The deities who are said to reside in the celestial realms—
they are believed to grant our wishes and save us from suffering.
However, did you know that they, too, are beings bound by the cycle of samsara, just like us?

Deities are born, they grow, and some devote themselves to vows of salvation in pursuit of nirvana.
Others struggle, make mistakes, and eventually age.
It is even said that in their old age, the once-radiant halos dim, their youthful glow fades,
and they experience suffering many times greater than that of humans before reaching death.

When viewed in this way, deities begin to feel like kindred spirits,
not distant, untouchable beings, but ones who share in the impermanence of life.

This idea led to the creation of the Baby Deity Series—
a collection imagining deities at the moment of their pure, innocent birth.

The first in the series is "Baby Ashura."

Traditionally depicted wielding weapons,
here, Baby Ashura holds a favorite toy in one hand and a lotus bud in the other—
the lotus symbolizing the ideal form of a spiritual practitioner.

With a mischievous smirk and a hint of pride,
Baby Ashura radiates a charm that is simply irresistible.