ABSTRACT
An eighth century image of Vi~l,lu from Kashmir, now in the. Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, makes us aware of the royal features of the figure sculpted in stone (see photograph). The posture, the crown, the ornaments, the garments, the dagger in the belt, even the mythic-heroic connotations of the heads of a lion and a boar represented on its right and left side - everything about this sculpture is reminiscent of a king who is posing before his people during a great ceremony, like royal officials still do to this day when they present themselves at ceremonial occasions in full-dress military uniform. Kings need to show physical and political strength, and provide their gods with the same traits.
