Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1
Assistant Professor, Department of Art Education, Farhangian University, Tehran, Iran
2
M.A. in Philosophy of Art, Faculty of Art and Architecture, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamadan, Iran
Abstract
The present study adopts a philosophical, mythological, and symbolic approach to examine cosmic symbols in Hindu art, with particular emphasis on the mandala and the lotus (Padma), based on the teachings of Advaita Vedānta. The main objective is to explain how the fundamental concepts of Vedānta, including Brahman, Ātman, Māyā, and Mokṣa, are manifested in the symbolic structures of Hindu art. The study is informed by the philosophy of Advaita Vedānta, Ananda K. Coomaraswamy’s philosophy of traditional art, Mircea Eliade’s concept of hierophany, Carl Gustav Jung’s archetypal interpretation of the mandala, Joseph Campbell’s theory of the hero’s journey, and René Guénon’s traditionalist perspective. This qualitative study employs an analytical–interpretive method based on documentary research. The data were collected from Vedāntic texts, authoritative sources on Hindu philosophy and art, as well as selected examples of Hindu architecture, iconography, and artistic works. The findings indicate that the mandala and the lotus are not merely decorative motifs but symbolic forms that embody the metaphysical principles of Advaita Vedānta through artistic expression. The mandala represents the cosmic center and symbolizes the unity of Ātman and Brahman, while the lotus signifies purity, transcendence, and liberation from Māyā, representing the spiritual path toward Mokṣa. The study concludes that the cosmic symbols of Hindu art, interpreted through Vedāntic wisdom and the philosophy of traditional art, function beyond aesthetic representation as vehicles for the manifestation of the sacred and the communication of fundamental metaphysical concepts within religious and artistic experience.
Keywords
Subjects