Vishnu, the supreme god of the Malla rulers, remains an essential religious figure in Nepal today and was equated with the King of Nepal (Shah) until recently with the fall of Nepal’s monarchy in April 2006. Viewed as a universal monarch and a king of gods, his primary function is to maintain cosmic order in the universe. In this sculpture, Vishnu stands majestically at attention, holding his symbolic attributes: the mace, wheel, and conch shell. A fourth object, the lotus, is not depicted but may have once been held in the lower left hand. Vishnu is the object of worship for the Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism.