The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sadhanamala and Other Cognate Tantric Texts of Rituals c17.s2.t3.3

c17.s2.t3.3

Mārīcīpicuvā is also called Aṣṭabhujapīta-Mārīcī or Saṃkṣipta-Mārīcī. These two names denote two distinct varieties of Mārīcī, although both are endowed with three faces and eight arms and carry similar weapons in their hands. One Sādhana only is devoted to Mārīcīpicuvā, and it does not mention whether she should be accompanied by the four goddesses as usual. She holds the needle and the string in the first pair of hands, the Aṅkuśa and the noose in another pair, the bow and the arrow in the third pair, and the Vajra and the Aśoka flower in the fourth pair. She has three faces, each displaying a mixture of three different sentiments (Rasa). The Dhyāna in verse runs as follows :