Varuna, Lord of Knowledge; Regent of the West
Not on view
The lokapalas stand in each of the four cardinal directions as protectors of both the Buddhist dharma (teachings) and the religious community. Texts speak of monasteries being constructed on grids symbolically marked with these deities, leaving the specific ritual function of these sculptures an open question.
Varuna, Lord of Knowledge, is Regent of the West. His broken left hand would have held a noose. His vehicle is a horse.
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