Vasudhara

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Vasudhara

Place of OriginIndia, Bihar, Kurkihar

DatePala Dynasty (730-1197), about 950

DimensionsH. 51 3/4 in. (131.4 cm); W. 21 7/8 in. (55.6 cm); D. 9 in. (22.8 cm).

MediumGranite

ClassificationSculpture

Credit LinePurchased with funds given by Mr. and Mrs. Preston Levis

Object number

1989.3

On View

Toledo Museum of Art (2445 Monroe Street), Gallery, 35

Label TextVasudhara, the Buddhist goddess of abundance, stands on a lotus flower with her right hand open in a gesture of generosity known as the varada mudra. In her left hand she holds a lotus that supports a jeweled vase, suggesting earthly riches. Small figures near her feet pour gems from sacks over their shoulders. Two donor figures on the base pay homage to the goddess. Above her right shoulder is a Buddhist stupa, or reliquary. The halo around her head bears a traditional Buddhist inscription: For all causal phenomena, the tathāgata [Buddha] has explained the dynamics of causation, and their extinction. Thus spake the great monk.Published References"Museum Acquisitions," Minerva, vol. 1, no. 8, Oct. 1990, p. 32, repr.Exhibition HistoryToledo Museum of Art, Inspired Giving: The Apollo Society 25th Anniversary Exhibition, October 15, 2010-February 13, 2011 (not in catalog).Comparative ReferencesSee also Pal, Pretapaditya, Asian art: selections from teh Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena, 1988, p. 18, 19.