Shadbhuja jnana Mahākāla

Unknown (Tibetan)

Item type:

sculpture

Date of creation:

18th century

Height:

17.5 cm  (6 7/8 in.)

Technique / Medium:

fire gilded-copper alloy, pigment and set glass pieces

Place of creation:

Zhongguo [China] (中国 )

Description

The god Mahākāla, Protector of the Doctrine, is portrayed in the six-armed form as Protector of Wisdom. Of fierce appearance, with bloody mouth, darting tongue and a garland of skulls suspended at his waist, he is caught in the action of stomping the Indian god Ganesha. His hands hold various objects, including the ritual knife kartika, a rosary of skulls, the trident and the damaru drum.

Instruments [MIMO Code] (notes)

Damaru [2548]

Bibliographic references

Santarelli, Cristina. "Tibetan art collection at the Museo d'Arte Orientale, Turin", Music in Art 34/1-2 (2009) 337-345.

RIdIM record id

3150