This bronze sculpture of Vaishravana is a representation of Kubera or the Hindu god of wealth as Lokapala Vaishravana. Vaishravana is seated on a lion vahana (mount). He holds nakula, a mongoose, in his right hand while his left may have once held a spear. He wears a breastplate, windswept sash and a five-leaved crown. He has a short curly beard with bulging eyes and slanted fiery eyebrows. He is a protective divinity, who was supposedly appointed as guardian of Khotan (an ancient Buddhist kingdom) by Shakyamuni (Buddha) himself.
