PARAMASUKHA CHAKRASAMVARA (FATHER MOTHER) #33

Thanka dedicated to the image of Paramsukha-Chakrasamvara, father-mother divinity, related to the Tantra cult. The main divinity is accompanied by multiple images of other divinities in a geometric arrangement that can be considered a mandala, the central image represents two beings fused in a mystical embrace, personifying the creative principles. Painted in dark blue, Shamvara appears standing, with four arms on each of his sides holding different attributes in his hands. The head presents four faces, each one of them looking towards the different orientations, differentiating them through the color. Thus the front one is blue, marking the east, the one on the right, in yellow indicates the south, the one on the left, in green, the north, and the one hidden behind in red indicates the west, the hair is gathered in a high bun and decorated with the crescent moon, a double vajra and various jewels. All this is topped on his forehead with a diadem of skulls, as well as the long necklace that hangs from his neck and is visible in the lower part of his body. As clothing he wears the skin of a tiger, covered in turn by the skin of a white elephant that he holds in his two upper arms. In the remaining hands on the right he carries his various attributes, a drum or damaru, an axe, a vajra and a trident, while with those on the left he holds a khatvabga, a bowl formed by a skull, a bow, and the quadripartite head of Brhama.With the two central arms he holds the body of his consort Vajravarahi, painted red, with a face and three eyes. She is adorned with necklaces of human bones. Shamvara, rests his feet on two figures that are identified the one on the right painted in blue with the goddess Bhairava and the one on the left in red with Kalartri. The whole configuration of the two images rests on a lotus flower-shaped throne and is framed in a large halo.The rest of the images are identified with different pairs of protective divinities, all of them standing and inscribed in almond-shaped haloes. The composition is presided over by a small image of Buddha in the upper center, seated and flanked by two disciples. The iconographic language of this painting is very similar to another dedicated to the same divinity that is in the Hermitage Museum (Leningrad) and that was described and identified (OLDENBURG in RHIE; THURMANN, 1992: 220 and BEGUIN, 1977), and according to K. SAMOSYUK, 1992, in RHIE; THURMAN, 1992.The differences in style with the cited image are obvious, since this one belongs to a more properly Tibetan style, which can be located in the central regions of Tibet, while the one in the Hermitage, comes from Khara Koto (Central Asia).The piece of cat. no. 14, made in brass, presents the same iconography as this Thangka. / Extracted from: Isabel CERVERA FERNÁNDEZ: Fundación Rodríguez-Acosta. Asian Art Collection. Bibliography: RHIE, M.; THURMANN, R.: Wisdom and Compassion. The Sacred Art of Tibet. New York, 1992, p. 220, 556. / BEGUIN, G.: Les arts de Nepal et du Tibet. Paris, 1977.