This brass stand is made to hold a kapala on the shrine. Kapalas, or skull-cups, are ritual implements in Vajrayana and tantric practice, representing the transformation of delusion into wisdom.

“In its most benign symbolism, as the begging bowl or food vessel of an ascetic, the kapala serves as a constant reminder of death and impermanence, the ephemeral transitoriness of life that engenders renunciation.”

— Robert Beer, The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs, p. 264

Details

• Height: 6 in (15.2 cm)
• Holds: a standard kapala
• Material: Brass
• Made by: Dechen Bell Sage