The Cleveland Museum of Art
Collection Online as of April 25, 2024
Trikala Bhairava
1000s–1100s
Overall: 21.8 x 19.1 cm (8 9/16 x 7 1/2 in.)
Location: 244 Indian and Southeast Asian
Did You Know?
His earlobes stretch around the circumference of large earrings.Description
Bhairava is the name of the wrathful aspect of the Hindu god Shiva. His ferocity and fearsome attributes include the crown of skulls and cobras, bulging eyes, fangs, and hair that stands on end. His three heads are indicative of the passing of time from past through present to the future, which is the meaning of his epithet Trikala, or "triple time." The ferocity of this figure reminds devotees not to waste a moment in striving to reach liberation from the relentless passage of time that ultimately leads to death and destruction. In the Hindu tradition, liberation can be achieved through devotion to god, which may attract his merciful decision to bring the devotee to eternal blissful union with him.- ?-1958Mrs. Edgar J. [Louise Hawley] Stone [1904-1997], Toronto, Canada, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art1958-The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
- {{cite web|title=Trikala Bhairava|url=false|author=|year=1000s–1100s|access-date=25 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}
Source URL:
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1958.208