Pramāṇa · Search · About · API

The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sadhanamala and Other Cognate Tantric Texts of Rituals c15: Chapter VI

The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sādhanamālā and Other Cognate Tāntric Texts of Rituals c15

Language
English

Contents

Chapter VI

c15.1

The number of deities emanating from the Dhyāni Buddha Akṣobhya is quite large, larger than that of the emanations of any other Dhyāni Buddha. The blue colour of Akṣobhya is associated with the terrible deities in the Sādhanamālā and with the gruesome rites in the Tantras, and the deities emanating from this Dhyāni Buddha are generally of blue colour and terrible in character both in deed and in appearance. With the exception of Jambhala, the God of Wealth, all the male emanations of Akṣobhya have a terrible appearance with distorted face, bare fangs, three blood-shot eyes, protruding tongue, garland of severed heads and skulls, tiger-skin and ornaments of snake.

c15.2

Amongst the deities emanating from the Dhyāni Buddha Akṣobhya Heruka stands pre-eminent. Heruka and his yab-yum form Hevajra are the chief gods in this group and they have numerous forms, many with different names. For the sake of clarity and convenience these forms have been separated for treatment, especially when a characteristic name is supplied by the Sādhanas to such forms. The Four Guardians of Gates treated later under the Chapter: ‘Collective Deities’ are of fierce appearance and figure prominently amongst the offsprings of Akṣobhya. The deities coming under the Vajra Family of Akṣobhya are described below one by one.

1. Caṇḍaroṣaṇa

c15.t1.1

Colour—Yellow Arms—Two Symbols—Sword and Tarjanīpāśa

c15.t1.2

Caṇḍaroṣaṇa is also called Mahācaṇḍaroṣaṇa, Caṇḍamahāroṣaṇa and Acala. Four Sādhanas are devoted to his worship and he is always represented in yab-yum. Prabhākarakīrti is said to be the author of one of the Sādhanas the major portion of which is in verse. Another Dhyāna describing the god runs as follows :

c15.t1.3

“Śrī-Caṇḍamahāroṣaṇaṃ Bhagavantaṃ atasīpuṣpasaṅkāśaṃ Acalāparanāmānaṃ dvibhujaṃ kekarākṣaṃ daṃṣṭrāvikarālamahāghoravadanaṃ ratnamaulinaṃ daṃṣṭrānipīḍitādharam muṇḍamālāśiraskaṃ

c15.t1.4

āraktacakṣurdvayaṃ dakṣiṇe khaḍgadharaṃ tarjanīpāśahṛdayasthavāmakaraṃ sitasarpayajñopavītaṃ vyāghracarmanivasanaṃ nānāratnaviracitābharaṇaṃ bhūmilagnavācaraṇaṃ iṣadunatadakṣiṇacaraṇaṃ sūryyaprabhāmālinaṃ ātmānaṃ vicintya.. Akṣobhyamukuṭinaṃ dhyāyāt.” Sādhanamālā, p. 172.

c15.t1.5

“The worshipper should think himself as Śrī-Caṇḍamahāroṣaṇa, whose colour is like that of the Atasī flower and whose second name is Acala. He is one-faced, two-armed and is squint-eyed. His face appears terrible with bare fangs. He wears a jewelled head-dress, bites his lips and wears on his crown a garland of severed heads. His eyes are slightly red, and he carries the sword in his right hand and the noose round the raised index finger against the chest in the left. His sacred thread consists of a white snake; he is clad in tiger-skin and he wears jewels. His left leg touches the ground while the right is slightly raised. He is radiant as the sun and.. bears on his crown the effigy of Akṣobhya. Thus the god should be meditated upon”.

c15.t1.6

It should be noticed that the Dhyāna is silent about the Śakti in whose embrace the god should remain in yab-yum, but if the Buddhist priests are to be believed and if the testimony of the Nepalese Citrakāras has any value, it must be assumed that Caṇḍaroṣaṇa is always represented in yab-yum and should not be represented singly. Caṇḍaroṣaṇa is the most important figure in the celebrated Caṇḍamahāroṣaṇa Tantra dedicated to his worship. His worship is always performed in secret and the god is kept secluded from public gaze. Even if there be a bronze image it is practically inaccessible to any one except the initiated.

c15.t1.7

Fig. 124 illustrates a Nepalese drawing of the deity. As Acala and Acala-Vajrapāṇi he is popular in Tibet ¹.

c15.t1.8

¹ Getty: GNB, pp. 52 and 170.

2. Heruka

c15.t2.1

| Colour—Blue | Arms—Two |
| Symbols—Vajra and Kapāla | Variety—Single |

c15.t2.2

Heruka is one of the most popular deities of the Buddhist pantheon and a regular Tantra, the Heruka Tantra, is devoted to his worship. Heruka is worshipped singly as well as in yab-yum. When he is in yab-yum he is generally known as Hevajra and in this form he is popular in Tibet. Many of his forms are described in the Sādhanamālā in its numerous Sādhanas, and the additional ones are derived from the Niṣpannayogāvalī of Abhayākara Gupta.

c15.t2.3

In the Sādhanamālā the worship of Heruka is said to confer Buddhahood on his worshippers, and he is said to destroy all the Māras (mischievous beings) of the world. A Dhyāna in verse in the Sādhanamālā describes his form in the following words :

c15.t2.4

Śavasthaṁ ardhaparyaṅkaṁ naracarmasuvāsasaṁ I
Bhasmoddhūlitagātrañca sphuradvajrañca dakṣiṇaṁ II
Calatpatākākhaṭvāṅgaṁ vāme raktakaroṭakaṁ I
Śatārdhamuṇḍamālābhiḥ kṛtahāramanoramam II
Iṣaddaṁṣṭrākārālāsyāṁ raktanetraṁ vilāsinaṁ I
Piṅgordhvhakeśaṁ Akṣobhyamukuṭaṁ karṇakuṇḍalam II
Asthyābharaṇaśobhaṁ tu śiraḥ-pañcakapālakaṁ I
Buddhatvadāyinaṁ dhyāyāt jaganmāranivāraṇam II

c15.t2.5

Sādhanamālā, p. 473.

c15.t2.6

"The worshipper should conceive himself as the god (Heruka) who stands on a corpse in the Ardhaparyaṅka attitude. He is well clad in human skin and his body is besmeared with ashes. He wields the Vajra in the right hand and from his left shoulder hangs the Khaṭvāṅga with a flowing banner, like a sacred thread. He carries in his left hand the Kapāla full of blood. His necklace is beautified by a chain of half-a-hundred severed heads. His face is slightly distorted with bare fangs and blood-shot eyes. His brown hair rises upwards and forms into a crown which bears the effigy of Akṣobhya. He wears a Kuṇḍala and is decked in ornaments of bones. His head is beautified by five skulls. He bestows Buddhahood and protects the world from the Māras (wicked beings)".

c15.t2.7

In another Sādhana for the worship of this particular kind of Heruka the Khaṭvāṅga is described as being marked with a Vajra of five thongs and decorated with a banner with jingling bells, human heads and double lotus, the lower part of the Khaṭvāṅga resembling the Vajra with one thong. The Sādhana does not mention the number of heads in the necklace, but says simply that they are strung with guts. His left leg rests on the double lotus (and not on the corpse) while the right is placed on the left thigh in a dancing attitude.

c15.t2.8

The image ( Fig. 125 ) discovered by Mr. N. K. Bhattasali and deposited in the Dacca Museum, agrees in all details with the description given above. Though the hands are broken it can yet be discerned that the right wielded the Vajra and the left carried the Kapāla against the chest. The attitude in which he stands is called the dancing attitude in Ardhaparyaṅka. His head-dress in decorated with five skulls and the effigy of Akṣobhya. The Khaṭvāṅga has an overflowing banner attached to it, and at the end of the banner small bells can be seen.

