国立情報学研究所 - ディジタル・シルクロード・プロジェクト
『東洋文庫所蔵』貴重書デジタルアーカイブ

Mahákála, the next divinity, is seated on his yak-like bull, Nandi, in a pose

similar to that of Kárttikeya. He presents an especially fierce and gruesome

appearance, with bestial, demoniac face, upward-streaming hair, and cadaverous

limbs. His brow is knotted into heavy, frowning folds over wide-open, glaring

eyes and hog-like snout. His open mouth displays the viciously curled, projecting

tongue. Above the forehead he wears a chaplet of human skulls; and behind his

head is an elephant's skin upheld by the two upper arms. The tip of the elephant's

trunk appears just by the god's bony elbow. In the right middle hand a flaming

sword is held, upright. The other hands and symbols are missing, but a trident

visible just above the right knee may be the end of a vajra held in the lower right

hand. The skeletal structure of the limbs is portrayed, with more force than

accuracy, by heavy modelling, and an expression of the ferocious energy animating

the god is exhibited in the tense action of the exaggerated muscles of the left foot.

Farther to the right, little remains of the third deity, but the right shoulder, over

which fall long black locks of hair, part of the nude trunk, and legs and one foot

can be made out. Also the upper right hand holding the red disk of the sun and the

middle right hand supporting a seated figure of the Buddha, yellow, with red

nimbus. The lower right forearm crosses in front of the breast and one of the

fingers of the hand seems to be just in front of the neck. A white girdle encircles

the waist.

In the lower half of the picture are four large, standing warriors, probably Loka-

pálas, several other gods, a few human beings, and a number of little mischievous

imps. The large, standing figure, below Kárttikeya, is probably Virúdhaka. His

elephant-head epaulettes, of which that on the left shoulder is clearly visible,

would be appropriate to this identification. Looking towards the right with wide-

open staring eyes, his rather cruel lips, slightly parted, express satisfaction. His

crossed hands rest on the pommel of a mace or sword, just below the lion mask of

his girdle. Accompanying him is a charming little `earth goddess', standing on his

left, carrying a dish of fruit. She wears long, flowing garments and an elaborate

floral coiffure. Her smooth face, with half-closed eyes and small tight mouth,

expresses conscious superiority as she turns towards the warrior. Immediately

below is an upturned face with worried, apprehensive look, and before it is a hand

raised in supplication or defence. Above the goddess stands an Indian sádhú, facing

to the right; with pale face, hooked nose, green eyes which glare fiercely, grey

beard and grey hair tied in the customary top-knot. Over his left shoulder and

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