Patinated bronze - Tantric Garuda - Tibet - Second half of the 20th century

Rare image of tantric Garuda in Vishnu-like posture with his companion Unnati (or Vinayaka in other versions) In Hindu mythology, a bird god, son of the great sage Kasyapa and his wife Vinata. Garuda (the devourer), was born from one of the two eggs laid by Vinada, incubated for a thousand years (his brother, Aruna, the resplendent dawn, was born when the impatient Vinada broke the other egg after only 500 years).

Garuda appears in many Hindu myths, mostly in two roles: that of a serpent-eater and that of the steed of the supreme god and protector of the world, Vishnu.

Symbolically, Garuda represents the ascent from the material plane to the highest spiritual awareness.

The serpents he seeks to destroy (which are, in the mythical tale, his own cousins) symbolize spiritual awareness in an earthly context.

In popular belief, Garuda protects from snakes and devours everything evil.

Divine progenitor of the bird race.

Our tantric Garuda is made of patinated bronze cast using the lost wax process and weighs 560g.

Measures 14x9.8x4.9 cm.