NEPAL, 18TH CENTURY

Although the mix of Hindu and Buddhist traditions is particularly strong in Nepal, extant Shiva mandalas are relatively rare, making the iconographic identification of all of the deities challenging. While the form of Bhairava on Shiva's proper left is without question, the other three gods seated on the lotus petals are less clear. In the white form seated on Garuda, Dr. Pratapaditya Pal sees Shiva identified with Vishnu. The half-male, half-female figure seated at the central figure's proper right rides a swan or goose; Pal sees this as a Shaiva representation of Brahma, the third deity in the Hindu Trinity. Finally, the red figure seated on the goat-like animal may symbolize the fire-god, Agni. In between these four seated deities are four human figures, each with different skin colors; here, Pal sees likely a representation of the four traditional varnas, or castes--the brahmins, kings, farmers and merchants, and laborers. For a complete iconographic interpretation of this paubha, see P. Pal, The Arts of Nepal, vol. II, 1978, p. 91-92.