These Nepalese phurba pendants are handcarved from yak bone by an artisan craftsman in Kathmandu. Phurba pendants such as these can be worn as a personal protective amulet or for that reason be attached to your ritual attributes or clothing, but can also be used as a fully-functional ritual weapon in handy travel size.
The pommel shows a human skull, a symbol very prominent in Himalayan regions influenced by Tibetan buddhism.
On the one hand it can be said that the symbol of the skull (of course) refers to death; it is a powerful reminder of the fact that all our lives will simply end one day. The symbol of the skull is thus used in all kinds of meditative practices to contemplate on this inevitabilty and also on the other side of this medal; how important it is to live your life in the best possible and most compassionate of ways.
On a more metaphorical level, contemplating on the image of the skull also is a powerful practice in cutting through the bonds with one's own ego and the identification with the physical body. It takes us to the limits of human knowledge and helps to gain insight in the buddhist concept of 'Emptiness', which doesn't mean 'nothing-ness', but actually quite on the contrary refers to the true nature of the universe and reality; the endless, ultimate emptiness in which all possibilities exist.
Human skulls are also very prominent in the iconography around a lot of the 'wrathful' deities in Tibetan Buddhism and Hinduism. Wrathful deities are the fierce, forceful aspects or manifestations of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas or Devas. They are often portrait as terrifying, demonic looking beings adorned with human skulls or bone ornaments and ritual weapons. In this setting, the human skulls symbolize all the poisonous delusions and limiting mental beliefs that need to be overcome on the path to enlightenment.
There are two phurba pendants available, you can choose your favorite one via the selection menu;
#1; 50 millimeters long (measured including the eyelet)
#2; 46 millimeters long (measured including the eyelet)
These pendants are from vintage origin, therefore they might have some minor damages and imperfections that come with age and previous usage, but overall they are in good condition.
Read more about the general and specific design and symbolism of the phurba in the general description of the webshop-collection "Ritual Attributes; Phurba's".
