Stela

Description

stone, grey patina, pigment remains, depiction of the goddess “durga” sitting on a lotus throne, a defeated demon at her feet, provided with six arms, each hand holding a different item: thunderbolt, ritual knife, axe, skull bowl and human head, old collection sticker “U. von Schroeder N377”, dam., missing parts, traces of abrasion, on base;
“durga” means “the inaccessible” or “the invincible”. She is depicted with multiple (variously, up to eighteen) arms, various weapons and rides a ferocious lion or tiger. Quite often she is depicted as battling or slaying demons, particularly “mahishasura”, the buffalo demon.