3. Hevajra

c15.t3.1

In the Hevajra Maṇḍala of the Niṣpannayogāvalī, Heruka is the principal deity, thus showing that their is only a very thin line of demarcation between the two, Heruka and Hevajra. When Heruka is accompanied with his Prajñā, he begets the name of Hevajra. In the Maṇḍala no less than four distinct forms of Hevajra are described. In all these Hevajra is accompanied with his Śakti whose name differs according to the numbers of his hands.

(i) Two-Armed

c15.t4.1

Colour—Blue Face—One Arms—Two Prajñā—Nairātmā

c15.t4.2

When two-armed, Heruka gets the name of Trailokyākṣepa and his form is described in the following words :

c15.t4.3

“Trailokyākṣepaḥ kṛṣṇo Ardhaparyaṅkī ..ekamukho dvibhujo vajrāṅkitaraktapūrṇakapālabhṛd-vāmakarākroḍita...Nairātmā.. Vajroḍḍaṇḍasavyabhujaḥ.” NSP, p. 14

c15.t4.4

“Trailokyākṣepa (Heruka) is blue in colour and dances in the Ardhaparyaṅka attitude...He is one-faced and two-armed. With the left hand carrying the skull cup, full of blood and marked with a Vajra, he embraces his Prajñā Nairātmā...The right holding the Vajra is raised”.

c15.t4.5

The same form is again described in the Sādhanamālā which gives the additional information that the Śakti carries the Kartṛ in the right hand and the Kapāla in the left ¹.

c15.t4.6

¹ Sādhanamālā, p. 462.

(ii) Four-Armed

c15.t5.1

Colour—Blue Face—One Arms—Four Prajñā—Vajravārāhī

c15.t5.2

When four-armed, Hevajra shows all the characteristics of the two-armed variety with the difference that here the Prajñā is known by the name of Vajravārāhī. His description in the Niṣpannayogāvalī is short and is worded thus :

c15.t5.3

“Athavā caturbhujo dvibhujavat. Aparabhujābhyāṃ savābha-Vajravārāhīsamāliṅgita ityeva viśeṣaḥ”. NSP, p. 14

c15.t5.4

“Or, he may be four-armed and appear similar to the two-armed form. In the two other hands he embraces his Śakti Vajravārāhī of his own creation. This is the only difference”.

c15.t5.5

In the Sādhanamālā, one Sādhana is also devoted to the worship of this particular form of Hevajra. Here also Hevajra is four-armed and is embraced by his Śakti who is identical with him in all respects. Hevajra carries in his four hands the blue Vajra, the sword, the Khaṭvāṅga and the jewel. The Khaṭvāṅga does not however hang from his shoulder but is carried in one of his hands.

(iii) Six-Armed

c15.t6.1

Colour—Blue Face—Three Arms—Six Prajñā—Vajraśṛṅkhalā

c15.t6.2

When Hevajra is six-armed and in yab-yum his main form remains the same, with the difference that here he is three-faced and six-armed, carrying additional symbols. He is described thus:

c15.t6.3

‘Athavā Ṣaḍbhujaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ kṛṣṇasitaraktatrimukhaḥ... Vāmair-vajraghaṇṭāṃ dhanuḥ kapālaṃ ca dadhānaḥ savyair-vajraṃ bāṇaṃ triśūlaṃ ca vajravajraghaṇṭānvitahastābhyāṃ svābha-Vajraśṛṅkhalāmāliṅgitaḥ.’

c15.t6.4

NSP. p. 14.

c15.t6.5

‘Or, he (Hevajra) may be six-armed and blue in colour. The principal, the right and left faces show blue, white and red colour. In the three left hands he holds the bell marked with a Vajra, the bow and the skull-cup. In the three right hands he carries the Vajra, the arrow and the trident. He embraces with the two hands carrying the Vajra and the Ghaṇṭā the Prajñā Vajraśṛṅkhalā of his own creation’.

(iv) Sixteen-Armed

c15.t7.1

Colour—Blue Faces—Eight Arms—Sixteen Prajñā—Nairātmā Legs—Four

c15.t7.2

The fourth type of Hevajra according to Hevajra Maṇḍala is sixteen-armed and is alike in appearance with the three other forms described before. The difference lies in his having eight faces and four legs; with his four legs he tramples upon four Hindu gods instead of standing upon a corpse as in the three others. His form is described rather elaborately in the Maṇḍala in question as under:

c15.t7.3

‘Caturtho Hevajraḥ ṣoḍaśabhujo Akṣobhyamudrito Nairātmāsamāpannaḥ. Kintvasya catvāro mārāḥ prāguktaśavasthāne. Tatra Skandhamāro rūpato Brahmā pitaḥ, Kleśamāro Viṣṇuḥ kṛṣṇo, Mṛtyumāro Maheśvaraḥ śubhro, Devaputramāro Śakraḥ gauraḥ. Tesu Bhagavān dvābhyāṃ Ardhaparyaṅkavān aparābhyāṃ Ālīḍhastha iti catuścaraṇaḥ kṛṣṇo......aṣṭāsyaḥ. Mukhantu mūlaṃ kṛṣṇaṃ hasat savyaṃ śuklam, vāmaṃ raktam, ūrdhvaṃ vikaṭadaṃṣṭraṃ śeṣāṇi kṛṣṇāni. Dakṣiṇa-bhujeṣu vajraṃ khaḍgaṃ bāṇaṃ cakraṃ caṣakaṃ triśūlaṃ-aṅkuśaṃ ca; vāmeṣu ghaṇṭām, padmam, dhanur-uḍyatakhaṭvāṅgam, kapālam, tarjanīpāśaṃ ca.” (NSP, pp. 14-15).

c15.t7.4

“Hevajra of the fourth class is sixteen-armed and bears on his crown the effigy of the Dhyāni Buddha Akṣobhya. He embraces his Śakti Nairātmā. Instead of the corpse under his legs as aforesaid, he has four Māras under his four legs. The first is Skandha Māra in the form of Brahmā of yellow colour, the second is Kleśa Māra in the form of Viṣṇu of blue colour, the third is Mṛtyu Māra in the form of Maheśvara of white colour, and the fourth is Devaputra Māra in the form of Śakra of white colour. On them the four-legged god stands with two legs arranged in Ardhaparyaṅka and two others in Ālīḍha. He is blue in colour and has eight faces. The principal face is blue, the right has a smile and is white, the left is red, the fourth is on the top of his head with distorted teeth. All other faces are blue in colour. In the right hands he carries 1. the Vajra, 2. the sword, 3. the arrow, 4. the discus, 5. the wine-glass, 6. the staff, 7. the Triśūla, and 8. the goad. In the left hands the holds 1. the bell, 2. the lotus, 3. the bow, 4. the raised Khaṭvāṅga, 5. the skull-cup, 6. the jewel, 7. the raised index finger and 8. the noose...”.

c15.t7.5

Hevajra is popular in Tibet¹ and China².

c15.t7.6

¹ Getty: GNB, 142, 143. A Tibetan image is illustrated in Gorden: ITL, p. 83.

c15.t7.7

² TLP, II, p. 236.

