Indra Masterworks
Subjects, Topics & Types:
- Description (below)
- Context & Iconography:
--- Hindu
--- Buddhist
--- Iconography
- Hindu Deities
- Hindu Gods Index/Glossary
- Hindu Tradition Main Page
- Confusions: Vajrapani, Vajrasattva
- Others...
Identification: the God Indra (Shakra) is generally identified by three iconographic features: crown, horizontal eye on the forehead and a vajra scepter. The unique crown is broad and fan shaped. The third eye in the middle of the forehead is in a horizontal position. The vajra scepter is very often placed on a flower blossom rising next to the left shoulder and sometimes held in the left hand.
In Buddhist paintings Indra is often depicted with a stringed instrument most commonly found in paintings and murals of the Buddhist Wheel of Life. In these depictions Indra is often confused and mis-identified as the goddess Sarasvati (see examples).
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Jeff Watt 2-2014 [updated 6-2017, 3-2020]
Toh 673/1089. The Praise by Indra. བརྒྱ་བྱིན་གྱིས་བསྟོད་པ། · brgya byin gyis bstod pa.