Himalayan Art Resources

Item: Indian Adept (siddha) - Virupa

རྒྱ་གར་གྱི་གྲུབ་ཆེན། 印度大成就者
(item no. 101354)
Origin Location Tibet
Date Range 1200 - 1299
Lineages Sakya and Buddhist
Size 55.90x49.80cm (22.01x19.61in)
Material Ground Mineral Pigment on Cotton
Collection Kronos Collection
Notes about the Central Figure

Classification: Person

Appearance: Mahasiddha

Gender: Male

TBRC: bdr:P3293

Interpretation / Description

Virupa, Yogeshvara (Tibetan: nal jor wang chug bir wa pa. English: the Lord of Yoga, Ugly One): foremost in magical attainments among all the siddhas. He is surrounded in registers on all sides by the Eighty-four Great Siddhas of India and beyond.

An inscription written on the reverse claims that the painting had been blessed by Sakya Pandita Kunga Gyaltsen (1182-1251).

(See HAR on Patreon for an essay and video of this painting).

Jeff Watt 11-2021

Related Items
Publications
Contents: Mahasiddha List (Buton Rinchen Drub)
Publication: Sacred Visions

Thematic Sets
Indian Adept: Virupa Art History
Video: Religious Context (YouTube)
Nepal: Masterworks (Painting)
Subject: Inscriptions (Historical Information)
Subject: Three Great Nepalese Style Paintings
Indian Adept: Virupa (Left Pointing Gesture)
Indian Adept: Virupa Main Page
Indian Adept: Virupa (Siddha Sets)
Indian Adept: Virupa (Paintings)
Indian Adept: Virupa (Painting Masterworks)
Subject: Composition - Registers
Buddhist Deity: Vajradhara & the Eighty-four Mahasiddhas (Single Composition)
Indian Adept: Siddha Appearance Masterworks (Painting)
Indian Adept (Mahasiddha): Painting (Early Period 11th-14th)
Indian Adept: Hands of the Dakini/Deity
Subject: Sakya/Shalu Mahasiddha System
Subject: Travel Bag (Monks & Siddhas)