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The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sadhanamala and Other Cognate Tantric Texts of Rituals c11.s5: 5. Gaganagañja

The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sādhanamālā and Other Cognate Tāntric Texts of Rituals c11.s5

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5. Gaganagañja

c11.s5.1

Colour—Yellow or Red Symbol—Kalpa Tree

c11.s5.2

The Bodhisattva Gaganagañja is described four times in the Niṣpannayogāvalī. His colour is yellow showing his affiliation to Ratnasambhava of yellow colour with the Varada mudrā and the jewel.

c11.s5.3

In the Mañjuvajra Maṇḍala he is described as: Gaganagañjaḥ suvarṇavarṇo vāme vajramuṣṭim garvena kaṭyāṃ nyasya dakṣiṇaṃ gagane bhrāmayan. NSP, p. 50.

c11.s5.4

“Gaganagañja is of golden yellow colour. In the left he holds the Vajra with in clenched hand which is proudly placed on the hip, while the right is flourished upwards in the sky.”

c11.s5.5

The Dharmadhātuvāgīśvara Maṇḍala describes him with the following words: Gaganagañjaḥ pītaḥ savyena Cintāmaṇibhṛd-vāmena bhadraghaṭā-valambitakalpavṛkṣaṃ dadhānaḥ. NSP, p. 58.

c11.s5.6

“Gaganagañja is yellow and shows the Cintāmaṇi jewel in the right hand. In the left, he holds the auspicious bowl from which is suspended a Kalpa (wish-giving) tree.”

c11.s5.7

A third description of Gaganagañja occurs in the Durgatiparisoḍhanī Maṇḍala. There his form is as under:

c11.s5.8

Gaganagañjaḥ sitapītaḥ savyena padmasthadharmagañjadharaḥ kaṭisthavāmahastaḥ. NSP, p. 67

c11.s5.9

“Gaganagañja is whitish yellow in complexion. He holds the Dharmagañja on lotus in the right hand, while his left hand rests on the hip.”

c11.s5.10

Gaganagañja is also represented in the same form as his sire Ratnasambhava of yellow colour. In the Two Lamaistic Pantheons Gaganagañja occurs only once and he is of the same form as his sire Ratnasambhava. Fig. 53 is a Nepalese drawing of the Bodhisattva.

c11.s5.11

Bodhisattva Gaganagañja is not unknown to the Sādhanamālā. In the Loknātha Sādhana, a short description of the deity is available. It runs as follows:

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Gaganagañjo raktavarṇo nīlotpalavarapradaḥ Sādhanamālā, p. 49.

c11.s5.13

“Gaganagañja of red colour, holds the blue lotus and exhibits the Varda mudrā in his two hands.”

Cites (2)