This exquisite painting is an accurate copy of a famous early 15th century thangka that was probably originally painted by a Newar artist for the Ngor Sakya Monastery in Southern Tibet, which was founded in 1429 by Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo. Great Red Ganapati (Skt. Maharakta Ganapati) appears as one of the 'Three Red Deities' of subjugation in the Sakya tradition, the other two being Red Kurukulla and Red Takkiraja.
Maharakta Ganapati is ruby-red in color, with a corpulent body, a fierce elephant face, two sharp tusks, three piercing eyes, and twelve arms. He stands in dancing 'bow-and-arrow' posture with his left foot resting upon his lotus pedestal, upon which crouches his jewel-disgorging mount or vehicle, a large blue rat.
Ganapati's youthful, dwarf-like and pot-bellied body is adorned with all manner of divine silk garments and golden ornaments, which include an ornate five-jeweled crown, various necklaces, dancing bells, finger rings and tusk bands. His blue-black hair is bound up into a jewel-crowned topknot, and his radiant blue halo and red aura are composed of scrolling roundels that represent the blazing light rays that emanate from each pore of his radiant red body.
With his six right hands Ganapati holds: an arrow, a vajra, a hook, a sword, a triple-feathered dart (bhindipala), and an axe. And with his six left hands he holds: a bow, a skull-cup full of blood, a khatvanga, a skull-cup full of human flesh, a shield and spear-flag, and a wooden pestle. The vajra and skull-cup of blood are held in front of his heart, while his other ten hands are extended threateningly outwards.
© text by Robert Beer
Quality
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