This fearsome Mahakala, or the Great Black One, manifests the emotion that a mother might have to protect her child from danger. Surrounded by flames of pristine awareness he holds his usual attributes—a curved knife and skull cup, human skull garland and trident, hand drum and lasso—and tramples obstacles represented by the prone figure of an elephant-headed god. This is a form of the peaceful deity of compassion Avalokiteshvara; deities often have varied forms in order to express different characteristics and abilities.

Artwork Details

Title
Six-Armed Mahakala
Dimensions
31 1/2 × 25 1/2 in. (estimated)
Medium
Pigments on cloth
Origin
Tibet
Classification(s)
paintings
Date
15th century
Credit Line
Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art
Object number
C2002.34.4
HAR Number
65165
Published references
* Jackson, David P. The Nepalese Legacy in Tibetan Painting. New York: Rubin Museum of Art, 2010. Fig. 7.8; Pp. 94, 139, 141-143, 165.* Linrothe, Rob, and Jeff Watt, eds. 2004. Demonic Divine: Himalayan Art and Beyond. New York: Rubin Museum of Art, 2004. Fig. 2.18; Pp. 65, 67.

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Ritual

Concepts

Prescribed practices that carry symbolic meaning and value within a specific tradition and are intended to attain a desired outcome. Rituals are usually done as part of a ceremony or regular routine.

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Power

Concepts

A kind of energy that can be used, individually and collectively, to effect change.

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Devotion

Concepts

A virtuous feeling and deep respect toward an authentic teaching, teacher, or path. Buddhists believe that expansive study, analysis, and meditation are essential steps for cultivating a healthy and enduring devotion.

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Wrathful Deities

Figure Type

Protectors of Buddhist teachings who destroy obstacles that impede the path to enlightenment. The more frightening and gruesome their appearance, the greater their power.

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Tibetan Regions

Region

Today, Tibetans primarily inhabit the Tibetan Plateau, situated between the Himalayan mountain range and the Indian subcontinent to the west, Chinese cultural regions to the east, and Mongolian cultural regions to the northeast. During the 7th to 9th century, Tibetan rulers expanded their empire across Central Asia, and established Buddhism as the state religion.

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