4. Buddhakapāla

c15.t8.1

Arms—Four Colour—Blue Śakti—Citrasenā Āsana—Dancing in Ardhaparyaṅka

c15.t8.2

Only one Sādhana gives the description of this god, who is, in all probability, another form of Heruka. The Sādhana says that when Heruka is embraced by Citrasenā he gets the name of Buddhakapāla. He has one face and four arms, and his hands hold the Khaṭvāṅga, the Kapāla, the Kartri and the Damaru; he is embraced by his Prajñā, Citrasenā, and remains in yab-yum. He is slightly different from the four-armed variety of Heruka as the following Dhyāna in the Sādhana will show:

c15.t8.3

“Mahāvīro ghorasaṃhārakārakaḥ nīlavarṇo mahāvapuḥ asthyābharaṇaṃ-ardhaparyaṅkanṛtyasthaṃ muṇḍamālāvibhūṣitaṃ mukuṭe Akṣobhyadhāriṇaṃ ekavaktraṃ caturbhujam, vāme Khaṭvāṅgakapālaṃ, dakṣiṇe kartrīḍamarukaṃ Prajñāliṅgitaṃ ; vāme Citrasenā mattā nagnā muktakeśī sarvabhayarahitā devī.”

c15.t8.4

Srīmato Buddhakapālasya Sādhanam’’ Sādhanamālā, pp. 501-502

c15.t8.5

“The worshipper should think himself as (Buddhakapāla) who is a great hero, the supreme destroyer, of blue complexion and gigantic stature. He has ornaments of bones, stands in Ardhaparyanka in a dancing attitude, is decked in garlands of heads, bears the effigy of Akṣobhya on the crown, is one-faced and four-armed. He carries the Khaṭvāṅga and the Kapāla in the left hands and the Kartri and the Damaru in the right, and is embraced in the left by the Prajñā, Citrasenā by name, who is intoxicated, nude, and fearless. Thus meditating..”

c15.t8.6

The same Sādhana later on gives the details of the Maṇḍala, and goes on to say that Buddhakapāla is surrounded by twenty-four goddesses arranged in three circles. The first circle has Sumālinī (blue) in the east, Kapālinī (yellow) in the north, Bhīmā (green) in the west and Durjayā (white) in the south. The next circle has Subhamekhalā (east), Rūpiṇī (north), Jayā (west) and Kauverī (south), Kāminī (north-east), Mahodadhi (north-west) Kāriṇī (south-west) and Māriṇī (south-east). The outermost circle has Bhīmadarśanā (east) Ajayā (north), Śubhā (west) Oṣtārakī (south), Surakṣiṇī (north-east), Vikālarātri (north-west), Mahāyaśā (south-west) and Sundari (south-east). Besides these, there are the four guardians of gates: Sundarā (east) Subhagā (north), Priyadarśanā (west) and Nairātmā (south). Excepting the four deities of the innermost circle, all the goddesses have blue colour two arms, one face, ornaments of bones, brown hair rising upwards but no garlands of heads. They carry the Kapāla in the left and the Kartri in the right, and dance in the Ardhaparyanka attitude.

c15.t8.7

Fig. 126 illustrates a Nepalese drawing of the principal god in the embrace of his Śakti Citrasenā but without attendants. Buddhakapāla is represented in the Chinese collection at Peiping ¹. He is also represented singly in a remarkable statuette in the Baroda Museum (Fig. 127).

c15.t8.8

¹ TLP, II. pp. 103, 237.

5. Sambara

(i) Two-Armed

c15.t10.1

Colour—Blue Asana—Ālīḍha Vāhana—Kālarātri Symbols—Vajra and Ghaṇṭā Prajñā—Vajravārāhī

c15.t10.2

One Sādhana only in the Sādhanamālā describes the procedure for the worship of Sambara who is only another form of Hevajra. He is two-armed and one-faced, and bears the effigy of Akṣobhya on his crown. He appears terrible with his garment of tiger-skin, the garland of heads, a string of skulls round the head, three eyes and the Ālīḍha attitude, in which he tramples, upon Kālarātri. The Dhyāna is in verse and describes the god in the following terms :

c15.t10.3

“Lalāṭasthakapālāni candrārdhaṁ mūrdhni dhārayet I
Ṣaṇmudrā-muṇḍamālī ca viśvavajrī trilocanaḥ II
Ālīḍhapadavinyāso viśvākṣaravivartinīm I
Sabhairavāṁ Kālarātrimārūḍho vyāghracarmabhṛt II
Akṣobhyaśekharaḥ kubjo vajraghaṇṭājaṭānvitaḥ I
Viro’sau Vajravārāhī vajrāsṛkpūrṇakapālabhṛt II
Khaṭvāṅgamekhalā raktā trinetrā muṇḍamālinī I
Pañcamudrā muktakeśī digvastrā Buddhaśekharā II
Dvibhuja-Sambaropadeśaḥ samāptaḥ ”

c15.t10.4

Sādhanamālā, p. 504

c15.t10.5

“The worshipper should think himself as Sambara with a string of skulls over his forehead and the crescent moon on the top. He wears the six auspicious ornaments and a necklace of heads. He shows the Viśvavajra [on his head-dress] and is three-eyed. He stands in the Ālīḍha attitude and originates from a combination of all the letters of the alphabet. He tramples upon Bhairava and Kālarātri and is clad in tiger-skin. He shows the effigy of Akṣobhya on his crown and is blue in colour. He carries the Vajra and the Ghaṇṭā; has matted hair, displays heroism and is embraced by his Śakti Vajravārāhī holding the Vajra and the Kapāla full of blood. Her girdle is the Khaṭvāṅga, her colour is red and she is three-eyed. She wears a garland of severed heads, is endowed with the five auspicious symbols, has dishevelled hair and no garment. She shows the image of Buddha (Vairocana) on her crown.”

c15.t10.6

Sambara has another form with four faces and twelve arms and in this form he is mentioned in the Niṣpannayogāvalī.

(ii) Twelve-Armed

c15.t11.1

Colour—Blue Faces Four

c15.t11.2

Arms—Twelve Śakti— Vajravārāhī

c15.t11.3

Sambara is the principal deity in the Sambara Maṇḍala of the Niṣpannayogāvalī. The Śakti of Sambara is Vajravārāhī. Sambara thus is only another form of the great god Heruka. Here he is four-faced and twelve-armed. The description is quoted below in brief :

c15.t11.4

“Bhagavān...Bhairavakālarātryāvālīḍhacaraṇābhyāṃ ākrāntaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ kṛṣṇaharitaraktapītapūrvottarādi-caturmukhaḥ...Dvādaśabhujaḥ savajra-vajraghaṇṭābhujayugmāliṅgita-Vajravārāhīko bhujābhyām...saraktaprasṛ-tagajacarmadharaḥ tadaparaḥ ḍamaru-paraśu-kartri-triśūlāni vibhrat, vāmair-vajrāṅkitakhaṭvāṅga-raktapūritakapālaṃ vajrapāśaṃ Brahmaśiraśca navanāṭyarasarāśiḥ.” NSP, P. 26

c15.t11.5

“God (Sambara) ..stands in the Ālīḍha posture on the prostrate forms of Bhairava and Kālarātri. He is blue in colour and his four faces on the east, south, west and north are blue, green, red and yellow in colour.. He is twelve-armed. With the two principal hands carrying the Vajra and Vajra-marked bell, he embraces his Sakti Vajravārāhī. With the second pair...he carries the elephant skin from which blood trickles down. In the remaining four right hands he holds the Damaru, the axe, the Kartri and the trident. The four left hands show the Vajra-marked Khaṭvāṅga, the skull cup full of blood, the Vajra-marked noose and the the severed head of Brahmā...He displays in full the nine dramatic sentiments”.

c15.t11.6

The parental Dhyāni Buddha of Sambara is Akṣobhya and that of Vajravārāhī is Vairocana according to a statement contained in the aforesaid Maṇḍala ¹.

c15.t11.7

¹ NSP, p. 28.

c15.t11.8

Sambara is popular in Tibet ² and China ³.

c15.t11.9

² Two images of Sambara are illustrated in A. K. Gordon : ITL, pp. 83, 84. See also Getty : GNB, pp. 145, 150

c15.t11.10

³ As Sambararāja Buddha he is mentioned in Clark : TLP, II, pp. 80 and 90.

