Paper short abstract:

Although no ancient statue of sage Kapila has been found, in contemporary Hinduism there are a number of sacred images of this sage. In this paper I analyze these objects of worship and their ritual functions.

Paper long abstract:

Statues and prints of the ancient sage Kapila are found in a number of pilgrimage places associated with this divine figure in India and at the centers of organizations of ascetics that consider Kapila as god or divine guru. Although no ancient statue of Kapila has been found, different ancient sacred narratives and traditions of religious thought are associated with him. In contemporary Hinduism, however, there are a number of sacred images of him and in this paper I analyze the characteristics of Kapila as he is presented in the statues and prints, these statues and prints as objects of worship and their ritual functions. I analyze the connections of the sacred images of Kapila with the narratives and textual traditions that describe him and the teaching of the religious traditions and organizations that worship him.