The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sadhanamala and Other Cognate Tantric Texts of Rituals c13.s7: 7. Harihariharivāhana
The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sādhanamālā and Other Cognate Tāntric Texts of Rituals c13.s7
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7. Harihariharivāhana
c13.s7.1
Colour—White Arms—Six Vāhana—Siṃha, Garuḍa and Viṣṇu
c13.s7.2
The composition of the deity is so queer that great difficulty is experienced in recognizing the images of this form of Avalokiteśvara, called by the peculiar name of Harihariharivāhana. The Sādhanas gives a description of the god, but is practically silent as to why such a special name is given to this particular variety of Lokeśvara. India has not given uptil now any image of Harihariharivāhana and it is rare even in Nepal. There is only one sculpture at Svayambhūkṣettra and a bronze in one of the monasteries at Pattan, and both of them follow the Sādhana faithfully. The lion is lowermost, on it rides Garuḍa. On the back of Garuḍa, again, rides the Hindu god Viṣṇu with the four symbols, the conch, the discus, the mace and the lotus. On the shoulder of Viṣṇu rides Lokeśvara. The lion, the Garuḍa and the god Viṣṇu, all have ‘Hari’ as their synonym and because the vehicle of Lokeśvara is composed of three ‘Hari’s, the principal god acquires the name of Harihariharivāhana. Two Sādhanas in the Sādhanamālā are devoted to the worship of this form of Ārya Avalokiteśvara and the Dhyāna in one of them describes the god in the following terms :-
c13.s7.3
Harihariharivāhanodbhavaṃ Bhagavantaṃ Ārya-Avalokiteśvaraṃ sarvāṅgaśuklaṃ jaṭāmukuṭinaṃ śāntaveśaṃ dakṣiṇakareṇa Bhagavantaṃ Tathāgataṃ sākṣiṇaṃ kurvantaṃ dvitīyena akṣamālādhāriṇaṃ tṛtīyena duḥkuhakaṃ lokaṃ upadeśayantaṃ vāmena daṇḍadharaṃ dvitīyena kṛṣṇājinadharaṃ tṛtīyena kamaṇḍaludharaṃ siṃha-garuḍa-viṣṇu-skandhasthitaṃ ātmānaṃ dhyātvā...”
c13.s7.4
Sādhanamālā, p. 77
c13.s7.5
“The worshipper should think himself as the Harihariharivāhana form of god Avalokiteśvara, white in all limbs, with the Jaṭāmukuṭa (crown of matted hair) and clad in graceful garments. He cites the Tathāgata as witness with one of his right hands, carries the rosary in the second, and instructs deluded people with the third. He carries the staff in one of his left hands, the deer-skin in the second and the Kamaṇḍalu in the third. He sits on the shoulder of Viṣṇu below whom there are Garuḍa and the lion. Thus meditating...”
c13.s7.6
of Amitābha. He carries the red lotus in the left hand, and opens its petals with the right and is decked in various ornaments and dress...”
c13.s7.7
A reference may here be made to the Dhyāna of Vajradharma another variety of Lokeśvara, equally unrepresented, whose form will be described later in this chapter. The forms of Rakta-Lokeśvara and Vajradharma are almost identical with the difference that the Sādhanā enjoins for Vajradharma, the Vāhana of a peacock.
Cites (1)
- Sādhanamālā — Sanskrit