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Virupa’s gesture—a raised hand with a finger pointing up to the sun—refers to an episode when he was on an epic drinking spree and agreed with the tavern proprietor to settle the bill at sunset. He then used his great meditative powers to stop the sun in its course until after several days without night the local ruler, fearful of a possible drought, paid his tab.
Mahasiddha Virupa
OriginGongkar Chode Monastery, U Province, Central Tibet
Dateca. 1659-1671
Dimensions32 1/8 × 21 5/8 in.
MediumPigments on cloth
Classification(s)
Credit LineRubin Museum of Art
Object numberC2004.14.1
Himalayan Art Resources Number65340
DescriptionVirupa is renowned as the eighth-century Indian master of tantric teachings that were transmitted to Tibet and became the defining instructions for Tibet’s Sakya Buddhist tradition. He left a prestigious post as a monastery official to become a wondering yogi who mastered tantric practices and became a mahasiddha. He is known for his seemingly magical abilities to intervene in otherwise ordinary events.Virupa’s gesture—a raised hand with a finger pointing up to the sun—refers to an episode when he was on an epic drinking spree and agreed with the tavern proprietor to settle the bill at sunset. He then used his great meditative powers to stop the sun in its course until after several days without night the local ruler, fearful of a possible drought, paid his tab.
16th century
16th century
mid-19th century
first half of the 15th century
18th century
19th century
16th century
18th - 19th century
ca. 19th century