This sculpture depicts Vaishravana - Lord of Wealth in the Buddhist pantheon. He is the Buddhist counterpart of Kubera, the Brahmanical god of riches. According to the Brahmanical tradition, 'Kubera' was the son of a sage 'Vishravas', hence the name Vaishravana.
Vaishravana had performed austerities for a thousand years, in reward of which Brahma gave him immortality and made him god of wealth, guardian of all the treasures of the earth, which he was to give out to whom they were destined.
His abode was said to be on Mount Kailas; but when Brahma appointed him god of riches, he gave him Lanka (Ceylon) as his capital, and presented him, as recorded in the Mahabharata, the car pushpaka, which was of immense size and moved at the owners will at the marvellous speed. But later on he was forced to moved to Mount Kailas by his brother Ravana who had captured the throne of Lanka. Ravana also took pushpaka from him.
Kubera is also worshipped by the Buddhists. He is considered as one of the Lokapalas, guardian of Mount Sumeru, as well as one of the Regents of the four cardinal directions. As a Regent of the North he is called Vaishravana and his adobe is Alka in the Himalayas, abounding in wealth and magnificence, where he is attended by Yakshas and Kinnaras.
The Buddhist texts, the Divyavadana and the Lalitavistara provide information pertaining to the legend and iconography of Vaishravana. In Tibet, he has been one of the primary protectors of the Gelupa sect since the fourteenth century A.D. There is a special ceremony in Tibet for imploring Kubera for riches, which is called Yan-Yung, and he plays an important part in Tantra, sorcery and exorcism. In Northern Buddhism he has two main aspects that of a deity of wealth and that of a warrior protector. In the present manifestation he has been shown as the god of wealth. Though Vaishravana holds many attributes, e.g. a sword, a banner, lemon and flat vessel etc., but his most common attribute or insignia is mongoose (nakula), often vomiting jewels, and in all descriptions Vaishravana is said to be fat and pot-bellied in appearance. His female counterpart is Vasudhara, the goddess of wealth and prosperity.
Here he is seated in an easy posture on a lotus throne. His right foot is slightly pendent and supported by a conch-shell. His left hand holds a jewel-spitting mongoose. There is a precious jewel offering in front of him. He has open eyes, frowning eyebrows and an upturned lower lip. His beard has been designed in the shape of curls. He is wearing a five-jewelled crown, and various ornaments - earrings, necklaces, armlets, bracelets, waist-bands and anklets. There is a snake around his body and he is adorned with flowing scarves.
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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