Item: Yamari, Krishna (Buddhist Deity)

Yamari, Krishna. It could also be a form of Vajrabhairava (an unconfirmed possible identification).

This figure is currently unidentified and does not have any corresponding textual reference. The general appearance suggests that it is a form of Krishna Yamari. The sword in the first right hand and the left hand with a wrathful gesture at the heart and the upraised finger are in keeping with forms of Yamari - along with the biting down on the lower lip - also common for the deity Achala.

There are three wrathful deity faces with one additional stacked face above. The stacked peaceful face has unusual treatment of the hair with one tuft on the top and two falling to the right and two tufts falling to the left. This is known to be a characteristic of some depictions of early forms of the peaceful deity Manjushri. The five tufts, braids, or piles of hair are referenced in early Indian stotra literature that praises Manjushri.

(See forms of Manjushri with five hair tufts: 65758, 68439, Norton Simon).

Jeff 1-2012