6. Saptākṣara

c15.t12.1

| Faces—Three | Arms— Six |
| Āsana—Ālīḍha | Prajñā—Vajravārāhī |

c15.t12.2

This variety of Hevajra is called Saptākṣara or ‘seven-syllabled’ because his Mantra consists of seven syllables. Like Dvibhuja-Sambara mentioned above, he is also embraced by Vajravārāhī, who in all respects resembles her consort. Like Sambara this god also tramples upon Kalarātri and holds the Viśvavajra on the crown. He has also the crescent on his head, is endowed with the six suspicious symbols, and stands in the Ālīḍha attitude on the orb of the sun. He has three faces of blue, yellow and green colour and carries the Vajra, the Ghaṇṭā and the human skin in the three left hands and the Kapāla the Khaṭvāṅga and the Triśūla in the three right.

c15.t12.3

The Sādhana further adds that on each of the six spokes of the wheel of the sun on which the god stands there are six deities, namely, (commencing from the right) Herukī, Vajravārāhī, Ghoracaṇḍī, Vajrabhāskarī, Vajraraudrī and Vajraḍākinī. They have respectively blue, yellow, red, green, smoky and white colour. All of them have dishevelled hair, fierce appearance, three eyes and the quarters as garments. They carry the resounding Ḍamaru and the Ghaṇṭā in the first pair of hands, and the human skin in the other pair. They stand on the orb of the sun placed on a corpse. Their head-dresses are decorated with rows of skulls, and they stand in the Ālīḍha attitude.

c15.t12.4

In another Sādhana devoted to the worship of Saptākṣara, a slight variation is noticed. In it, it is said that the god carries, in the first pair of hands, engaged in embracing the Prajñā, the Vajra and the Ghaṇṭā; in the second pair, the human skin only, and in the third pair the Kapāla and the Triśūla. The Khaṭvāṅga hangs from his shoulder as usual. Vajravārāhī is identical with the Prajñā mentioned before, with this difference that she should have in her second pair of hands the bow and the arrow instead of the human skin.

7. Mahāmāyā

c15.t13.1

| Colour--Blue | Faces---Four |
| Arms--Four | Prajñā--Buddhaḍākinī |

c15.t13.2

“Mahāmāyāhvayaṁ devaṁ caturmukhaṁ caturbhujaṁ | Aṅke yasya tathā devī catasro dikṣu cāparāḥ” ||

c15.t13.3

“The god called Mahāmāyā is four-faced and four-armed. He has on his lap a goddess and four others in the four cardinal directions”.

c15.t13.4

Hevajra takes the name of Mahāmāyā when he is embraced by his Śakti Buddhaḍākinī and remains with her in yab-yum. This variety of Heruka, as the verse above indicates, has four faces and four arms and is accompanied by four goddesses in the four cardinal points. Two Sādhanas (Nos. 239, 240) in the Sādhanamālā are devoted to the worship of the deity, one of which is attributed to Kukkurīpāda celebrated as one of the eighty-four Mahāsiddhas who flourished in early times. Below is given a summary of the description of the Maṇḍala of Mahāmāyā.

c15.t13.5

Mahāmāyā is terrible in appearance. His body is besmeared with ashes and his hair streams upwards in the shape of a flame of fire. He is blue in colour and his head-dress is decorated with a row of skulls. His four faces are of blue, yellow, white and green colour, and he carries in his four hands the Kapāla, the arrow, the Khaṭvāṅga, and the bow. He is endowed with five auspicious symbols, has a torque round the neck and bracelets on his wrists. He is clad in human skin, has three eyes in each head, and flames of fire radiate from his body. He appears beautiful in his sentiment of mixed anger and delight, and stands in the Ardhaparyaṅka in a dancing attitude. He is embraced by Buddhaḍākinī, who is red, carries the same weapons and has the same appearance and symbols as those of Mahāmāyā. Her four faces are red, yellow, white and green.

c15.t13.6

The four petals in the four cardinal directions of the lotus seat are occupied by the following goddesses.

c15.t13.7

(1) Vajraḍākinī in the east, who is blue in colour with four faces of blue, yellow, white and green colour, and carries the Khaṭvāṅga and the Ghaṇṭā in the two left hands and the Kapāla in the two right.

c15.t13.8

(2) Ratnaḍākinī of yellow colour is in the south, with four faces of yellow, blue, red and green colour. She carries the flag and the jackal in her two left hands and the Triśūla and the jewel in her two right.

c15.t13.9

(3) Padmaḍākinī in the west is of reddish white colour, has four faces of red, yellow, blue and green colour, and carries the bow and the Kapāla in her two left hands and the arrow and the double lotus in the two right.

c15.t13.10

(4) Viśvaḍākinī in the north, of green colour, who has four faces of green, yellow, red and blue colour, and who carries the Pāśa and the Kapāla in her two left hands and the Khaṭvāṅga (or the sword) and the Ḍamaru in the two right.

c15.t13.11

These four deities exhibit wrath, have their heads decorated with a number of skulls, have garlands of heads still wet with blood, three eyes and portruding teeth. Their brown hair stream upwards in the shape of a flame, and flames of fire radiate from their persons.

c15.t13.12

In the Niṣpannayogāvalī, Mahāmāyā also finds mention and the description given therein is quoted below:

c15.t13.13

“Mahāmāyahva-Herukaḥ kṛṣṇo-’rkaprabho.. nīlapītaśvetaharitamūlasavyapaścimavāma-caturmukhaḥ...savyabhujābhyāṃ kapālaśarau vāmābhyāṃ khaṭvāṅgadhanuṣī dadhānaḥ...ardhaparyaṅkena tāṇḍavī.” NSP. p. 22.

c15.t13.14

“The form of Heruka called Mahāmāyā is blue in colour and resembles the dazzling sun....He is four-faced; the principal face is blue, the right yellow, the one behind is white and the left green....He holds in his two right hands the skull cup and the arrow, and in the two left the Khaṭvāṅga and the bow...He dances the Tāṇḍava dance in Ardhaparyaṅka”.

c15.t13.15

Mahāmāyā is known both in Tibet ¹ and in China ².

c15.t13.16

¹ A. K. Gordon : ITL, p. 83 ; Getty : GNB, p. 144.

c15.t13.17

² Clark : TLP, II, pp. 82, 237.

8. Hayagrīva

c15.t14.1

Colour—Red Faces—Three Arms—Eight Āsana—Lalita Appearance—Terrible.

c15.t14.2

One form of Hayagrīva, as an emanation of Amitābha, has already been discussed in the previous chapter, but there is another form of the god that emanates from the Dhyāni Buddha Akṣobhya. The Dhyāna describing him runs as follows :

c15.t14.3

"Ārya-Hayagrīvaṃ raktavarṇaṃ trimukhaṃ aṣṭabhujaṃ pratimukhaṃ trinetraṃ nīlasitadakṣiṇetaravadanaṃ sarpābharaṇaṃ lalitākṣepapadanyāsaṃ sakrodhadṛṣṭinirīkṣaṇaṃ, prathamamukhaṃ smeraṃ lalajjihvaṃ, dakṣiṇamukhaṃ daṃṣṭrāvaṣṭabdhauṣṭhaṃ, vyāghracarmanīvasanaṃ vajra-daṇḍa-karaṇamudrā-śarodyatadakṣiṇakaracatuṣṭayaṃ tarjanīkā-svakucagraha-padma-dhanurudyatavāmakaracatuṣṭayaṃ Akṣobhyamaulinaṃ dhyāyāt." Sādhanamālā, p. 508.

c15.t14.4

The worshipper should conceive himself as Ārya-Hayagrīva of red colour, with eight arms and three faces, each face with three eyes. His right and left faces are blue and white respectively and he has snakes for ornaments. His legs are arranged in the Lalita attitude and he looks wrathful. His first face has a smiling appearance, the right has a protruding tongue and he bites his lips in his left. He is clad in tiger-skin and shows in his four right hands the Vajra, the staff, the Karaṇa pose and the raised arrow. Of the four left hands, one has the raised index finger, the second touches the breast and the two remaining ones hold the lotus and the bow. He bears the effigy of Akṣobhya on his crown".

c15.t14.5

Fig. 128 illustrates a Nepalese drawing of the deity. It varies a little from the description given in the Sādhana. The hand that ought to be touching his own breast displays a different mudrā and the hand that ought to display the raised index finger only has a noose round it. Nevertheless, the sketch is important as it shows a miniature head of a horse on the head, to show that he is really Hayagrīva "Horse-neck". The rare Karaṇa pose shown in the picture is noteworthy.

c15.t14.6

Hayagrīva is popular both in Tibet³ and in China⁴. Fig. 129 illustrates a Chinese statuette of Hayagrīva.

c15.t14.7

³ A. K. Gordon : ITL, pp. 90, 93. See also Getty : GNB, p 163

c15.t14.8

⁴ Clark : TLP, II. pp. 59. 164, 172, 198.

