Vajravarahi in Wrathful Posture

Central Tibet

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 253

Vajravarahi derives from the boar-headed Hindu goddess Varahi, the female aspect of Vishnu’s boar avatar, Varaha. She reflects the incorporation of Hindu imagery into Vajrayana Buddhism. Here, the face of a sow projects from her head. Wearing a garland of severed heads, she dances on a corpse, wielding a chopper with a vajra (thunderbolt) finial, evoking the cutting away of illusions.

Vajravarahi in Wrathful Posture, Copper alloy with turquoise, silver, and colors, Central Tibet

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Vajravarahi in Wrathful Posture, Copper alloy with turquoise, silver, and colors, Central Tibet
Vajravarahi in Wrathful Posture, Copper alloy with turquoise, silver, and colors, Central Tibet

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