This magnificent metal-cast represents Vishnu and Lakshmi riding their vehicle Garuda. Vishnu, the Vedic god of sacrificial rituals, came to be Narayana, when 'puranas' associated with him his Shakti, namely, Shree or Lakshmi, who bestowed wealth and fortune. Vishnu as Narayana, the patron of 'Naras', or men, which in its broader sense stood for all created beings, was more resplendent when associated with Lakshmi for she patronised growth while he offered protection. By the time of 'puranas', much ahead of Vishnu, Lakshmi-Narayana became the divine foundation of human society in India.