9. Raktayamāri

c15.t15.1

Colour—Red Face—One Arms—Two Variety—Yab-Yum

c15.t15.2

Several Sādhanas in the Sādhanamālā describe the manner in which the deity should be worshipped. In one of the Sādhanas, it is said that the colour of the deity varies in accordance with the different functions he has to discharge. For instance, in the Śāntikavidhi (rite of pacification) the deity is white and faces the east ; in Pauṣṭika rite he is yellow and faces the north ; in Vaśyavidhi (rite of subduing) he is red and faces the west, and in Ākarṣaṇa (attraction) he is blue and faces the south, and so on. Of these varieties the red and blue are the most popular ; in other words, his worship is mostly performed with a view to enchanting men and women and to forcibly subduing them and bringing them to the worshipper. When Yamāntaka is red he is called Raktayamāri and when he is blue he is called Kṛṣṇayamāri. Yamāri or Yamāntaka may either be worshipped alone or in conjunction with his Prajñā. He should have the head of a buffalo on his shoulders and should ride a buffalo. Getty ¹ records a tradition current in Tibet which gives the origin of this fearful god.

c15.t15.3

¹ Getty : GNB, pp. 152-153.

c15.t15.4

There was once a holy man who lived in a cave in deep meditation for fifty years after which he was to enter Nirvāṇa. On the night of the forty-ninth year, eleventh month and twenty-ninth day two robbers entered the cave with a stolen bull and slaughtered it there. But when they discovered the presence of an ascetic, a witness to their crime, beheaded him and lo ! his body assumed the ferocious form of Yama, and taking up the bull's head he set it up on his headless shoulder. He then killed the two robbers and drank their blood from the cup made out of their skulls. In his fiery and insatiable thirst for victims he threatened to depopulate the whole of Tibet. The Tibetans appealed to their Tutelary deity, Mañjuśrī, who thereupon, assumed the fierce form of Yamāntaka and defeated Yama in a fearful struggle

c15.t15.5

Whatever might be the truth of the tradition, it sufficiently explains the presence of eulogies of Mañjuśrī, in the Sādhanas for Yamāntaka. It may be noted, however, that the Sādhanamālā is absolutely silent about Yama, both as a principal deity or as an opponent of Yamāntaka. Yama is the god of Death amongst the Hindus. The Buddhists created a killer of Yama in Yamāntaka and it must have been an achievement then. Under the title of Yamāntaka he is known in Tibet ¹. Under the title of Yamāntakavajra he is found in China ².

c15.t15.6

¹ Getty : GNB, p. 164.

c15.t15.7

² Clark : TLP, II, pp. 52, 73.

c15.t15.8

Six Sādhanas are devoted to the worship of this variety of Yamāntaka. He is one-faced and two-armed and is embraced by the Prajñā who is his own creation. The Dhyāna describing his form is as follows:

c15.t15.9

"Ātmānaṃ Yamāntakaṃ ekamukhaṃ dvibhujaṃ pratyālīḍhapadaṃ raktaparipūrṇakapālavāmakaraṃ sārdrapītamaṇḍāṅkitasita-daṇḍadakṣiṇakaraṃ nāgābharaṇavibhūṣaṇaṃ piṅgalordhvakeśaṃ vyāghracarmāmbaradharaṃ Akṣobhyamukuṭinaṃ svābha-Prajñāliṅgitaṃ mahiṣopari viśvadalakamalasūryasthaṃ dhyāyāt. Bhagavatīñca dvibhujaikamu-khīṃ, vicitrābharaṇāṃ ālīḍhapadasthitāṃ madavihvalāṃ skhalad-vyāghracarmāṃśukāṃ Bhagavatā saha sampuṭayogena pratyālīḍhenāvasthitāṃ evaṃ vicintya..."

c15.t15.10

Sādhanamālā p. 530.

c15.t15.11

"The worshipper should think himself as Yamāntaka, one-faced and two-armed, who stands in the Pratyālīḍha attitude, carries the Kapāla full of blood in the left hand and the white staff surmounted by a yellow head still wet with blood, in the right. He is decked in ornaments of snakes and his brown hair rises upwards. He wears garments of tiger-skin, bears the image of Akṣobhya on the crown, and is embraced by his Svābhā Prajñā. He stands on the orb of the sun over the double lotus on the back of a buffalo. He (the worshipper) should also meditate upon the Bhagavatī (Prajñā) who is one-faced, two-armed, and has variegated ornaments. She stands in the Pratyālīḍha attitude, is intoxicated with wine, wears garments of tiger-skin which slips down her waist and remains in yāb-yum with the god, both standing in the Pratyālīḍha attitude. Thus meditating...".

10. Kṛṣṇayamāri

c15.t16.1

Colour—Blue Varieties—Four

c15.t16.2

Eight Sādhanas in the Sādhanamālā describe his different forms. He may have one face and two arms, or three faces and four arms, or three or six faces and six arms. One six-armed variety is described also in the Niṣpannayogāvalī. Kṛṣnayamāri is represented singly as well as in yab-yum. His different forms are dealt with one by one in the following sections.

c15.t16.3

Colour—Blue Face—One Arms--Two Variety—Single Symbol—Staff

c15.t16.4

This two-armed form of Kṛṣṇayamāri is without any companion. The Dhyāna in the Sādhanamālā describes his form thus :

c15.t16.5

“Yamāriṃ vicintayet ātmānaṃ pratyālīḍhapadasthitaṃ ekamukhaṃ dvibhujaṃ nīlavarṇaṃ dakṣiṇakare vajrāṅkitodyata-nīladaṇḍaṃ vāmakare tarjanīpāśaṃ hṛdi, evambhūtaṃ Yamāriṃ. viśvadalakamalopari sūryasthamahiṣārūḍhaṃ bhāvayet.” Sādhanamālā, p. 547

c15.t16.6

“The worshipper should conceive himself as (Kṛṣṇa) Yamāri who stands in the Pratyālīḍha attitude, is one-faced, two-armed and of blue colour. He brandishes the staff marked with a Vajra with the right hand, and shows the raised index finger with the noose against the chest in the left. In this form Yamāri should be meditated upon as standing on the orb of the sun on a double lotus and as riding a buffalo.”

c15.t16.7

(ii) Four-Armed Appearance—Terrible Variety-- Yab-yum Faces--Three Arms---Four Companion—Prajñā.

