Our Lama artist did an exceptional job and created a masterpiece Saraswati Tibetan thangka painting. Saraswati holds her lute and she stands on a lotus pedestal. Her traditional mount is a white goose who is seen curled around her feet. Additionally, she is depicted with 4 arms and holds the mala beads in her upper right hand. The frame of the Saraswati Tibetan thangka is surrounded by dragons which represent impermanence due to their slippery scales and serpentine shape. Also, the mythical Garuda is featured at the bottom of the thangka appearing to support the lotus pedestal.
Saraswati is considered by Buddhists to be one of the 21 emanations of the Tara Bodhisattva. Additionally, she is the consort of bodhisattva Manjushri who represents the Buddha’s wisdom. Similar to Manjushri, she is popular with students who seek her out as a source of inspiration. She is the patroness of learning and creativity in Tibet.
Furthermore, Saraswati was the personal yidam of the 14th century Tibetan monk Je Tsongkhapa. He is believed to be an incarnation of Manjushri and is the founder of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. The Gelug school still survives today and it is represented by the 14th Dalai Lama. Click here to learn about the wrathful emanation of Saraswati.
