From the Jacket: The study of the iconography of the tantric deity Heruka is winsome and alluring. This book is a comprehensive account of the iconography of Heruka justifiably adducing literary and sculptural data thereby rendering authenticity. The relativity between these literary sources and the actual images has been shown apply by citing examples in all ingenuity. This book is indubitably a notable contribution to the Buddhist iconographical study - the outcome of devoted research and immaculate scholarship of the author. Written in lucid style, this book provides enormous details of the less known deity, Heruka. A number of photographs, consisting of sculptures, bronzes, paintings, representing different forms of Heruka illustrate the text and make the book useful for the student of Buddhist iconography, religion and philosophy.

About the Author:

Prof. Dr. K. Krishna Murthy, M.A.,Ph.D.D.Lit. fras (Lond.) M.R.A.A.(Lond.) M.R.A.I.(Lond) A. distinguished Archaeologist and Art-historian was born in 1930 at Anantpur in A.P. After his early collegiate education in the Govt. Arts College Anantpur, he took his B.A.(Hns) and M.D. from Andhra University, Waltair. A double doctorate, he was awarded Ph.D. in 1970 by the Nagpur University for his thesis" Life under the lkshvakus as Depicted in the Nagar Junakonda Sculptures," in 1983 for the scholarly treatise " Gandhara Sculptures - a cultural Survey" Nagpur University again awarded him the prestigious post-doctoral degree of, ' Doctor of Letters" (D.Litt) for his eminence. He was elected 1972 Fellow of the RAS of Great Britain and Ireland which an honour few Indian could gain. In 1985 R.S. for Asian Affairs and the R.A. Institute, London elected him their member. Dr. Krishna Murthy, presently Suptd. Archaeologist, Temple Survey Project(Southern Region) Arch. Survey of India, Madras, for three decades. Dr. Krishna Murthy is further associated with many faculties and remains acclaimed for his unflinching love and expositions in relation to studies in ancient culture.

Contents:

Preface
List of Plates
1. Introductory
2. Tantric Buddhist iconographic source
 a. Dhyanas of heruka in sadhana mala
 b. Dhyanas of heruka in abhidhanottar sadhana tantra
 c. Dhyanas of heruka or Hevajra in hevajrasadhanatantra
3. Sculptures of heruka
4. General observation

Glossary
Bibliography