The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sadhanamala and Other Cognate Tantric Texts of Rituals c18.s3: 3. Mahāśrī Tārā

The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sādhanamālā and Other Cognate Tāntric Texts of Rituals c18.s3

Language: English

3. Mahāśrī Tārā

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Colour—Green Arms—Two Mudrā—Vyākhyāna Companion—Four

Another deity emanating from the Dhyāni Buddha Amoghasiddhi of green colour is Mahāśrī Tārā “Saviouress of Great Beauty”. A single Sādhana in the Sādhanamālā describes her form along with her four companion deities, such as Ekajaṭā, Aśokakāntā Māricī, Ārya-Jāṅgulī and Mahāmāyūrī. The Sādhana describes her form as follows:

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Mahāśrītārāṃ candrāsanasthāṃ śyāmavarṇāṃ dvibhujāṃ hastadvayena vyākhyānamudrādharāṃ ekavaktrāṃ sarvālaṅkārabhūṣitāṃ pārśvadvayenotpalasobhāṃ suvarṇasiṃhāsanopari apāśrayādīsobhāṃ nānāpuṣpāśokacampakanāgeśvarapārijātakādibhīrājitāṃ-Amoghasiddhimukuṭiṇīm.

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Sadhanamala, p. 244-245

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“Mahāśrī Tārā sits on the seat of the moon, and is green in colour; she is endowed with two hands which exhibits the Vyākhyāna mudrā. She is one-faced and is adorned with ornaments. Two lotuses beautify her sides. She sits on a golden throne furnished with beautiful cushions. She is decked in a variety of flowers like the Aśoka, Campaka, Nāgeśvara and Pārijātaka. She bears on her crown a small figure of Amoghasiddhi.”

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Later, the Sādhana gives a description of the four companion deities. Here Ekajaṭā who is stationed apparently to the left of the central deity, is of the following description :

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“Ekajaṭāṁ ardhaparyaṅkopaviṣṭāṁ nīlavarṇāṁ kartrikapāladharāṁ sakrodhāṁ lambodarāṁ piṅgalajaṭāvibhūṣitāṁ vyāghracarmāmbaradharām.” Sādhanamālā, p. 245

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“Ekajaṭā sits in the Ardhaparyaṅka, is blue in colour, holds the Kartri ( knife ) and the Kapāla (skull), and is angry-looking with a protruding belly. Her hair is of fiery red colour and matted, and she wears a garment made of tiger-skin.”

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In the corresponding right side appears Aśokakāntā who is described in the following words :

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Dakṣiṇe pārśve Aśokakāntāṁ pītavarṇāṁ ratnamukuṭinīṁ vajrāśokadharām.” Sādhanamālā, p. 245.

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“Towards the right is Aśokakāntā who is yellow in colour, wears a crown of jewels, and carries the Vajra and the Aśoka flower.”

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The goddess Ārya-Jāṅgulī also appears on the further left, behind the figure of Ekajaṭā, and is described here as follows :

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“Purnarvāme Ārya-Jāṅgulīṁ śyāmavarṇāṁ sarpavaradahastām.” Sādhanamālā, p. 245.

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“Further to the left there is Ārya-Jāṅgulī of green colour showing in her hands the snake and the Varda mudrā.”

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In the extreme right there is another goddess called Mahāmāyūrī. She is given the following form in the Sādhana :

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“Dakṣiṇe Mahāmāyūrīṁ mayūrapicchavaradahastām”. Sādhanamālā, p. 245.

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“In the right there is Mahāmāyūrī showing the peacock’s feathers and the Varada mudrā.”

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The mantra of the central deity Mahāśrī Tārā is given in the Sādhana as :

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“Oṁ Tāre Tuttāre Ture dhanam dade Svāhā”.

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The mantra evidently makes her a goddess of wealth, and as such the deity must have been worshipped by the Tāntric Buddhists. According to a further statement she sits in the Rājalīlā Āsana or the pose of princely ease.

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Only one statuette of the deity has been discovered so far. It is now in the Indian Museum, Calcutta ( Fig. 169 ). In conformity with the Sādhana the principal deity Mahāśrī Tārā is shown as one-faced and two-armed exhibiting the Vyākhyāna or the Dharmacakra mudrā. There are two night lotuses on either side. The principal deity sits in the Rājalīlā pose on a lion-throne and bears on her crown the miniature figure of Amoghasiddhi with the Abhaya mudrā.

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To her left is the fierce figure of Ekajaṭā, sitting in the Ardhaparyaṅka attitude and holding the Kartri and the Kapāla in the two hands. She has a protruding belly, garment of tiger-skin, and she bears a wrathful demeanour which is clear on the stone.

Cites (1)

Sādhanamālā — Sanskrit