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Both peaceful and wrathful, red in color, she has one face and two hands. Her right hand holds aloft a curved knife for severing mental afflictions. Her left holds a skull cup to her heart. A staff with a blue tip leans against her shoulder. A white scarf unfurls and twists about her upper body. Adorned with bone ornaments, she also wears a garland of variously colored severed heads. Atop the prone figure of uprooted ego, she dances with her right leg drawn up, surrounded by the flames of wisdom.
Small sacred works of art such as this one, embroidered or painted, are meant for personal use.
Vajravarahi
OriginTibet
Date19th century
Dimensions17 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1/2 in.
MediumEmbroidery on silk
Credit LineRubin Museum of Art
Object numberC2003.13.2
Himalayan Art Resources Number65216
DescriptionDepictions of Vajravarahi, or the sow-faced goddess, usually portray her red in color, but this embroidered image was created with silk thread, which may have been red in tone and faded overtime. Varahi derives her name from the small sow head atop her own. Ancient Indic traditions hold that pigs are skilled in uprooting things. In Buddhist tantric practices, she is the focus of meditations that help to uproot ego.Both peaceful and wrathful, red in color, she has one face and two hands. Her right hand holds aloft a curved knife for severing mental afflictions. Her left holds a skull cup to her heart. A staff with a blue tip leans against her shoulder. A white scarf unfurls and twists about her upper body. Adorned with bone ornaments, she also wears a garland of variously colored severed heads. Atop the prone figure of uprooted ego, she dances with her right leg drawn up, surrounded by the flames of wisdom.
Small sacred works of art such as this one, embroidered or painted, are meant for personal use.
Not on view
20th century
20th century
Mid-19th century
19th century
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12th century
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19th century
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