AM E074261 Linggodbawa

Birth of Boma

Vishnu and Brahma argue about which is the greater, they come across a huge object the siwa linga they do not know what it is, they try it with their weapons centre without any effect, they then decide that Brahma will go up to find its top and Vishnu down to find its bottom, whoever reaches the extremity first will be the greater, they cannot find any end and realise that it is greater than either i.e. it is Siwa the third and greatest member of the trinity. Vishnu on the left becomes a pig and digs down left side finds Ibu Pertiwi, with Twalen bottom left she bears him a son Boma bottom right. Brahma right side usually becomes a bird and flies up, in this version he rides on the Garuda, thus creating iconographic confusion since the Garuda is the vehicle of Vishnu his rival and opposite. At top left Siwa manifests himself to the suitably chastened pair. The Linga itself has two big Boma faces each with pairs of eagle faces under them, then Kala sungsang with a pair of nagas and finally Tintiya, otherwise it is composed of flames. [reg LC]