Weiner Mihályné szerk.: Az Iparművészeti Múzeum Évkönyvei 7. (Budapest, 1964)

HOPP FERENC MÚZEUM — MUSÉE FERENC HOPP - F. Takáts, Zoltán: Some Notes to the Bronzes and Other Objects of the Chinese Collection. III

The only article of clothing possessed by the otherwise nude demon is a pair of high boots, pierced by large holes surrounded by smaller ones. Each was originally set with precious stones and some of the settings are intact. On a vis»

4 to Peking the late Alexander Simonyi-Semadam, quondam Prime Minister and for a long time President of the Hungarian Oriental Society, bought the gilt double bronze figure of the god Hayagriva with his çakti published here (Fig. 3.). Peking, the place of his acquisition, was well chosen, for it was the second centre of lamaism, enjoying the protection and support of the Imperial Court. The god is represented violently embracing his çakti, forming thus fierce ,,bhairava" figures. The nude çakti is said to be Vajradhara or Mariéi, the goddess of dawn. As such she is closely connected with the sun, just as Hayagriva himself, who has long been closely connected with Vishnu, the Sun and the promulgator and defender of the Vedas. In the Indian epic period the word Hayagriva — ,,the horse-headed one" - was the epithet of Vishnu. Thus Hayagriva was called Vishnu-Hayagriva. Already in ancient Indian civilization the horse cult, fertility and fecundity rites being connected with it, played a very important part. Their significance increased with the development of çaktism, the cult of the female energies of