Scultures of Sadaksari-Lokesvara

[Registration No. 762; Size 15 x 8.5 cm]

The copper-plated specimen with soft and rounded treatment of the youngish and inflexible bodily features marks the superior quality of the Panduvamsi art. The four-armed Lokesvara is wearing a long antariya held by a waistband, which fully covers his lower limbs. With trivali around the neck, is bedecked with a number of ornaments like ekaruvali, ear-studs, valayas, armlets with central ornate piece, and sarpopavaita (sacred thread of snake).

With his both crossed legs, he is seated in samadhi mudra on an orb of moon, placed over a mahabhujapitha. The yoga-pose of the Avalokitesvara but by the face, straight body and inward-looking half-closed eyes. The mudra expresses god in yoga-nidra.

He is endowed with four hands. His two original hands, the right over the left are placed on the lap. Open palm of right hand bears circular mark. He carries an aksasutra and a padma-puspa by its stalk in his additional right and left hands respectively. The full blown lotus flower held by the deity is adjusted on the left lateral connecting wire. A trisula, entwined by the root scroll of lotus and connected by a metal bar to the prabhamandala stands on his left side of the seat.

With a pair of coiled locks falling on shoulder, the matted hair is arranged in a fine jatamukuta. The latter bears the crescent and seated figure of Amitabha. He is trinetra and the third eye is vertically shown on the forehead.

The halo of the present icon is very akin to the halo that of the Samantabhadra with only difference that it does not bear conch-cell devices at inner border. The right lateral connecting wire is also enclosed by a small flower.

According to Sadhanamala he should be erect either alone or in group of three (Bhattacharya 1928: 27). It is interesting about this icon that his both companions, i.e., Manidhara and Sadksari-Mahavidya are symbolically represented here. A bowl filled with gems (mani or ratna) and a spouted watervessel with narrow and high neck placed on throne behind the god, in right and left side respectively are representative of god Manidhara and goddess Sadaksari-Mahavidya. Thus undoubtedly this image represents mandala of Sadksari-Lokesvara. The crescent, trident, and snake are the attributes of Avalokitesvara Halahala and Nilakanttha also but we can not consider present image with those deities because former is three faced and six armed while later is two armed.