A Unique Bodhisattva Head from Mathurā
By Lalit Kumar
Summary
Lalit Kumar’s article presents a unique Bodhisattva head from Mathura, housed in the Bharat Kala Bhavan collection, as the earliest known sculptural representation of Avalokitesvara. The author argues that the head’s identity is conclusively established by the presence of three effigies of the Dhyani Buddha Amitabha on its crown, a definitive iconographic attribute for Avalokitesvara. The sculpture is carved in mottled red sandstone, stylistically placed in the first-second century A.D., and features a roundish face with bulging eyes, a marked urna, and a diadem with a twisted rope band. The central crown effigy depicts Amitabha seated in padmasana, flanked by two garland bearers in three-quarter profile, followed by two more figures of Amitabha, each with a rounded throne-like back-stella. A fan-like projection emerges from the crown’s top. The author contextualizes this discovery by tracing the evolution of Avalokitesvara’s concept, referencing the Mahavastu-Avadana and the Suvarna-Prabhasa-Sutra to push its origins to the third century B.C. and first century A.D., respectively. The article critiques earlier scholarship, noting that while Vogel’s 1910 catalogue of the Mathura Museum claimed no representations of Avalokitesvara existed, V.S. Agrawala later published nine Bodhisattva images, though only one was identified as an early Avalokitesvara from the third century A.D. The Mathura head is distinguished by its multiple Amitabha figures and garland bearers, which the author suggests symbolize Sukhavati heaven, the abode of Amitabha and the Bhadra-kalpa. The three directional figures may also reflect Avalokitesvara’s role as a guardian and presiding deity, though the author notes the absence of a fourth cardinal figure due to the sculpture’s relief format. The article concludes that the concept of Avalokitesvara was fluid before the Christian era, crystallizing into plastic form thereafter. The author addresses the scarcity of pre-Gupta Avalokitesvara images compared to Maitreya, attributing this to socio-religious conditions and early Mahayana philosophy. Citing Alice Getty, the author notes Avalokitesvara’s later popularity as a representative of Buddhist faith and creator deity, though this does not explain his early iconographic scarcity. The scarcity is further highlighted by the absence of five Dhyani Buddhas and Bodhisattva concepts in early works by Aśvaghosha and Nāgārjuna. The sculpture’s early dating thus poses a challenge to the understanding of Avalokitesvara’s iconographic development in early Indian Buddhism.
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Conclusion
This article presents a unique early Bodhisattva head from Mathura, identified as Avalokitesvara through the prominent presence of Amitabha on the crown. Dating stylistically to the first or second century A.D., the sculpture features three figures of Amitabha and two garland-bearers, suggesting the celestial realm of Sukhavati. This discovery challenges previous assumptions, notably Vogel’s claim of no such representations, and expands the known early iconography of Avalokitesvara beyond the solitary third-century example. The head provides crucial evidence for the crystallization of Avalokitesvara’s iconography at the beginning of the Common Era, filling a significant gap in the art historical record. It also raises questions about the deity’s early popularity, given the relative scarcity of his images compared to Maitreya before the Gupta period, thereby offering vital insights into the evolving socio-religious landscape and Mahayana philosophical development in early Indian art.