Padmapāṇi

The Bodhisattva Padmapāṇi is seated on a high throne with his left foot on the ground and his right knee bent and the leg resting on the other knee, in the posture known as vīrāsana. Depictions of a Bodhisattva seated in this manner are not common; also unusual in this case is the position of the right foot, with the toes pointing downward due to a semi-rotation of the leg bent at the knee. To facilitate this rather unnatural posture, the figure of the Bodhisattva is shown leaning and almost supported by his left forearm, which extends to the lateral pillar of the throne. The high throne on which Padmapāṇi is seated has a thick protruding base decorated with six petal lotus flowers, on which his sandals rest: the left sandal is empty and the right one is on his foot, with the strap between the big toe and the second toe. The seat is supported by turned columns, on the inner sides of which stand two worshipping figures with their hands folded in the añjalimudrā gesture. One is wearing a long robe and cloak, the other has a monk’s habit with his right shoulder left bare. The throne is decorated with a draped cloth. Padmapāṇi is wearing a paridhāna and uttarīya: the lower garment is draped in an unusual way on the left leg, where the outline of the material follows a pattern with wide flounces. The uttarīya, resting on his shoulder and left arm, falls gently to his lap, and then rises up to the bend in his raise right arm. The bare chest reveals pectoral muscles and a slightly rounded belly. The Bodhisattva’s face forms an imperfect oval in shape, more pointed towards the chin and slightly enlarged at the temples, and has large, slanted eyes, half closed and crowned by high eyebrows in a parabolic arch. The ūrṇā is represented by a fairly large embossed disk, just above the bridge of his nose. Padmapāṇi is wearing a turban in strips, with the upper part missing, large lion-head earrings, a necklace in strips with a four petal lotus flower in the centre, a longer necklace and a cord hung with small prayer holders, worn diagonally across the left shoulder and down to the right hip. The Bodhisattva is holding a large lotus flower bud in his left hand, and the other hand, now missing, was originally raised towards his head.