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Gouache painting on paper. Viṣṇu in the form of Kūrma, the second avatar of the god. A depiction of the creation myth where Kūrma supported the sacred mountain, Mandara, used in the churning of the sea of milk. Śiva, Viṣṇu and Brahma are to the left and three other divine figures are to the right. The snake Vasuki is used as a churning pole. The goddess Lakṣmī, among other things, emerged out of the momentum this caused.
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