Himalayan Art Resources

Item: Indian Adept (siddha) - Saraha

རྒྱ་གར་གྱི་གྲུབ་ཆེན། 印度大成就者
(item no. 65204)
Origin Location Tibet
Date Range 1800 - 1899
Lineages Buddhist
Size 67.31x45.09cm (26.50x17.75in)
Material Ground Mineral Pigment on Cotton
Collection Rubin Museum of Art
Catalogue # acc. #C2002.35.5
Notes about the Central Figure

Classification: Person

TBRC: bdr:P6160

Interpretation / Description

Saraha, Mahasiddha (Tibetan: drup tob sa ra ha): the Indian master of Tantric methods from the group of 84 famous mahasiddhas.

This painting along with Dombi Heruka (#65203) belong to a set of seven paintings portraying all 84 great Indian Adepts. The central painting is of Buddha Vajradhara surrounded by 10 adepts. To the right side of Vajradhara are three paintings with central subjects Virupa, Shavaripa and Luipa looking towards Vajradhara, each surrounded by 12, 11 and 11 adepts respectively. On the left side are the central subjects Dombi Heruka, Saraha and Naropa again looking towards Vajradhara, surrounded by 12, 11 and 11 adepts respectively. The total of all adepts including the central figures, excluding Vajradhara, comes to 84 Indian Adepts.

Jeff Watt 4-2004

Reverse of Painting
English Translation of Inscription: Right first.

Wylie Transliteration of Inscription: g.yas dang po.

Secondary Images
Related Items
Thematic Sets
Indian Adept Main Page (Mahasiddha)
Collection of Rubin Museum of Art (RMA): Main Page
Indian Adepts: Mongolian Set
Indian Adept: Saraha
Indian Adept (Mahasiddha): Painting (Late Period 17th to the Present)