Dimensions: Height 15 cm Wide 12 cm Depth 5 cm

Weight: 1257 grams with base

Carved from dark stone, the bodhisattva Amoghapāśa stands beneath an arched prabhāmaṇḍala with beaded inner border. The figure is four-armed: the principal hands are lowered in varadamudrā (gesture of granting) and raised in abhayamudrā (gesture of protection), while the secondary hands would have once held characteristic attributes, now fragmentary. He is richly adorned with a high foliate crown, earrings, multiple necklaces, armlets, and a patterned waistcloth tied at the hips, its folds cascading gracefully down the legs.

The face is serene, with downcast eyes and a faint smile, framed by elaborate crown and hair ornamentation. A small seated Buddha is carved at the centre of the crown, identifying the figure as a bodhisattva in the Avalokiteśvara family. The overall carving is deeply modelled, with fine attention to the jewellery and drapery, while the back reveals chisel marks from the original carving process.

Amoghapāśa, the “Unfailing Lasso,” is a compassionate form of Avalokiteśvara, worshipped across Nepal and Tibet as a saviour who liberates beings from suffering. His iconography emphasises both generosity and protection, the extended lasso symbolising his vow to rescue all beings without exception.

In Nepalese Buddhism, Amoghapāśa held a special position from the Licchavi through the Malla periods, often invoked in rituals for protection, healing, and universal salvation. He was one of the most widely worshipped bodhisattvas, bridging esoteric Vajrayāna practices with the devotional traditions of the Kathmandu Valley. Sculptures such as this one reflect both the refined craftsmanship of Newar artists and the central role of Amoghapāśa in the religious life of Nepal.