The narrative of the Hindu goddess Durga—her assembling the weapons of all the gods and overcoming the demigod Mahisha, who endangered the order of the world—is represented here at the moment of her victory. Having chopped the bull’s head off, Durga pulls the body of the demigod from the animal by the hair and stabs him before he can even draw his sword. His two companions kneeling before her, their weapon-bearing arms dropped in defeat, have a vajra (left) and a disk (right) piercing their chests.This outstanding sculpture perfectly combines the dynamic with the static. The goddess’s powerful stance and fan of arms are balanced by her otherwise delicate features and calm expression. Her fan of arms is magnificently conceived of in three-dimensions, the natural positioning of each arm to her arched back is as if the arm is captured in a different position along an arc.

Artwork Details

Title
Durga Killing the Buffalo Demon (Durga Mahisasuramardini)
Dimensions
11 × 13 1/8 × 7 1/2 in.
Medium
Gilt copper alloy
Origin
Nepal
Classification(s)
sculpture
Date
12th-13th century
Credit Line
Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art
Object number
C2005.16.11
HAR Number
65433
Published references
* Smith, Caron. "Building the Rubin Museum of Art Collection." Orientations 37, no.2 (March 2006): p. 112.* Pal, Pratapaditya, 1975. Nepal - Where the Gods are Young, [catalogue of the exhibition held at Asia House Gallery, New York]. New York: The Asia Society; pp. 106, 130, no. 73: Nepal, 16th century. Lent by Dorothy and Ernst Payer.* Slusser, M.S. 1982. Nepal Mandala: A Cultural Study of the Kathmandu Valley, vol.2, fig. 519: Nepal, 15th/16th century.* Van Alphen, J. Collection Highlights: Rubin Museum of Art. (New York: Rubin Museum of Art, 2014). Pp. 172-174.* Vajracarya, Gautamavajra. Nepalese Seasons: Rain and Ritual. New York: Rubin Museum of Art, 2016. Cat 39: pp. 27, 54, 128, 131-133.* Vajracarya, Gautama V. "Does Art Imitate Life or Life Imitate Art?: Nepal Has a Unique Answer." Orientations 48, no. 2 (2017): pp. 118-127. Fig. 16.*Kerry Lucinda Brown, “Siddhi Lakshmi (Purnachandi): The Goddess of Miraculous Power,” Project Himalayan Art, Rubin Museum of Art, 2023, http://rubinmuseum.org/projecthimalayanart/essays/siddhi-lakshmi-purnachandi.*”Durga Killing the Buffalo Demon (Mahishasuramardini).” Project Himalayan Art, Rubin Museum of Art, 2023, https://projecthimalayanart.rubinmuseum.org/related/durga-killing-the-buffalo-demon-durga-mahishasuramardini/.

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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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Hindu Gods and Goddesses

Figure Type

Hindu gods (deva) are thought to be manifestations of the absolute, or Brahman. The goddesses (devi) are considered manifestations of the Great Mother Goddess (Mahadevi), who is seen as the counterpart to Brahman.

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Nepalese Regions

Region

The Himalayan kingdoms of the Kathmandu Valley were significant centers of Buddhist culture. Nepalese kings, Buddhist institutions, and ordinary people patronized the vibrant art guilds. The artistic traditions of the regions are well-known in Tibetan areas and beyond, and Newar artists have always been in high demand throughout Tibetan regions and Inner Asia.

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