Shadakshari Lokeshvara

$250
Item Code: ZN38
Specifications:
Copper Sculpture gilded with 24 Karat Gold
Height: 8.4 inch
Width: 5.6 inch
Depth: 3.4 inch
Weight: 1.50 kg
Handmade
Handmade
Free delivery
Free delivery
Fully insured
Fully insured
Shipped to 153 countries
Shipped to 153 countries
More than 1M+ customers worldwide
More than 1M+ customers worldwide
This sculpture is that of Chenrezig, also known as Shadakshari Lokeshvara. He is an important manifestation of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, who is of special significance to the Tibetans; the Dalai Lamas are said to be incarnations of this form of the bodhisattva.

Shadakshari means six syllabled, the six syllables are OM MA NI PAD ME HUM and constitute the famous mantra of this bodhisattva that is constantly chanted by devout Tibetans. The mantra is considered so efficacious that it has been carved on numerous rock faces throughout Tibet. The explanation of OM MA NI PAD ME HUM is as follows:

OM closes the door to the suffering of being reborn in the god's realm. The suffering of the gods arise from foreseeing one's fall from the god's realm. This suffering comes from pride.

MA closes the door to the suffering of being reborn in the warring gods' (asuras') realm. The suffering of these asuras is constant fighting. This suffering comes from jealousy.

NI closes the door to the suffering of being reborn in the human realm. The suffering of humans is birth, sickness, old age, and death. This suffering comes from desire.

PAD closes the door to the suffering of being reborn in the animal realm. The suffering of animals is stupidity, preying upon one another, being killed by men for meat, skins, etc., and being beasts of burden. This suffering comes from ignorance.

ME closes the door to the suffering of being reborn in the hungry ghosts' realm. The suffering of hungry ghosts is hunger and thirst. This suffering comes from greed.

HUM closes the door to the suffering of being reborn in the hell realm. the suffering of the hells is heat and cold. This suffering comes from anger or hatred.

Although bejeweled and crowned, the bodhisattva is represented as a perfectly poised yogi seated with his legs closely locked in the lotus posture. His eyes are downcast, as if in meditation.

An antelope skin is over his left shoulder.

He has four hands. The principal hands are raised to the chest with the palms enjoined in namaskarmudra, the gesture of prayer or greeting, and hold a wish-fulfilling gem. The upper right hand displays the rosary, while the corresponding left hand holds the lotus, the distinctive emblem of this bodhisattva.

How are Nepalese copper statues made?

Nepalese statues and sculptures are best known for their unique small religious figures and ritual paraphernalia for over two thousand years. These are mainly cast in copper alloy. Nepal draws influences from the artistic styles of Buddhism and Hinduism, and therefore the sculptors of the country specialize in making the icons of both these religions. Over the years, Nepalese sculptures evolved into their own distinctive iconography. Some characteristic features of these sculptures that differ from other pieces are exaggerated physical postures, youthful and sensual features, languid eyes, wider faces having serene expressions, and ornate flourishes. The Buddhist deity icons of Nepal have tremendous demand in countries such as China and Tibet for ritual purposes in their temples and monasteries.

Nepalese statues and sculptures have a high copper content and therefore develop a slightly reddish patina on the surface as they age. However, the most unique feature of Nepalese copper statues is their decorative detailing. The pieces are heavily gilded and sometimes inlaid with semi-precious stones. This embellishment protects them from getting tarnished. The traditional lost-wax method for casting Nepalese copper statues remains the most practiced technique in Nepal for many centuries. This process involves many steps and requires skilled artists.

The first step in lost-wax sculpting is to make a wax replica of the desired Buddhist deity to be cast in copper. This replica is created by hand and therefore needs excellent artistic skills otherwise fine features will be lacking.

Once the wax replica is made, it is then coated with a special mixture of clay with a brush. This layer of clay is hardened when left to dry. A small hole is made on the base of the wax mould so that the wax flows away when it is heated.
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At this stage, a hollow mould in the shape of the deity is obtained.

This is the time to pour liquid copper into the hollow mould which is then allowed to cool and harden inside a container of cold water. When the liquid metal has hardened, the mould is removed and the statue within is revealed.
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The artist works on the details of the statue using various tools. It is then polished to get a shiny and lustrous surface.

Now comes the most important part of Nepalese art which is gold gilding. This is done by the traditional fire gilding method. A mixture of mercury and 18K gold is applied on the surface of the statue and heat is applied using a flame torch. The result is that mercury evaporates along with impurities, leaving a pure 24K gold finish.
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The lost-wax method of sculpting is the most preferred technique

for artists to cast a metallic statue having intricate details. Since Nepalese copper sculptures require extraneous effort for giving a majestic look by adding special embellishments, it takes several weeks to complete one masterpiece. A 24K gold gilded copper sculpture retains its brilliant luster for many years and appears as like before. Nepalese sculptures continue to remain one of the finest specimens of the art of the East that have a strong aesthetic appeal that other sculptures cannot match.
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