The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sadhanamala and Other Cognate Tantric Texts of Rituals c13.s7.2

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 :-