Simhanaatha & Avalokitezvara

[N. Ganesan]

In Buddhist iconography, is there a relationship between
Simhanaatha & Avalokitezvara?

After the decline of Mahayana in Sri Lanka, Avalokitesvara
sculptures were renamed as Natha ones and worshipped.
Is this Naatha related to Simhanaatha?

In the Nagapattinam buddhist bronzes, there is a
fine Simhanaatha. May be T. N. Ramachandran called it as
Simhanatha. It is published in C. Sivaramamurti,
South Indian bronzes book also. It looks almost like
 the raajaliilaasana posture Avalokitesvara sculptures
of Sri Lanka.

Regards,
N. Ganesan


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