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Back of throne with Prabhâ

This object represents the back of a throne meant for Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, deities, protectors of the doctrine and masters, here joined to the prabhâ, namely the halo surrounding them and representing the splendour or fire they emanate. Very ancient prabhâ can be seen also around Hindu deities produced in stone in a highly stylized fashion in the Nepal Valley. In the Changu Narayan sanctuary there is, for example, the one surrounding a famous image of Vishnu on Garuda, in which the latter’s caudal feathers merge with the halo of flames. In a Buddhist context, as in the case of this piece, the back of the throne on which a deity or master sits is decorated with shoots and leaves, strings of pearls and small flames, amidst which a couple of snake like deities (Nâga) and a pair of sea monsters (Makara; see no. 20) merge. The tails of the latter often follow the movement of the swirls of vegetation or indeed replace them, ending up in the hooked beak of Garuda perched at the top of the halo or else in his hands or talons. In Hinduism Garuda acts as carrier of the god Vishnu and is one of the deities whose body is partly human, partly animal. Garuda took on considerable importance in Buddhism, too, where he plays the role of protector. Two Bodhisattvas are shown in the lower section of this prabhâ fragment, which may have surrounded an image of the Buddha.

ALC (Free Circulation)