Sundara as a Meaning of Beauty - Essay Example

Sundara is a broad meaning of beauty. Cultures of different communities in the world have an aspect of beauty interconnected with it. Religion and beliefs have their roots in beauty as some objects used in the worship of a God by Christians connect them to their maker. This is unimaginable to an ordinary person but philosophers have proved it. For instance, if a pagan happens to enter a place of worship, the objects, and the serene atmosphere will make them have a yearning for this God worshipped there.

Therefore, Sundara is the primary term for beauty. Beauty is a complex subject intertwined with authenticity. That is the function of art, its relationship to nature and life, the distinction of its beauty from the truth, its use, and moral goodness. According to Sartwell, “It is a systematic attempt to pit aesthetics against rationality since it views beauty as a teeming opposite of simplicity. In this case spiritual orientation entails an aesthetic and vice versa” (Sartwell 59). Therefore, in depicting spirituality, different objects are in use by different cultures and religions.

For instance, the Christians' crucifixion really moves one to see the brutality received by Christ on the Calvary. Mathias's crucifixion exaggerates the suffering a depiction that goes beyond realism. The body is covered with big sores of wounds to show the beatings and it is discolored all over with blood. The legs intertwined with a nail at the place of intersection to hold the body on the cross. Sartwell asserts, “The legs have begun to putrefy and were turning green beneath the rivers of blood.

He hands wide open, fingers contorted in a wild gesture in which were supplication and reproach” (Sartwell 71). This kind of work can move even the non-Christians to believe as they experience beauty in different emotions of this sight. Other examples of objects that depict beauty are furniture and other work designs. For instance, the work of Shakers disjoins the physical object from its meaning. Just as the shakers believed that work is a form of worship, looking at their work one can view the devotion.

Beauty revolves around some values that depict morality. The simplicity of artwork, austerity, and integrity made the Shaker's work outstanding, which made them make a lot of money as they marketed genuine items with honesty and quality. This is beauty (Sundara) as one looks at it in all dimensions such as moral aspects, physical, and spiritual. As one admires a good craft and the skillful work that goes into the craft, the mind can shift to the artist, his patience, intelligence, and seriousness (Sartwell 82).

There is a cultural significance in beauty especially considering that it helps carry certain beliefs to the next generations or to other parts of the world. For instance, over the years music has been used to carry different messages across the world. It's quite beautiful listening to the old reggae songs of Bob Marley that started in Jamaica and now sang and composed by so many in the world. Different songs help in the visualization of a place without a prior visit. One may know the geography of a place, the cultures, and the beliefs in it.

This means that beauty is a unifier of cultures and a great source of learning.