Antique wooden phurba from Nepal. Artisan handcarved masterpiece with some minor imperfections and damages due to its age and previous usage, but overall still in very good condition. Around the handle there are still the remains of old fabric, that was given to this phurba (as blessing/empowerment/consecration) by its previous owner.
Design characteristics:
Pommel; a three-faced Vajrakilaya, with three neutral facial expressions. On top of the three-headed deity also an animal figurine can be seen, most likely representing the 'Bodhisattva Monkey'; a central figure in Tibetan mythology and origin stories, who is said to be the ancestor of Tibetan people and symbolizes compassion and enlightenment Handle: a combination of the vajra (dorje) symbol with some variations of the shrivatsa (endless knot) symbol. Blade: intertwined naga's facing upwards and a kalasha (ritual water vessel) symbol. The blade is held by an abstract representation of the mythical watermonster Makara.
It has a length of 23,5 centimeters and weighs 70 grams.
Read more about the design symbolism and usage of the phurba in the general description of the webshop-collection "Ritual Attributes; Phurba's".
