On loan to The Met The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.
Shadakshari Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion
Avalokiteshvara sits with his primary hands in the mudra of veneration, his upraised secondary arms holding a mala (rosary) and a lotus. He resides on Mount Potalaka, depicted as a rocky landscape populated by animals, birds, and a host of Buddhas and mahasiddhas (tantric adepts). The mantra “Om mani padme hum” is recited to evoke this deity; in fact, the epithet “Shadakshari,” in reference to this mantra, translates to “six syllables” in Sanskrit. Avalokiteshvara descends from the mountain and makes himself available to devotees, perfectly represented by the group of lay donors and monks venerating him in the bottom register.
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