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The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sadhanamala and Other Cognate Tantric Texts of Rituals c19: Chapter X

The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sādhanamālā and Other Cognate Tāntric Texts of Rituals c19

Language
English

Contents

Chapter X

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Ratnasambhava is comparatively unimportant in the pantheon of the Northern Buddhists, as is evident from the small number of deities that emanate from him. It has already been pointed out that Jambhala and Vasudhārā were known long before the Dhyāni Buddhas were ushered into existence and it appears, therefore, that Jambhala has been assigned to Ratnasambhava at a late period. Jambhala is connected with wealth and is said to distribute gems, jewels and riches to his devotees. Again Ratnasambhava means ‘Jewel-born’ and whom might Jambhala, the god of wealth, call his sire if not the Dhyāni Buddha born of jewels? If one or two forms of Jambhala emanate from Ratnasambhava, it may be reasonably expected that at least one or two forms of his consort, Vasudhārā, should also issue from the same source. Inspite of all this, the Buddhists were divided in their opinion as to the sire of Jambhala, the followers of the Akṣobhya cult holding him as originating from Akṣobhya.

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Mahāpratisarā, another of his emanations, belongs to the Pañcarakṣā group, and affiliates herself to Ratnasambhava in the same way as the other members of the group affiliate themselves to one or another of the five Dhyāni Buddhas. Ratnasambhava is distinguished from the other Dhyāni Buddhas by his yellow colour and the Varada mudrā he displays with his right hand. The male deities that emanate from Ratnasambhava are Jambhala and Ucchuṣma-Jambhala, the latter being regarded as a terrible form of Jambhala.

1. Jambhala

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Several of Jambhala’s forms are noticed in the Sādhanamālā, which states that the god may emanate either from Akṣobhya, or from Ratnasambhava. The form that emanates from Akṣobhya has already been described. The characteristic feature of Jambhala emanating from Ratnasambhava is that he carries the mongoose in his right hand and the citron in the left. The mongoose is supposed to be the receptacle of all gems and jewels, and when Jambhala presses the two sides of the mongoose it vomits the treasures within. It is this mongoose which makes it easy to identify Jambhala images. As an emanation of Ratnasambhava he may either be represented alone, or in the embrace of his Śakti in yab-yum. In the Sādhanamālā only three Dhyānas describe him as single.

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When represented in yab-yum, he sits on the moon under which there is a double lotus of eight petals. He wears all sorts of ornaments, his complexion is golden yellow and he has a protruding belly. He carries the citron and the mongoose in the right and left hands respectively, wears a garland of yellow lotus, and remains in yab-yum with Vasudhārā. The eight petals of the lotus seat are occupied by the eight Yakṣas, to wit, Māṇibhadra, Pūrṇabhadra, Dhanada, