Mahakala
15th century
Asia: China, Tibet
Not on View

Mahakala, whose name means “great time” or “death,” was adopted by Buddhists in the tenth century as a manifestation of the compassionate bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. Mahakala is a dharmapala, or protector of the Buddhist faith; his fierce visage and belligerent attitude frighten away any threat. His eyes bulge out of their sockets, his snarling mouth parts slightly to reveal his teeth and his head bears a crown of skulls. Whether standing or seated, Mahakala tramples a prone figure that represents a vanquished obstacle. The Mahakala on the left holds a skull cup and a piece of fruit, while the one on the right wields a ring of skulls, a drum and a knot of writhing serpents in his outer hands, and a curved knife known as a chopper and skull cup to his chest.

Details

  • Title: Mahakala
  • Date: 15th century
  • Medium: Bronze with pigment
  • Dimensions: 6 x 5-1/4 x 2 in. (15.2 x 13.3 x 5.1 cm)
  • Credit Line: Norton Simon Art Foundation
  • Accession Number: M.1975.14.10.S
  • Copyright: © Norton Simon Art Foundation

Object Information

Divine Demons: Wrathful Deities of Buddhist Art

  • Norton Simon Museum, 2009-08-14 to 2010-03-08

In the Land of Snow: Buddhist Art of the Himalayas

  • Norton Simon Museum, 2014-03-28 to 2014-08-25

The Universe: Creation, Constellations and the Cosmos

  • Norton Simon Museum, 2001-02-04 to 2001-06-04

Painting and Sculpture from Nepal, Tibet and Northwest India

  • Norton Simon Museum, 1994-09-22 to 1997-06-01
  • Pal, Pratapaditya, Asian Art at the Norton Simon Museum, Volume 2: Art from the Himalayas & China, 2003, no. 95 pp. 12, 132, 142-143, 145, 156, 208
  • Campbell, Sara, Collector Without Walls: Norton Simon and His Hunt for the Best, 2010, cat. 1116 p. 373
  • Sukumar, Raman, The Story of Asia's Elephants, 2011, Fig. 6.50 p. 176

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