Page 100 - Blum Feinstein Tanka collection HIMALAYAN Art Bonhams March 20 2024

Vasudhara’s presence in Nepal arose from the impassioned worship of the
goddess who promised both material wealth and spiritual prosperity. One of
the principal deities that arose in tandem with the formation of Buddhist cults in
Nepal, her Indic origins became ubiquitously personified within this fertile valley.
Customary to Newar culture, dedicatory images of the goddess were presented to
commemorate her annual celebration. Here, she is depicted in a mandala format,
accompanied by an array of deities and retinue all contributing to the opulence her
name, “stream of gems” imparts.

Several iconographic elements closely derive from a conflation of textual sources.
Her visualization includes her depiction with golden complexion, six-arms, and
all-encompassing boons of fertility, abundance, wealth, and wisdom signified
by the water pot, sheaf of corn, triratna jewels, and Prajnaparamita sutra held in
each of her hands. Adorned with jewels and a crown, she sits in the posture of
royal ease. Vasudhara appears with two bodhisattva attendants at each of her
sides - red Avalokiteshvara and green Vajrapani – who hold fly whisks over their
shoulders and act as emanations of her own compassion and wisdom. Described
textually, Vajrapani holds the title “chief of the yaksha army. His army of nature
spirits connected to fecundity and treasure are depicted throughout with their
female equivalents overturning sacks of cascading gold and jewels. Underneath
Avalokiteshvara along the horizontal plinth is a form of Jambhala, the lord of
wealth, and on the opposite side in white is Varuna, king of the nagas,
the ruler of serpent beings who protects the treasures of the underworld.
All of this iconography parallels an early, but more spacious arrangement of a
Vasudhara mandala (HAR 4010).

Early Nepalese mandalas of Vasudhara vary in format. The earliest dated example
to 1397 (Pal, Himalayas: An Aesthetic Adventure, 2003, p. 60, pl. 32) appears
in the distinctive circle and square configuration. The HAR example and another
in the Zimmerman Collection dated to 1403 (Pal, Art of the Himalayas, 1991, p.
72, cat. 34), as well as this example construct the mandala using a rectangular
arrangement. While this example employs a squared design, here, Vasudhara is
depicted encompassed by varying sized shrines housing her retinue figures which
verge on a circular shape. Although this format maintains delineated areas in
the inner mandala through the frames of these shrines, they are densely packed
with the background full of floating beings dispensing jewels. The concentration
of figures conveys a rich and overwhelming amount of detail, emphasizing the
glorious treasure filled realm of the deity.

Surrounding scenes are separated in the Nepalese style by yellow borders and
illustrate intertwining spiritual and temporal realms. The top and sides depict
avadana scenes, stories of the previous lives of the Buddha, illustrated in another
circa 14th century Vasudhara mandala (Pal, Himalayas: An Aesthetic Adventure,
2003, p. 61, pl. 33). These scenes are meant to convey the compassionate nature
of the Buddha from his previous emanation as a bodhisattva. Worldly depictions
along the bottom register show a priest performing the puja, or religious rites to
the goddess, dancers and musicians, and kneeling figures in anjali paying homage
with offerings to the goddess. These priest led rituals established the visualization
of the mandala for participants, in an act meant to converge temporal aspects of
seasonal harvests, bounty, and wealth with spiritual blessings. Vasudhara’s celestial
realm is perhaps the greatest promise of prosperity, for she along with her retinue,
can end all suffering for those who perform this ritual.

98 | BONHAMS
98 | BONHAMS