c15.t16.8

The form of Yamāri with three faces and four arms looks terrible and awe-inspiring. He is represented in yab-yum, and the Dhyāna describes his form in verse as follows :

c15.t16.9

..Yamāriratibhīṣaṇaḥ I
Kaṭhoravarhikaṇṭhābhaḥ savyaśuklāruṇetaraḥ II
Krodhaparyaṅkayogena viśvābjaravisamsthitaḥ I
Svābhavidyādharāsvādarasāyanamahāsukhaḥ II
Kaḍārordhvajvalatkeśaḥ piṅgabrūśmaśrulocanaḥ I
Phaṇīndravṛndanepathyo mṛṇāladhavalavijaiḥ II
Mudgarāsidharaḥ savye vāme rājīvaratnadhṛk” II

c15.t16.10

Sādhanamālā, p. 544

c15.t16.11

“Yamāri is terribly fierce, is of deep (blue) colour like that of the throat of a peacock, and his right and left faces are of white and red colour (respectively). He stands on the orb of the sun on a double lotus in an angry mood. He enjoys the bliss of partaking the nectar from the lips of the Prajñā of his own creation. His hair stands on his head in the shape of a flame of fire, and his beard and the eyes are of brown colour. His ornaments are formed by the host of the lords of twice-born serpents who are white like stalks of lotuses. He carries in his right hands the Mudgara and the sword, and in his left the lotus and the jewel''.

c15.t16.12

Fig. 83 Mañjuvara (Birbhum)

c15.t16.13

Fig. 84 Mañjuvara (Indian Museum)

c15.t16.14

Fig. 85 Mañjuvara (Indian Museum)

c15.t16.15

Fig. 86 Mañjuvara (Nepal)

c15.t16.16

Fig. 87 Mañjuvajra (Baroda Museum)

c15.t16.17

Fig. 88 Mañjukumāra

c15.t16.18

Fig. 89 Arapacana (Dacca Museum)

c15.t16.19

Fig. 90 Arapacana (Java)

c15.t16.20

Fig. 91 Arapacana (Nepal)

c15.t16.21

Fig. 92 Arapacana (Baroda Museum)

c15.t16.22

Fig. 93 Sthiracakra (Vaṅgīya Sāhitya Pariṣat)

c15.t16.23

Fig. 94 Ṣaḍakṣarī Group (Sarnath)

c15.t16.24

Fig. 95 Ṣaḍakṣarī Group (Indian Museum)

c15.t16.25

Fig. 96 Ṣaḍakṣarī Group (Birbhum)

c15.t16.26

Fig. 97 Ṣaḍakṣarī Lokeśvara (Baroda Museum)

c15.t16.27

Fig. 98 Ṣaḍakṣarī Mahāvidyā (Sarnath)

c15.t16.28

Fig. 99 Siṃhanāda (Mahoba)

c15.t16.29

Fig. 100 Siṃhanāda (Nepal)

c15.t16.30

Fig. 101 Siṃhanāda (Magadha)

c15.t16.31

Fig. 102 Siṃhanāda (Nepal)

c15.t16.32

Asana—Ālīḍha Arms—Six Faces—Three or Six Variety—Single

c15.t16.33

The form of Yamāri with three faces and six arms, is fierce in appearance as the previous ones, and is single. He is three-faced, and all his faces show a protruding tongue, canine teeth, three eyes, and contorted brows. He has a big belly, is short and dwarfish in appearance and wears a garment of tiger-skin. He carries the Vajra, the sword and the Mūṣala in his three right hands and the goblin (Vetālī) the axe and the lasso in his three left. According to another statement in the Sādhana, he carries the sword, the Mudgara and the Vajra in the three right hands and the Ghaṇṭā, the Vajrapāśa and the Mūṣala in the three left. The same Sādhana further says that though he is represented generally as three-faced and six-armed, he may also have six faces and six legs, with the same weapons. The Dhyāna for the worship of this six-faced and six-legged variety of Yamāntaka runs as follows :

c15.t16.34

"Yamāntakaṃ kruddhaṃ ūrdhvakeśaṃ kṛṣṇaṃ ṣaṇmukhaṃ ṣaḍbhujaṃ ṣaṭcaraṇaṃ mahiṣārūḍhaṃ pratyālīḍhasthitaṃ naramuṇḍaruṇḍairvibhūṣitaṃ atibhayānakākāraṃ vyāghracarmanivasanaṃ dakṣiṇe khaḍga-mudgara-vajrāṇi, vāme ghaṇṭā-vajrapāśa-mūṣalān dhārayantaṃ mukuṭe Akṣobhyaṃ vibhāvayet''. Sādhanamālā, p. 546

c15.t16.35

"The worshipper should conceive himself as Yamāntaka, with an angry mood whose hair rises upwards and who is six-faced, six-armed and six-legged. He rides a buffalo, stands in the Pratyālīḍha attitude, is embellished with severed human heads, and has a very ferocious appearance. He is clad in garments of tiger-skin, carries in the three right hands the Khaḍga, the Mudgara and the Vajra, and in the three left the Ghaṇṭā, the Vajrapāśa and the Mūṣala. He bears the effigy of Akṣobhya on the crown."

c15.t16.36

Yamāri of blue colour is the principal deity in the Yamāri Maṇḍala of the Niṣpannayogāvalī. Here his form is three-faced and six-armed like the one previously described. The description may be briefly given thus :

c15.t16.37

"Kṛṣṇa-sita-rakta-mūla-savya-vāmavadanaḥ ṣaḍbhujaḥ kartrikapā-lāñcita-savyetarakarābhyāṃ svābhaprajñāsamāliṅgitaḥ savyābhyāṃ vajrāsī vāmābhyāṃ cakrābje vibhrāṇaḥ''. NSP, p. 36

c15.t16.38

“Yamāri’s three faces show the blue, white and red colour in the principal, the right and the left. He is six-armed. In the principal pair of hands carrying the Kartri and the Kapāla he embraces the Prajñā of his own creation. In the two remaining right hands he carries the Vajra and the sword, and in the two left he carries the discus and the lotus.”

c15.t16.39

As Yamāntakavajra he is known in China ¹ and two statuettes of his are illustrated in *Two Lamaistic Pantheons* of Clark.

c15.t16.40

¹ TLP, Vol. II, pp. 52, 73. For a Tibetan specimen see Gordon : ITL, p. 90

11. Jambhala

c15.t17.1

Faces—Three Arms—Six Variety—Yab-Yum

c15.t17.2

Jambhala has undoubtedly a greater antiquity behind him than that of the five Dhyāni Buddhas. Jambhala again is a Yakṣa and that indicates his non-Buddhist origin. This may be one of reasons why he could not be assigned to any one as parental Dhyāni Buddha. In other words Jambhala is similar to Mañjuśrī whose sire also could not be definitely determined. In the Sādhanamālā the parental Dhyāni Buddha of Jambhala is either Ratnasambhava or Akṣobhya. Images of Jambhala are to be met with in the Gandhara, Mathura, Sarnath, Magadha, Bengal and Nepal sculptures. For the purpose of this section, however, the form emanating from Akṣobhya is important. Here he is three-faced and six-armed and is represented in yab-yum. Though the Dhyāna does not mention the colour, it can be presumed that his colour is blue which is the colour of the Dhyāni Buddha Akṣobhya from whom he takes his origin. Jambhala as the god of wealth commanded great respect amongst the Buddhists, and received worship in various forms in all Buddhist countries. The Dhyāna in the Sādhanamālā describes his six-armed form as follows :

c15.t17.3

“Jambhalaṃ trimukhaṃ ṣaḍbhujaṃ Akṣobhyajaṭāmukuṭinaṃ dakṣiṇatribhujaiḥ mātuluṅgāṅkuśa-bāṇadharaṃ prathamavāmabhujaikena vāma-pārśvasthita-Prajñāliṅgitaṃ aparavāmabhujābhyāṃ sapāśanakulī-kārmukadharaṃ ātmānaṃ niṣpādya...” Sādhanamālā p. 564

c15.t17.4

“The worshipper should conceive himself as Jambhala, three-faced and six-armed, on whose matted hair there is an image of Akṣobhya. He carries in his three right hands the citron, the goad and the arrow. He embraces the Prajñā with the first left hand, carries the mongoose tied round with a lasso and the arrow respectively in the second and the third. Thus meditating...”.

c15.t17.5

Jambhala is known in Tibet ¹. Two statuettes of the six-armed Jambhala are to be found in the Chinese collection at Peiping ².

c15.t17.6

¹ Getty : GNB, p 159.

c15.t17.7

² Clark : TLP, II, p. 310 under the title of Ṣaḍbhuja Jambhala, and on p. 203 as Ṣaḍbhuja Jambhalavajra.

