“Buddhamatrika Mahamayuri” (the great peacock mother of the Buddha), is a powerful and lesser-known Vajrayana deity, one of the Pancharaksha or five-protector goddesses in Nepal. In essence, Mahamayuri is the manifestation of the powerful mantras formulated by the Buddha for the protection of beings against the poison of snakes, ill-omen, and unforseen dangers. She is also a bestower of fertility and rain and is revered as a bringer of fortune. Though described in her references as the “godmother” or “mother” of the Buddha, the embodiment of all his powers, and the knower of his esoteric wisdom, Mahamayuri’s sculptures and paintings are rare to find.
This brass face mask of Mahamayuri thus becomes a one-of-a-kind and artistically rich piece from Nepal. Crafted with finesse, the mask represents Mahamayuri adorned with ethereal ornaments and identified by the peacock or Mayura emblem on her crown. The elaborate hairdo of Mahamayuri has been adorned by a Garuda in the front and two parrots on each side- both the birds a form of Buddha in his previous births according to the Jatakas.
The neatly braided hair of Mahamayuri frames her youthful face exquisitely, marked by the three eyes and the tranquil gaze of the goddess. In her ears, Mahamayuri wears fishes, symbols of auspiciousness and one of the Ashtamangala in Buddhism, and her neck is adorned with a floral chain and two dragons, mythical creatures that are the materialization of the force and unbounded power of Enlightenment.
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