HEVAJRA WITH CONSORT

Bronze fire-gilt Tibet , 18th century Weight: 1949 grams Dimensions: 22 x 20 x 10 cm Hevajra is an important yidam in Tantric or Vajrayana Buddhism. Here he is shown with his consort Nairatmya in yab-yum position standing on a large lotus petal with beaded rim and stone inlay. They are framed by a large aureole of skulls and flames and his head is framed by a smaller one of skulls and petals. Hevajra is standing wide-legged on two bodies holding ritual objects. He is said to wear a necklace of fifty dry skulls and a crown of five human skulls. With one pair of arms he is cradling his consort to this body while the other ten arms are fanning out each holding a different object like a severed head, a khatvanga, a noose, a kartika knife, a drum and a hatchet. He has four gruesome heads with three eyes and four fangs. His high chignon is decorated with a vajra, the sun and moon. He is embracing the consort while holding a lotus flower and she is holding on to his neck, her legs wrapped around the waist. She is dressed in a waist belt and jewellery with stone inlay and a skull tiara on her head. Looking at the backside, the aureoles are flat but the bodies show the same rich details as from the front.