This exquisitely made sculpture depicts the Buddhist goddess Tara. She is considered a female Buddha and meditational deity, and is very popular in Tibet, Nepal and Mongolia In her Green Tara form she is also considered to be the goddess of universal compassion and a manifestation of the actions of all Buddhas.
There are various forms of Tara and among them, the Green and White forms are most popular. Green Tara helps her devotees to overcome dangers, fears and anxieties and fulfills their wishes. She also helps believers to cross over from danger to safety or from suffering to happiness and protects them from sixteen popular perils.
She is seated here in the lalitasana on a lotus seat with her right leg pendant on a smaller lotus and the left leg folded in her lap. She has two hands; the right hand is in the gesture of charity (varada) and holding the stem of a full-blown lotus flower, and the left hand which is in the gesture of argumentation / protection likewise holds the stem of a lotus.
Green Tara is considered an incarnation of the Nepalese queen of King Sron-btsan-sgam-po. In paintings, her body complexion is green. The green colour points to the power of performing every kind of action. Her right hand as mentioned above is in the attitude of gifting in order to point out the perfection of liberality (dana-paramita), and her left hand is in the gesture of Abhay because it protects creatures from all kinds of fear. She holds the lotus flower in order to show that from her all beings, taking refuge in her, derive their blessedness. She indeed has the power to realize the welfare of all.
The body of the deity is slim and slender. Her hair is partly upwept in knots and partly falls on her shoulders. Her eyes are half closed and there is a sacred circle between the eyebrows. She is adorned with a five-pronged crown, ear-rings, necklaces, a sacred thread, armlets, bracelets, waist-band and anklets, etc. She is also wearing a flowing scarf and skirt. The upper portion of the body is bare, except for the ornaments. The lower garment covers the body up to the feet. The border of the drapery is incised with floral designs.
She descends into the heart of the devotee from her heavenly heights.
This description by Dr. Shailendra Kumar Verma, Ph.D. His doctorate thesis was on the "Emergence and Evolution of the Buddha Image (from its inception to 8th century A.D)"
Ref.
Alice Getty, The Gods of Northern Buddhism, Tokyo, Japan, 1962.
P. Pal, Art of the Himalaya: Treasures from Nepal and Tibet, New York, 1991.
S.K. Saraswati, Tantrayana Art: An Album, Calcutta, 1997.
How to keep a Brass statue well-maintained?
Brass statues are known and appreciated for their exquisite beauty and luster. The brilliant bright gold appearance of Brass makes it appropriate for casting aesthetic statues and sculptures. Brass is a metal alloy composed mainly of copper and zinc. This chemical composition makes brass a highly durable and corrosion-resistant material. Due to these properties, Brass statues and sculptures can be kept both indoors as well as outdoors. They also last for many decades without losing all their natural shine.
Brass statues can withstand even harsh weather conditions very well due to their corrosion-resistance properties. However, maintaining the luster and natural beauty of brass statues is essential if you want to prolong their life and appearance.
In case you have a colored brass statue, you may apply mustard oil using a soft brush or clean cloth on the brass portion while for the colored portion of the statue, you may use coconut oil with a cotton cloth.
Brass idols of Hindu Gods and Goddesses are especially known for their intricate and detailed work of art. Nepalese sculptures are famous for small brass idols portraying Buddhist deities. These sculptures are beautified with gold gilding and inlay of precious or semi-precious stones. Religious brass statues can be kept at home altars. You can keep a decorative brass statue in your garden or roof to embellish the area and fill it with divinity.
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