Cleveland Museum of Art

Yamantaka Vajrabhairava and consort Vajravetali

Date

1700s–1800s

Medium

paper, metallic thread, hair, ink

Culture

Tibet

Department

Textiles

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

Practitioners meditate on this powerful image to conquer fear of death. As a manifestation of the bodhisattva of wisdom, Manjushri, whose gold head is at the apex of his nine heads, Yamantaka Vajrabhairava demonstrates that wisdom conquers fear and, ultimately, overcomes death itself by leading to enlightenment. With nine heads, 34 hands, and 16 legs, he surpasses the powers of Yama, god of death. Yama, the blue figure with buffalo head below, has only two arms, and he wields his skull-topped scepter at impaled and decapitated bodies, judging their souls be sent to hell. His buffalo head connects him with the vehicle ridden by Yama, god of death.

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