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Beauty, Power and Grace

The Book of Hindu Goddesses

Illustrated by B.G. Sharma and Mahaveer Swami
Published by Mandala Publishing
Distributed by Simon & Schuster

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About The Book

Replete with inspired illustrations by award-winning artists B.G. Sharma and Mahaveer Swami, Beauty, Power & Grace features Krishna Dharma’s dramatic retellings of pivotal ancient Indian stories of the many Hindu Goddesses.

Adapted from ancient Sanskrit texts, the stories in Beauty, Power & Grace represent one of the most fundamental aspects of Hinduism—the innumerable manifestations of divinity. Among these, the portrayal of the Goddess is perhaps the most alluring. She appears as a devoted wife, a master of the arts, a terrifying demon slayer, a scornful critic, and a doting mother, to name just a few of her forms. In Vedic tradition, these depictions of the Goddess reflect the belief that male and female are simply different expressions of one supreme, absolute truth.

These profound stories are brought together here in an exquisitely illustrated collection that reveals the various manifestations of the Goddess, ranging from the iconic to the obscure: Mother Yashoda peers into her infant’s mouth and is astonished to catch a glimpse of the entire universe; Ganga Devi, now synonymous with the sacred river, rides upon a great crocodile and purifies those whom she encounters; and Kali, adorned with a garland of skulls, drinks the blood of her victims on the battlefield.

A definitive and timeless celebration of Goddess imagery, symbolism, and lore, Beauty, Power & Grace stunningly displays the fascinating intersection between color, form, and meaning at the heart of Hindu tradition.

About The Author

About The Illustrators

B.G. Sharma is a recipient of the prestigious National Art Award bestowed by the president of India. He is internationally recognized for his mastery of the traditional styles of Kangra, Kishangarh, and Mughal, as well as for pioneering his own painting style. Sharma has been commissioned to create portraits of heads of state, such as Prime Minister Indira Ghandi and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. He is the recipient of the Independent Publisher’s Award for Prince of Dharma (Mandala, 2003) and a two-time finalist for the Benjamin Franklin Award (2002 and 2003). He lives in Udaipur, Rajasthan, India.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Mandala Publishing (February 10, 2017)
  • Length: 194 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781608873838

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More books from this author: Krishna Dharma

More books from this illustrator: B.G. Sharma