In a World of Gods and Goddesses: The Mystic Art of Indra Sharma

by James H Bae

Overview

Reformatted into a new, smaller size, the masterful Indra Sharma’s celebrated collection of traditional spiritual Indian paintings is now more affordable than ever.

Expressing his spirituality through art, Sharma’s unique masterpieces are meant to inspire peace and reflection in the viewer. With sections on major Hindu deities and classic Vedic texts that include both art and accompanying descriptions, In a World of Gods and Goddesses is the definitive collection of Indra Sharma’s lifework. By combining contemporary and traditional artistic styles, Sharma creates icons of Hindu gods and goddesses that are altars of worship for millions. Steeped in India’s ancient Vedic cosmology, these prayerful, captivating paintings contain a complete who’s who of the Hindu pantheon—Ganesh, Devi, Shiva, Vishnu, Laxmi, and Krishna all come alive in this unique and richly colored work.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781608875436
Publisher:	Mandala Publishing
Publication date:	03/10/2015
Edition description:	Revised Edition
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	9.50(w) x 10.90(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

James H. Bae is a practitioner of both Hindu and Buddhist yoga systems. For years Bae has lived in India investing himself in his spiritual study and training as a monk. His primary areas of study include Oriental medicine, Hindu and Buddhist art, and Eastern philosophy and culture. Bae is the author of Darshan: Sweet Sounds of Surrender, Smaranam: A Garland of Kirtan, In a World of Gods and Goddesses: The Mystic Art of Indra Sharma, and a frequent writer for the Mandala diety mini-books. Bae currently writes and studies at his home in Hilo, Hawaii.

Editorial Reviews

Showcased to dazzling effect here is the Hindu religious art of India National Award winner Sharma. Often featured in publications on Hindu spirituality (the late A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, was a close friend and patron), Sharma's paintings are colorful, vivid, and lush, with great attention to the details of clothing, jewelry, and the world of nature. In some ways, his paintings resemble traditional Christian hagiographic art, with androgynous figures (divine or human), carefully draped garments, and symbolic items in profusion. They are highly realistic not to say photographic yet they depict the unseen personages of mythology from Ganesh to Shiva. The book, in fact, is intended as a visual introduction to Hindu gods and goddesses, with Bae's thorough text clarifying the religious meaning of all the artistic detail. A practitioner of Yoga, Bae has spent the last three years living in India as a monk. A beautifully produced and relatively inexpensive large-format book, this is warmly recommended for public and academic libraries. James F. DeRoche, Alexandria, VA Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

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