The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sadhanamala and Other Cognate Tantric Texts of Rituals c17.s3: 3. Uṣṇīṣavijayā
The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sādhanamālā and Other Cognate Tāntric Texts of Rituals c17.s3
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3. Uṣṇīṣavijayā
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Colour—White Faces—Three Arms—Eight Identification mark—Buddha on lotus
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Like Mārīcī, Uṣṇīṣavijayā is also said to bear the image of Vairocana on her crown and to reside within the womb of a Caitya. She is one of the most popular deities of the pantheon, and almost every temple in Nepal contains her image. The most artistic specimen, however, belongs to the Indian Museum, Calcutta. A miniature Caitya on the top of the image of Uṣṇīṣavijayā signifies that she is an offspring of Vairocana who resides in the centre of the Caitya. It is not improbable that Uṣṇīṣavijayā is the deified form of the Dhāriṇī of the same name included in the group of twelve Dhāriṇī goddesses. She may thus represent the deified form of the Uṣṇīṣavijayā Dhāriṇī. Several Sādhanas describe her form and the Dhyāna contained in one of these is given below :
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“Śuklāṃ trimukhāṃ trinetrāṃ navayauvanāṃ nānālaṅkāradharāṃ aṣṭabhujāṃ Bhagavatīṃ cintayet ; pītakṛṣṇadakṣiṇetaravadanāṃ ; dakṣiṇacaturbhujaiḥ viśvavajra-padmastha-Buddha-bāṇa-varadamudrādharāṃ, vāmacaturbhujaiḥ cāpa-tarjanīpāśa-abhayahasta-pūrṇakumbhāḥ ; caityaguhāgarbhasthitāṃ, Vairocanamukuṭinīṃ niṣpādya...”
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Uṣṇīṣavijayā-Sādhanam.” Sādhanamālā, p. 394
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“The worshipper should conceive himself as (Uṣṇīṣavijayā) who is white in complexion, three-faced, three-eyed, youthful and is decked in many ornaments. Her right and left faces are respectively of yellow and blue colour. Her four right hands display the Viśvavajra, Buddha on lotus, the arrow and the Varada pose, and her four left hands show the bow, the noose with the Tarjanī, the Abhaya pose and the well-filled water-vessel. She resides in the womb of the Caitya, and bears the image of Vairocana on the crown. Thus meditating...”
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The statuette (Fig. 156) of Uṣṇīṣavijayā in the Indian Museum, Calcutta, agrees almost in all details with the description given in the Sādhana. The attitude in which she sits here is the Vajraparyaṅka attitude.
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The other illustration (Fig. 157) is the reproduction of a painting contained in an illuminated manuscript of Pañcarakṣā in the possession of Dr. W. Y. Evans-Wentz. In it, the right hand which ought to have carried the Viśvavajra or the crossed thunderbolt, carries the jewel instead. In all other respects the painting follows the description of the Sādhana most accurately.
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Images of this deity are also found in Tibet ¹ and China ².
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¹ Getty : GNB, p. 135,
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² Clark : TLP, II, p. 286
Cites (1)
- Sādhanamālā — Sanskrit