Vaikuṇṭha (icon)

Vaikuṇṭha Caturmūrti (चतुर्मूर्ति वैकुण्ठ) or Vaikuṇṭha Viṣṇu (वैकुण्ठ विष्णु) "is a four-headed aspect of the Hindu god Viṣṇu, mostly found in Kashmir (northern part of the Indian subcontinent). The icon represents Viṣṇu as the Supreme Being. He has a human head, a lion head, a boar head and a demonic head. Sometimes, even three-headed aspects of Viṣṇu where the demonic rear head is dropped are considered to represent Vaikuṇṭha Caturmūrti. Though iconographical treatises describe him to eight-armed, he is often depicted with four. Generally, Vaikuṇṭha Caturmūrti is shown standing but sometimes he is depicted seated on his vāhana (mount) Garuḍa.

"The concept of a four-headed Viṣṇu first appears in the Hindu epic Mahābhārata, but the complete iconography was first found in a 5th-century Pāñcarātra text. The icon reflects influences from the Gupta period and the Gandhāra architectural tradition. While as per one interpretation, the animal heads represent Viṣṇu's avatar Nṛsiṁha (lion-headed man) and Varāha (boar), another theory based on Pāñcarātra texts relates the four heads to the Caturvyūha: Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa), Saṁkarṣaṇa (Balarāma), Pradyumna and Aniruddha – four vyūhas (manifestations) of Viṣṇu. A cult centered on Vaikuṇṭha Caturmūrti developed in Kashmir in the 8–12th century, when the deity also enjoyed royal patronage in the region. The Lakshmana Temple of Khajuraho suggests his worship in the Chandela kingdom (Central India) in the 10th century."