Prasat Kravan - Bas-reliefs

Bas-reliefs

The bas-reliefs on the interior walls of the central tower are representations of Vishnu. There are three in all:

• Four-armed Vishnu sits astride his vehicle Garuda and holding his standard appurtenances: the globe, the conch, the discus, and the baton.
• Four-armed Vishnu, again holding his four standard appurtenances, takes a large step. This image illustrates the story of Vishnu in his incarnation as Vamana the dwarf taking three great steps in order to reclaim the world from the asura Bali.
• Eight-armed Vishnu stands stiffly in the position of a statue. He is surrounded by hundreds of tiny devotees and surmounted by a crocodile or maybe a lizard. Its significance remains unknown.

The interior walls of the northernmost tower feature a pair of bas-reliefs of Lakshmi, Vishnu's consort, flanked by devotees:

• In one of the depictions, the goddess holds both the trident of Shiva and the discus of Vishnu, possibly marking her as the great goddess who transcends the duality of Saiva and Vaishnava worship.
• A more traditional depiction of Lakshmi holding lotuses is on the opposite wall.