Bhairava (Primary Title)
Unknown (Artist)
Reflecting the exaggerated curved stance of the serene image of Shiva to the right, the same Hindu god is depicted here, but in his terrifying form known as Bhairava. Sporting a beard, long moustache, and deadly fangs, he holds in his two right hands a fearsome trident and a begging bowl fashioned from a human skull. His left hands appropriately echo those of the Shiva, the two images probably having come from the same temple. Emphasizing his wrathful nature, the long garland draped around Bhairava's shoulders is punctuated with skulls, rather than the flower blossoms on Shiva's wreath. Like the other sculpture, Bhairava is flanked by two attendants, a female fly-whisk-bearer and an animal-headed musician.
Nasli and Alice Heeramaneck Collection, Gift of Paul Mellon
Image released via Creative Commons CC-BY-NC
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