12. Ucchuṣma-Jambhala

c15.t18.1

Appearance—Terrible Vāhana—Kuvera vomitting jewels Āsana—Pratyālīḍha

c15.t18.2

Ucchuṣma also called Ḍimbha, being a variety of Jambhala, bears also the image of Akṣobhya on his crown. He may however, have the image of Ratnasambhava instead, and as an emanation of Ratnasambhava Jambhala will be described later. Several Sādhanas are devoted to his worship, and the Dhyāna describing him with the image of Akṣobhya on his crown runs as follows :

c15.t18.3

“Ātmānaṃ Bhagavantaṃ Ucchuṣmaṃ pañcavarṣakumārākṛtiṃ kharvaṃ viśvapadmasthaṃ candropari sarpābharaṇabhūṣitaṃ ratnamukuṭīṃ muñcad-ratnamukhapītāṅgasupta-Dhanadasya lalāṭaṃ dakṣiṇena caraṇena caraṇadvayaṃ vāmenākrāntamūrtiṃ pratyālīḍhapadaṃ ; nagnaṃ ūrdhvaliṅgaṃ lambodaraṃ ; hṛdi dakṣiṇapāṇistharaktapūrṇakapālābhimukhadṛṣṭiṃ ; vāmajaṅghāsaktavāmakareṇa ratnaccaṭodgāryyadhomukhanakulīṃ aviddhaḍhollakarṇadvayaṃ ardhendu [śekharaṃ] daṃṣṭrākārālavadanaṃ raktavarttulatrinetraṃ kṛtabhṛkuṭilalāṭaṃ piṅgordhvakeśaṃ Bhūsparśamudra-nīl-Akṣobhyamunimastakaṃ...”
Sādhanamālā, p. 577.

c15.t18.4

“The worshipper should meditate himself as the god Ucchuṣma, who appears a child of five years and is dwarfish. He stands on a double lotus on the moon, is decked in ornaments of snakes and has a jewelled headdress. He stands in the Pratyālīḍha attitude and presses with his right leg the forehead of the sleeping Dhanada of yellow colour with his mouth vomiting out jewels. His left leg rests on the two legs (of Dhanada). He is nude, and his membrum virile is pointed upwards. He has a protruding belly, and has his eyes fixed on the Kapāla full of blood which he carries in his right hand against the chest. He holds in his left hand the mongoose vomiting out jewels, on his left thigh. His ears are large and unpierced and he has a crescent on his crown. His face is distorted with bare fangs, and his three eyes are red and round. His brows are distorted, and his brown hair rises upwards. He bears on his crown the image of Akṣobhya of blue colour displaying the earth-touching attitude”.

c15.t18.5

The Sarnath image (Fig. 130) illustrates this form of Jambhala standing on Dhanada or the Hindu god of wealth. Streaks of jewels may be noticed as coming out of Kuvera's mouth. The peculiar feature of this sculpture is that here Dimbha is accompanied by his Śakti Vasudhārā.

13. Vighnāntaka

c15.t19.1

Āsana—Pratyālīḍha

c15.t19.2

Colour—Blue

c15.t19.3

Symbols—Tarjanīpāśa and Vajra

c15.t19.4

Vighnāntaka is closely associated with three other gods, Padmāntaka, Yamāntaka, and Prajñāntaka, who are generally represented as guardians of the gates in the Maṇḍala. Vighnāntaka is represented in various forms. The name is significant as the word "Vighna" or "obstacle" refers to the Hindu god Gaṇeśa. Only one short Sādhana in the Sādhanamālā describes his form in the following terms:

c15.t19.5

"Ātmānaṁ pratyālīḍhapasthitaṁ ekamukhaṁ dvibhujaṁ nīlava-rṇaṁ vāmakareṇa tarjanīkāpāśaṁ, dakṣiṇakareṇodyatavajraṁ bhayānakaṁ piṅgalordhvakeśam.

c15.t19.6

Vighnāntakasādhanam."

c15.t19.7

Sādhanamālā, pp. 558-559.

c15.t19.8

"The worshipper should conceive himself as (Vighnāntaka) who stands in the Pratyālīḍha attitude, is one-faced, two-armed, and blue in colour. He carries in his left hand the Tajanīpāśa, and wields the Vajra in the right. He is terrible in appearance and his brown hair rises upwards. His seat is on the orb of the sun placed on a lotus".

c15.t19.9

This Sādhana is silent about the prostrate figure of Gaṇeśa whom he tramples under his feet, thereby giving significance to his name as already indicated. It may be pointed out here that the god Gaṇeśa, whom the Hindus consider to be the remover of all obstacles, is regarded as the most dangerous obstacle by the Buddhists! As to the origin of this god there runs a Nepalese legend that at a certain time an Oḍiyāna Pandit was performing a Tāntric rite on the bank of the Baghmati river near Kathmandu in order to obtain Siddhi (perfection). Gaṇeśa, it is said, being strongly opposed to the idea, began throwing dangerous obstacles in the way of the due performance of the rite. The Oḍiyāna Pandit finding himself helpless, invoked the god Vighnāntaka, the destroyer of all obstacles, and lo! Vighnāntaka appeared in a fierce and terrible form, armed with destructive weapons and gave hot chase to Gaṇeśa, who was by this time, flying in terror, and in no time overcame the latter.

c15.t19.10

In the statuette illustrated in Fig. 131 it may be seen how Vighnāntaka is trampling heavily on Gaṇeśa and the latter, in order keep up the dignity of his godhead, exhibits the Abhaya pose even in his agony! The form in which Vighnāntaka is said to have appeared before the Oḍiyāna Vajrācāryya has six arms. He carries in his two principal hands the Kartṛ and the Kapāla against the chest; the rest carry the Damru and the goad in the right, and the Triśūla and the noose with the Tarjanī in the left.

c15.t19.11

The original image is in the Baroda Museum collection. Vighnāntaka is known also to the Chinese collection at Peiping¹.

c15.t19.12

¹ Clark : TLP, II, pp. 217, 311.

