Rahula is an Indian cosmological deity, a personification of eclipses, and an important protector deity of the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism. Here he is shown with nine heads, four arms, and the lower body of a coiled snake adorned with eyes. His ninth head on the top center of the stack is a raven and a tiny figure of the bodhisattva Vajrapani stands on it. Vajrapani serves as a reminder to the worldly deity that he is still being overseen by an enlightened power. Rahula is considered extremely terrifying and is believed to cause strokes in those who perform rituals incorrectly. This bronze sculpture counts among the best representations of this deity known, striking an elegant balance between the tower of heads, four-armed human torso, and coiled snake body. It demonstrates the continuing importance of Nepalese craftsmanship in Tibet, as famously represented by the sculptures of Densatil Monastery in the Tsang region, central Tibet, to which this sculpture has been attributed.

Artwork Details

Title
Rahula
Dimensions
12 3/8 × 6 × 10 in.
Medium
Gilt copper alloy
Origin
Tibet
Classification(s)
sculpture
Date
15th century
Credit Line
Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art
Object number
C2003.7.2
Bibliography
Faith and Empire: Art and Politics in Tibetan Buddhism
HAR Number
65206
Published references
* Czaja, Olaf and Proser, Adriana, ed., Golden Visions of Densatil: A Tibetan Buddhist Monastery. New York: Asia Society, 2014. Cat. No. 12, ref. pg 96-97* Van Alphen, J. Collection Highlights: Rubin Museum of Art. New York: Rubin Museum of Art, 2014. Pp. 154-155* Debreczeny, Karl. Faith and Empire: Art and Politics in Tibetan Buddhism. New York: Rubin Museum of Art, 2019. Fig. 8.5, pp. 180-181* Estournel, Jean-Luc. "About the 18 stupas and other treasures once at the Densatil monastery." in AsianArt.com. September 29, 2020. Fig. 308. http://asianart.com/articles/densatil

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Concepts

A religious movement that originated in India around the fifth to seventh century with sacred writings and esoteric teachings and practices transmitted from teacher to student through initiation. These remain an important part of Hinduism and Buddhism today. 

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