THE BHAKTI ART ILLUMINATIONS [Hardcover] BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI PRABHUPADA

 
This comprehensive anthology displays the devotional art-works of Syamarani dasi in the context of the personal stories, teachings, and meditations that inspired their creation. Weaving together hundreds of paintings, including detailed close-ups, this luxurious volume presents half a century of her artistic and spiritual development. Opening this book gives the reader an opportunity to bathe the intellect in universal truths and awaken the soul to pure transcendental senses and emotions. Readers require no prior base of knowledge to unlock the pro-found mysteries within the art. Bhakti Art Illuminations reveals the philosophic and esoteric aspects of the work, with an in-depth analysis vis-a-vis the ancient Vedic scriptures they elucidate, such as the Bhagavad-Gita and the Srimad-Bhagavatam, as well as classic poems and songs in the Gaudiya Vaisnava tradition. Each pain' ting has its individual meaning, g, as well as its contextual meaning in relation to a greater body of work. The art in each gallery highlights stories (true histories), teachings, meditations, and secrets. The stories accompanying the art are taken directly from authentic Vedic and Gaudiya Vaisnava scriptures. Some of the most prominent teachings transmitted through the stories are spotlighted, while others are only hinted at. The meditations are alluded to through verses, kirtanas, or prayers that are the basis of the paintings. Many of the secrets, the deeper meanings of the paintings, are also revealed herein. Included is a glimpse into to the artist's creative process, detailing the stages of a painting's development from start to finish, including letters and conversations with her spiritual teachers.