2019
Gold plated bronze
21 x 8 x 9 cm



A sculpture of the Mahāsiddha Matsyendranath (“Lord of the Fishes”), an enlightened yogi estimated to have lived around the 7-10th century who is revered across the Hindu, Buddhist, and Islamic traditions. Matsyendranath is considered the progenitor of Haṭha Yoga, and the author of many of its seminal texts, having received the teachings of Yoga directly from Śiva.

“By turning within I went to the ocean to find knowledge, and I caught the fish who had swallowed it.”
~ Kaulajñānanirṇaya 16/29
attributed to Matsyendranātha (trans. de Vietri)

Textual Sources:
~ Caturaśīti-Siddha-pravṛitti by Abhayadatta.

Acknowledgment:
This sculpture was created based on a wide survey of paintings of Matsyendranath throughout history, while in conversation with Dharmabodhi Sarsvatī and Leiko Coyle. See [Christian de Vietri, “Matsyendranath: Being and Becoming” Tarka Journal ‘On Tantra’ no. 7 (New York: Embodied Philosophy, 2023)]. The figure is sculpted to Uttama Navatāla, the measure appropriate for Siddhas. Textual sources for the visualisation included: [Csaba Kiss, Matsyendranātha's Compendium (Matsyendrasaṃhitā) (Balliol College: D.Phil thesis, 2009)], [Stella Dupuis and Pandit Saktkari Mukhopadhyaya, The Kaulajñananirnaya (New Dehli: Aditya Prakashan, 2012)], and the Caturaśīti-Siddha-pravṛitti by Abhayadatta. Visual sources for inspiration included: [Śrīśailam prākāra-wall, India, early 16th Century (Photos by Rob Linrothe)], [Initiation Card of the Eighty-Four Mahāsiddhas (Shechen Archives, Photo courtesy Himalayan Art Resources)], [Mīnapa, Alchi Shangrong mural, ca. 14th-15th century (Photo by Rob Linrothe)], [Mīnapa, Tibet, 19th Century (Photo courtesy American Museum of Natural History)], [One of Eleven Paintings depicting the Eighty-Four Mahāsiddhas, 17th Century, Tibet (Collection of David Nalin, Photo courtesy Himalayan Art Resources)], Thomas Laird’s documentation of the Lukhang Temple wall paintings displayed at the Rubin Museum of Art, New York, and several photos of artworks depicting Matsyendranath by Stella Dupuis from her personal collection.