Ganesa, Laksmi, kubera

[Raven, E.M.]

Nobumi Iyanaga wrote:
>
> Hello,
>
> I find in A. K. Coomaraswami, Yaksa, II, pl. 8-1, a photography of "Trinity
> of Fortune": Laksmi seated between Ganesa and Kubera (about eighth century,
> University Museum of Philadelphia).
>
> M. K. Dhavalikar, "Ganesa: Myth and Reality", in Robert Brown, ed., Ganesh.
> Studies of an Asian God, SUNY Press, 1991, p. 58-59, writes about some
> Mathura sculptures of the same "trinity".
>
> Is there any other example(s) of such "trinity" in the Indian iconography?
>
> I also heard that there is a sculpture of sixth century (?) of Navagraha in
> the Museum of Sarnath, in which Laksmi is flanked by Ganesa (at left) and
> Sarasvati (at right).  I would like to know if this is true, and if there is
> any reference on this sculpture.
>
> Thank you very much in advance!
>
> Best regards,
>
> Nobumi Iyanaga
> Tokyo,
> Japan


Dear Nobumi Iyanaga,

Dr. Gouriswar Bhattacharya has recently published an article entitled
`The trio of prosperity : a Gupta terracotta plaque from Bangladesh' in
South Asian Studies 12 (1996): 39-47.
I quote the abstact with the entry on this publication in the ABIA South
and Southeast Asian Art and Archaeology Index, an annotated bibliography
and database, of which vol. 1 has just been published:

`Presents a terracotta plaque from the Gupta period in the Bangladesh
National Museum Dhaka with a seated Gaja-Laksmi flanked by a two-armed
Ganesa and perhaps Kubera. Dates it to the 5th century A.D. Shows the
iconographic development of such triads by comparisons to similar, 7th
to 12th-century pieces from North Bengal and Rajasthan.' (ABIA Index
1996, entry no. 138).


Ellen Raven

coordinating editor for South Asia
ABIA Index, IIAS, Leiden
abiaraven at rullet.leidenuniv.nl