Himalayan Art Resources

Item: Avalokiteshvara (Bodhisattva & Buddhist Deity) - Simhanada (Lion's Roar)

སྤྱན་རས་གཟིགས། 观音菩萨
(item no. 64618)
Origin Location India
Lineages Buddhist
Material Stone
Collection National Museum of India, New Delhi
Notes about the Central Figure

Alternate Names: Lokeshvara Avalokita Lokanata Lokanatha Mahakarunika

Classification: Deity

Appearance: Peaceful

Gender: Male

Interpretation / Description

"... a lion with the head looking to the right. Above that is a moon disc ... the Lord of the World, Simhanada, with a body white in colour, having one face and two hands, three eyes, with the hair bound in a topknot. The right hand is extended above the knee in the refuge giving mudra and the left placed firmly on the seat behind the back. Having the appearance of an ascetic, seated in the lalitaraja posture. On the right side is a white snake coiled around an upright trident and on the left side, above a lotus stem is a skullcup filled with various fragrant flowers and adorned with a flaming sword." (From an edited version of the Bari Gyatsa by Ngorchen Konchog Lhundrub (1497-1557). GTKT, vol.12, folio 258. Jeff Watt, October 1984. Vancouver, Canada).

"... with a body white in colour, one face, two hands, three peaceful eyes, with the face slightly smiling. The right hand is extended above the knee in the mudra of giving refuge. The palm of the left hand is supported on the moon seat, holding the stem of a red lotus, the petals blossoming next to the ear. Above is the cleansing blue sword of wisdom. The left breast is covered with the skin of a krishnasara deer; encircled with a white Brahmin string necklace; with a lower garment of red silk. The body is slightly thin and dexterous. At the left above a red lotus with eight petals is a skullcup filled with various fragrant flowers; at the right, a trident with a green shaft entwined with a white snake. The left [hand] is in the gesture of holding a fragrant lotus." (Written by Yarlungpa Sengge Gyaltsen, 13th century. (Jeff Watt, Vancouver, Canada, September, 1985).

"...red lotus with eight petals, above, ... a white lion with the head pointed to the right and the face looking in an upward direction; with red hair hanging down and adorned with jewel ornaments. Above that, ... is a moon disc, above is ... the Lord Simhanada, with a body white in colour, one face, two arms. The right hand is in the gesture of giving refuge extended above the right knee. The left is supported on the seat behind the back. Slightly to the right of the body, not touching, is a green trident raised upward with a white snake entwined. On the left side, above a white lotus is a sword blazing with fire and a white skullcup filled with various sweet smelling flowers. With the skin of a krishnasara covering the left breast; having a lower garment of red silk and a Brahmin cord, without all the other ornaments, having the vestments of an ascetic, seated with the two feet in the manner of royal ease." (Ngorchen Konchog Lhundrub (1497-1557), GTKT vol.6, pp.501-505. Jeff Watt, Vancouver, Canada, February, 1997).

Secondary Images
Related Items
Thematic Sets
Buddhist Deity: Avalokiteshvara, Simhanada (Masterworks)
Buddhist Deity: Avalokiteshvara, Simhanada Iconography
Buddhist Deity: Avalokiteshvara Masterworks (Sculpture)
Buddhist Deity: Avalokiteshvara Main Page
Buddhist Deity: Avalokiteshvara, Simhanada
Collection of National Museum of India
Buddhist Deity: Avalokiteshvara (Sculpture)
Region: Gangetic Plain, India
Region: India, Pala Period (Stone Sculpture)
Buddhist Deity: Shiva-like Figures