Vajrabhairava – The “Adamantine Terror”
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ABS 010

 Code: ABS 010

  Country: Tibet (central)

  Style:

  Date: 1400 - 1500

  Dimensions in cm WxHxD: 18.2 x 23.3 x 18.2

  Materials: Brass

Vajrabhairava – The “Adamantine Terror”

Vajrabhairava, the “Adamantine Terror,” represents the fiercest manifestation of Wisdom bodhisattva Mañjushri whose peaceful face appears at the top of his eight other wrathful heads. His central face is that of a buffalo, a symbol of his victory over Yama, God of death, whose mount is a buffalo. With his thirty-four arms, he brandishes a variety of weapons and attributes, and his sixteen legs trample on worldly gods and demons. Adorned with the bone ornaments of the charnel grounds, he is united to his consort Vajravetali.

This famous wrathful meditation deity is especially worshipped in the New Translations schools of Tibetan Buddhism (Sakya, Kagyü, and Geluk). With its multiple arms and legs along with the divine couple in embrace, this statue represents a technical challenge proving the astounding qualities of Tibetan artists.