The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sadhanamala and Other Cognate Tantric Texts of Rituals c13.s3: 3. Khasarpaṇa

The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sādhanamālā and Other Cognate Tāntric Texts of Rituals c13.s3

Language: English

3. Khasarpaṇa

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Colour—White Symbol—Lotus Mudrā—Varada Āsana—Lalita or Ardhaparyaṅka Companions—Tārā, Sudhanakumāra, Bhṛkuṭī, Hayagrīva

Khasarpaṇa is described in a number of Sādhanas in the Sādhanamālā, which fact points to his popularity. The peculiar feature of this god is that he is invariably accompanied by the four divinities Tārā, Sudhanakumāra, Bhṛkuṭī and Hayagrīva. The principal figure is the same as Lokanātha, two-armed, and one faced, carrying the same symbol and exhibiting the same Mudrā; the difference lies in the fact that Lokanātha has only two companions, Tārā and Hayagrīva while Khasarpaṇa has two in addition, namely, Bhṛkuṭī and Sudhanakumāra. He is of white complexion, and sits either in the Lalita or the Ardhaparyaṅka attitude. Below is given a somewhat lengthy Dhyāna describing the god :—

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Ātmānām Bhagavantaṃ dhyāyāt himakarakoṭikiraṇāvadātaṃ dehaṃ, ūrdhvajṭāmakuṭaṃ Amitābhaśekharaṃ viśvanaliniṣaṇṇaṃ śaśimaṇḍale, ardhaparyaṅkaniṣaṇṇaṃ sakalālaṅkāradharavigrahaṃ smeramukhaṃ dviraṣṭavarṣadeśīyaṃ dakṣiṇe varadakaraṃ vāmakareṇa sanālakamaladharaṃ, karavigalatpīyūṣadhārābhyavahārarasikaṃ tadadhaḥ samāropitordhvamukhaṃ mahākukṣiṃ atikṛśaṃ atisītivaiṇaṃ Sūcīmukhaṃ tarpayantaṃ śrīmat-Potalakācalodaranivāsinaṃ karuṇāsnigdhavilokanaṃ śṛṅgārarasaparyupāsitaṃ atisāntaṃ nānālaṅṣaṇālaṅkṛtaṃ. Tasya puratas-Tārā dakṣiṇapārśve Sudhanakumāraḥ.

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Tatra Tārā śyāmā, vāmakaravidhṛtaṃ sanālaṃ utpalaṃ dakṣiṇakareṇa vikāśayantī nānālaṅkāravatī abhinayauvanobhinnakucabhārā. Sudhanakumāraśca kṛtāñjalipuṭaḥ kanakābhāsidyutiḥ, kumārarūpadhārī vāmakakṣavinyastapustakaḥ sakalālaṅkāravān. Paścime Bhṛkuṭī Hayagrīva uttare.

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Tatra Bhṛkuṭī caturbhujā hemaprabhā jaṭākalāpinī, vāme tridaṇḍīkamaṇḍaludhārīhastā dakṣiṇe vandanābhinayākṣasūtradharakarā trinetrā.

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Hayagrīvo raktavarṇaḥ kharvalambodaraḥ ūrddhvajvalatpiṅgalakeśaḥ bhujagayajñopavītī kapilataraśmaśruśreṇīparicitamukhamanḍalaḥ raktavartulatrinetraḥ bhṛkuṭikuṭilabrūkaḥ vyāghracarmāmbaraḥ daṇḍāyudhaḥ dakṣiṇakareṇa vandanābhinayī.

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Ete sarva eva svanāyakānanapreritadṛṣṭayo yathāśobhaṃ avasthitāścintanīyāḥ...

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Iti Khasarpaṇasādhanam”. Sādhanamālā, pp. 39-41

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“The worshipper should think himself as the god (Khasarpaṇa) from whose body radiate rays of a crore of moons. He wears the Jaṭāmukuṭa (crown of matted hair), holds the image of Amitābha on his head, and sits on the moon over a double lotus in the Ardhaparyaṅka attitude. He is decked in all sorts of ornaments, has a smiling face, is aged about twice eight years, exhibits the Varada pose in the right hand, and holds the lotus with a stem in the left. He is an expert in distributing the stream of nectar that flows from his hand, and Sūcīmukha who stands below with an uplifted face, a protruding belly and very pale appearance receives the same. He resides in the womb of the mount Poṭalaka, looks beautiful with compassion, is full of the sentiment of Śṛṅgāra (amour), is extremely peaceful and is endowed with various auspicious marks

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“Before him is Tārā and to the right is Sudhanakumāra

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“Here Tārā is green. She causes to blossom with her right hand the lotus flower with a stem held in her left. She has many ornaments and her breasts are oppressively heavy due to adolescence

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“Sudhanakumāra, again, has his two hands joined ( añjali ), is resplendent like gold, and has the appearance of a prince. He carries the book under his left arm-pit and is decked in all ornaments.

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“To the West of the god is Bhṛkuṭī and to the North Hayagrīva

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“Here Bhṛkuṭī has four arms, is resplendent like gold has matted hair, carries the staff with three horns and the Kamaṇḍalu in the two left hands. The two right show the mudrā of bowing in one and the rosary in the second. She has three eyes.

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“Hayagrīva is red in colour and is short, with a protruding belly. His hair rises upwards in the shape of a flame, and he has a snake as his sacred thread. His face is recognised by a deep brown pair of moustaches; his eyes are red and round; his eye-brows are distorted in a frown. He is clad in tiger-skin, has the staff as a weapon, and his right hand exhibits the act of bowing.

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“All these deities should be meditated on as disposed in a befitting and artistic manner, with their eyes directed towards the face of the principal deity. Here ends the Sādhana for Khasarpaṇa.”

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The finest image (Fig. 103) of Khasarpaṇa was discovered by the late N. K. Bhattasali in the Pargana Vikrampur in Eastern Bengal ¹. The sculpture is recognized to be one of the best products of Bengal art. Had the central figure been mutilated like the one reproduced in Fig. 104 it would still be possible to identify Khasarpaṇa by means of the four companions to the right and the left of the principal god. Images of Khasarpaṇa are found in Tibet ² and China ³.

Cites (1)

Sādhanamālā — Sanskrit