Gajasura Vadha (Slaying of the Elephant Demon)
Directorate of Archaeology, Archives and Museums M.P.
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This detailed sandstone carving captures a powerful moment-Shiva standing tall just after vanquishing the elephant demon, Gajasura. In a dramatic gesture, he doesn't cast aside the demon's hide but wears it across his back, with the elephant’s head arched over his own. It’s a bold and symbolic display of triumph. Despite the intensity of the act, Shiva’s expression remains calm, his posture perfectly balanced-embodying control, strength, and divine composure. Sculptures like this didn’t just decorate temples in early medieval India-they brought myth and devotion vividly to life.
Name: Gajasura Vadha (Slaying of the Elephant Demon)
Origin: 11th Century C.E., Choransigarh, Mandsaur
Currently at: Bhopal State Museum
Gajasura Vadha (Slaying of the Elephant Demon)
This beautifully detailed sandstone relief shows Shiva in a moment of powerful stillness, right after defeating the elephant demon, Gajasura. The myth-known as Gajasura Vadha-tells how the demon took the form of a mighty elephant, only to be slain by Shiva. But instead of discarding the elephant’s hide, Shiva wears it across his back, with its head curving dramatically over his own. It’s both a symbol of victory and a striking way to frame the central figure in the sculpture. Shiva’s pose is full of energy but also calm, capturing that balance between fierce destruction and divine control. Carvings like this were common in temple art from around the 8th to 12th centuries, especially in parts of central and southern India where Shaivism was deeply rooted. Sculptors of that era often used mythology not just to decorate temples, but to tell timeless stories through stone-just like this one.
