The Deity Vajrabhairava, Tantric Form of the Bodhisattva Manjushri Posters and Art Prints

The most popular tantric manifestation of Manjushri is Vajrabhairava. In this ancient 15th-century image he has a buffalo head, holds an array of weapons, and tramples on birds, dogs, and Hindu gods. In this form, he is sometimes called Yamantaka, or the defeater of death, a deity that ends the cycle of rebirth and provides a path to nirvana. He frightens away egotism and selfishness—the root of suffering—and in this true form reveals the awesome and terrifying nature of enlightenment. For this extraordinary embroidery, the artist employed fine silk floss to achieve brilliant gradations of color and used horsehair underneath to create three-dimensional effects.