14. Vajrahūṅkāra

(1) Two-Armed

c15.t21.1

| Appearance—Terrible | Symbols—Vajra and Ghaṇṭā |
| Mudrā—Vajrahūṅkāra | Arms—Two |
| Āsana—Pratyālīḍha | Vāhana—Śiva |

c15.t21.2

Only one Sādhana in the Sādhanamālā describes the form of the god Vajrahūṅkāra, who is so-called because his two hands carrying the Vajra and the Ghaṇṭā exhibit the Vajrahūṅkāra mudrā. The Sādhana says that the god originates from the sacred syllable ‘Hūṃ’ which is irresistible like the Fire of Destruction, is blue in colour, and dazzlingly bright. The Sādhana adds further:

c15.t21.3

“Tadutpannaṃ mahāraudraṃ Vajrahūṅkāra-saṃjñakam I
Aṭṭahāsaṃ mahāraudraṃ kṣepayantaṃ tridhātukam II
Ghaṇṭāvajraprayogena mudrābaddhakaradvayaṃ I
Pratyālīḍhapadenaiva Bhairavākrāntabhīkaram” II
Sādhanamālā, p. 506

c15.t21.4

“The worshipper should conceive himself as the god Vajrahūṅkāra, who originates from that syllable (Hūṃ) and is terribly fierce in appearance. He laughs horribly, is wrathful, and disturbs the three worlds. His two hands carrying the Ghaṇṭā and the Vajra are locked in the Vajrahūṅkāra mudrā. He tramples upon Bhairava, in the Pratyālīḍha attitude, and inspires awe.”

c15.t21.5

It may be pointed out that though Vajradhara also displays the Vajrahūṅkāra mudrā and carries the Ghaṇṭā and the Vajra in exactly the same way as Vajrahūṅkāra does, there are many differences between their forms. Vajradhara sits in the Vajraparyaṅka attitude on a lotus and has a peaceful and graceful appearance, while Vajrahūṅkāra stands in the Pratyālīḍha attitude, tramples upon Bhairava, a form of the Hindu god Śiva, and has a terrible appearance. No connection can, therefore, be established between the two.

c15.t21.6

Vajrahūṅkāra images are known to the Chinese collection at Peiping ¹ although they are not generally found in India.

c15.t21.7

¹ Clark : TLP, II, pp. 238, 314

c15.t21.8

(ii) Six-armed Colour—Blue Faces—Three Arms—Six

c15.t21.9

Vajrahūṅkāra is the principal deity in the Vajrahūṅkāra Maṇḍala of the Niṣpannayogāvalī, and is identified with Trailokyavijaya. He is three-faced and six-armed. With his two principal hands arranged in the Trailokyavijaya ² mudrā and holding the Vajra and Ghaṇṭā he embraces the Prajñā of his own creation. With the two remaining right hands he holds the goad and the noose, and with the two left he shows the skull-cup and the Khaṭvāṅga ³

c15.t21.10

² Probably the same as the Vajrahūṅkāra mudrā. For a description of this mudrā see Gordon : ITL, p. 22

c15.t21.11

³ NSP, p. 24

c15.t21.12

As Vajrahūṅkāra and Trailokyavijaya he is known in China ⁴

c15.t21.13

⁴ Clark : TLP, II, pp. 238, 314

15. Bhūtadāmara

c15.t22.1

Colour—Black as collyrium Appearance—Terrible Arms—Four Mudrā—Bhūtadāmara.

c15.t22.2

Three Sādhanas in the Sādhanamālā describe the form of Bhūtadāmara, who is terrible and awe-inspiring, with ornaments of snakes, canine teeth, and garlands of skulls. The Dhyāna runs as follows :

c15.t22.3

Ātmānaṃ paśyet raudraṃ jvālāmālākulaprabhaṃ |
Caturbhujaṃ mahākrodhaṃ bhinnāñjanasamaprabhaṃ ||
Dakṣiṇe vajramullālya tarjayan vāmapāṇinā |
Daṃṣṭrākāralavadanaṃ nāgāṣṭakavibhūṣitaṃ ||
Kapālamālāmukuṭaṃ trailokyaṃ api nāśanaṃ |
Aṭṭahāsaṃ mahānādaṃ trailokyādhiṣṭhitaṃ prabhuṃ ||
Pratyālīḍhasusaṃsthānaṃ ādityakoṭitejasaṃ |
Aparājitapadākrāntaṃ mudrābandhena tiṣṭhati ||
Bhūtadāmara-sādhanaṃ.” Sādhanamālā, p. 521

c15.t22.4

“The worshipper should conceive himself as (Bhūtadāmara) who is wrathful in appearance and whose person radiates fiery flames. He is four-armed, terribly angry, and is bright like a broken lump of collyrium. He weilds the Vajra in the right hand and shows the Tarjanī in a threatening attitude in the left. His face appears terrible with bare fangs and he is decked in ornaments of eight serpents. He has the garland of skulls on the crown and is capable of destroying the three worlds. He stands firmly in the Pratyālīḍha attitude and is resplendent like myriads of suns. He tramples under his feet, the god Aparājita, and exhibits his special mudrā.”

c15.t22.5

From the Dhyāna above quoted it will appear that the two principal hands of the god exhibit the Bhūtaḍāmara or the Dāmara mudrā ¹ while the other two carry the menacing Vajra in the right and the Tarjanī in the left. The description of this mudrā appears in the same Sādhana.

c15.t22.6

¹ For a description of this mudrā see Gordon: ITL, p. 20 and for a picture, ibid, p. 62.

c15.t22.7

Bhūtaḍāmara is the principal deity in the Bhūtaḍāmara Maṇḍala of the Niṣpannayogāvalī. Here he tramples upon the prostrate form of Aparājita, and is violent in appearance. He is four-armed. He wields the Vajra in the right hand raised in a menacing attitude. In the left he shows the Tarjanī and the noose. With the two principal hands, he shows the Dāmara mudrā ².

c15.t22.8

² For further information on the subject, see Bhattacharyya, B: The Cult of Bhūtaḍāmara in the Proceedings of Patna Oriental Conference.

c15.t22.9

According to statement in the Niṣpannayogāvalī the spiritual father of Bhūtaḍāmara is Akṣobhya (Atra cakreśasya kuleśo’kṣobhyaḥ, NSP, p. 74).

c15.t22.10

He is known in China under the name of Bhūtaḍāmara Vajrapāṇi ³.

c15.t22.11

³ Clark: TLP, II, pp. 242, 152

16. Vajrajvālānalārka

c15.t23.1

Colour—Blue Faces—Four Arms—Eight Āsana—Ālīḍha Vāhana—Viṣṇu and his wife.

c15.t23.2

Only one Sādhana in the Sādhanamālā describes his form. He is four-faced, eight-armed, stands in the Ālīḍha attitude, and tramples upon Viṣṇu, who is accompanied by his wife. He is blue in colour and has a terrible appearance. The Dhyāna describes him in the following terms:

c15.t23.3

“Vajrajvālānalārkaṃ nīlavarṇaṃ jvālāmālākulaprabhaṃ caturmukhaṃ aṣṭabhujaṃ śṛṅgāra-vīra-bībhatsa-karuṇānvitacaturmukhaṃ, caturbhir-dakṣiṇakarair-vajra-khaḍga-cakra-bāṇadharaṃ caturvāmakarair-ghaṇṭā-cāpa-pāśa-khaṭvāṅgāsaktavitrapatākādharaṃ jvaladanalakapila-śikhālāpaṃ atibhīṣaṇamahāhivalaya-kaṅkaṇa-kaṭisūtra-nūpura-kaṇṭhi-

c15.t23.4

kā-kuṇḍala-mukuṭābharaṇaṃ mahāmāyācakraracanacaturaṃ sapatnīkaṃ Viṣṇum-ālīḍhapadena ākramya avasthitaṃ bhāvayet.”

c15.t23.5

“The worshipper should conceive himself as Vajrajvālānalārka of blue colour, whose person radiates fiery flames. He is four-faced and eight-armed, and his four-faces display the sentiments of love, heroism, disgust and compassion. He carries in his four right hands the Vajra, the sword, the Cakra and the arrow, and in the four left the Ghaṇṭā, the bow, the noose and the Khaṭvāṅga surmounted by a banner of variegated colours. His brown hair resembles a burning flame and he is decked in ornaments of bracelet, armlet, girdle, nūpura, torque, ear-ring and crown consisting of the (eight) great lords of the frightful serpents. He stands in the Ālīḍha attitude and tramples upon Viṣṇu with his consort who are clever in enveloping everything with their great Māyā (deception).

17. Trailokyavijaya

c15.t24.1

| Colour—Blue | Faces—Four |
| Arms—Eight | Āsana—Pratyālīḍha |
| Vāhana—Gaurī and Śiva | |

First 200 of 259 passages. Read on

Linked texts (3)