This is Shadakshari Lokeshwara, a form of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. Shadakshari means six syllables and it refers to the number of syllables in well known Buddhist chant ‘Om Mani Padme Hum’. Shadakshari is believed to be an embodiment of that chant.

The deity sitting in vajra position and is holding the principal hands against his chest in the gesture of respect or prayer. The rear hands carry rosary and lotus. The deity is sitting on a double lotus pedestal. he is wearing a celestial scarf around his neck, running from shoulders to the sides and rising on the side to frame the deity. The crown is elaborate in the beadwork with multiple peaks. His lower garment flows on to the pedestal and is patterned. In addition to the crown, he is wearing the usual set of ornaments earrings, necklace, bracelet and girdle. The deity’s fingers and toes are well delineated. The face exhibits serenity, as one would expect. The bottom of the bronze has double Vajra (Viswa Vajra) mark, a sign of consecration.

There are two prongs at the back and may have had a Prabhavali at some stage.

In some cases the rosary is circular and in some examples as in this one, rosary forms a figure of eight. P R Srinivasan’s book on Bronzes of South India has two examples, Figures 197 and 198,  of Shadakshari Lokeshwara and there the rosary is upright, rising above the hand.

According to one author the double Vajra mark, at the bottom,  was introduced in the eighteen century. The consecration symbol, double Vajra,  suggests this bronze is from Tibet.

The scarf rising to the side is not seen in examples assigned to the 16th century or earlier. I would estimate this bronze to be from 18th or 19th century.

This bronze is about 9 cm in height.