Achala raises his sword to cut away ignorance. He once also held a lasso used to guide wandering souls. The whirling tassels of his scarf emphasize the dynamism of his namesake posture, Achala-asana, characterized by lunging forward on the right leg, the left knee bent and left foot raised skyward. A popular deity among Buddhist Newars in Nepal, Achala is depicted as both a central and supporting figure in many paintings. The pleated front tassel and incised floral patterns on his skin-tight shorts (dhoti) are characteristic of Malla period costume and refined sculptures of the era.

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