aureola or aureole (diminutive of Latin ''aurea'', "golden") is the radiance of luminous cloud which, in paintings of sacred personages, surrounds the whole figure. In Romance languages, the noun Aureola is usually more related to the d ...

starting at the shoulders.For English summary, see page 80 From the 4th century CE, independent devotional statues of Vāsudeva-Krishna become very rare, and are replaced by statues of Vishnu with the addition of an aureole. This suggests with a high probability that the human face in the statues of Vishnu, including those known as ''

Vaikuntha Chaturmurti Vaikuntha Chaturmurti or Vaikuntha Vishnu is a four-headed aspect of the Hindu god Vishnu, mostly found in Kashmir (northern part of the Indian subcontinent). The icon represents Vishnu as the Supreme Being. He has a human head, a lion head, a b ...

'', is actually the face of his human emanation, Vāsudeva-Krishna.

Kondamotu Vrishni heroes (4th century CE)

A relief from Kondamotu, Guntur district in

Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...

, dates to the 4th century CE, and shows the Vrishni heroes standing in genealogical order around Narasimha. From left to right, they are: Saṃkarṣaṇa, holding a mace and a ploughshare topped by the depiction of a lion,

, with a hand in ''abhaya mudra'' and the other hand on the hip holding a conch shell. Vāsudeva also has a crown, which distinguishes him from the others. Then follow Pradyumna, holding a bow and an arrow,

, holding a wine goblet, and Aniruddha, holding a sword and a shield. The fact that they stand around Narasimha suggests a fusion of the Satvata cult with the Vrishni cult.

Evolution as avatars of Vishnu (4th century CE-)

The Vrishni heroes for the most part became avatars of Vishnu, and were incorporated in the Vaishnavite system from the 4th century CE. The avatars were combined in the Vishnu statuary from this time, in statues known as ''

''. Saṃkarṣaṇa came to be associated with the lion, which is his

theriomorphic The word ''zoomorphism'' derives from the Greek ζωον (''zōon''), meaning "animal", and μορφη (''morphē''), meaning "shape" or "form". In the context of art, zoomorphism could describe art that imagines humans as non-human animals. It ...

aspect. He can be identified as Narasimha. Saṃkarṣaṇa appears as a lion in some of the Caturvyūha statues (the Bhita statue), where he is an assistant to

, and in the ''

'' when his lion's head protrudes from the side of Vishnu's head. Aniruddha came to be associated with the boar, which is his

aspect, also known as Varaha. Aniruddha appears as a boar in some of the Caturvyūha statues, where he is an assistant to

, and in the ''

'' when his boar's head protrudes from the side of Vishnu's head. In the ''Vaikuntha Chaturmurti'', especially in the statues from Kasmir, Pradyumna also appears sometimes in the back of the head of the central Vishnu, as a fearsome deity, also known as Kapila.

Symbolic system

The ''caturvyuha'', this

Gupta period The Gupta Empire was an ancient Indian empire which existed from the early 4th century CE to late 6th century CE. At its zenith, from approximately 319 to 467 CE, it covered much of the Indian subcontinent. This period is considered as the Gol ...

polycephalic aspect of Vishnu formed by the four Vrishni heroes as his emanations (a ''Saumya'' benevolent face to the east, a ''Simha'' lion face to the south, a ''Varaha'' boar face to the north, a ''Raudra'' terrible human face to the west) is described in detail in the '' Vishnudharmottara Purana'' (compiled between the 4th and the 7th century CE). This is to be understood in conjunction with the description of the four ''

Vyūha Vyūha (Sanskrit: व्यूह) means - 'to arrange troops in a battle array (formation)', 'to arrange, put or place in order, to dispose, separate, divide, alter, transpose, disarrange, resolve (vowels syllables etc.)'. Its root is व्यः ...

s'' Saṃkarṣaṇa, Vāsudeva, Pradyumna, and Aniruddha, also presented as emanations of Vishnu, as known from the

Dashavatara Temple, Deogarh (6th century CE)

The Dashavatara Temple in Deogarh is closely related to the iconic architectural temple structure described in the Viṣṇudharmottara purāṇa, and can be interpreted as an architectural representation of the '' Caturvyuha'' concept and the

, Samkarshana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha. According to Lubotsky, it is likely that the entrance is dedicated to the

aspect of Vishnu; the Anantashayana side is his role as the creator ( Aniruddha); the sage form of Nara-Narayana side symbolizes his preservation and maintainer role in cosmic existence ( Pradyumna); and the Gajendramoksha side represents his role as the destroyer ( Samkarsana).

Later depictions of the Vrishni heroes

The Vrishni heroes – particularly Krishna and Balarama – are still found in some Vaishnava

Hindu temple A Hindu temple, or ''mandir'' or ''koil'' in Indian languages, is a house, seat and body of divinity for Hindus. It is a structure designed to bring human beings and gods together through worship, sacrifice, and devotion.; Quote: "The Hind ...

s. 11th century Balarama, Lakshmi (Shubadra), Vasudeva (Krishna, Jagannath).jpg, 11th century Balarama, Lakshmi (or perhaps, Subhadra), Vasudeva (Krishna, Jagannath) ParthasarathyTemple EasternThoranaEntrance BeachRoad (Vrishni detail).jpg, The five Vrishni heroes standing in the

Parthasarathy Temple The Parthasarathy Temple is a 6th-century Hindu Vaishnavite temple dedicated to Vishnu in Chennai, India. Located in the neighbourhood of Thiruvallikeni, the temple is glorified in the ''Naalayira Divya Prabandham'', the early medieval Tamil ...

, Eastern Torana Entrance. From left to right:

, Rukmini, Vasudeva-Krishna (center), Pradyumna, Aniruddha and Satyaki

References

Sources

* * * * {{Mathura Museum Mathura art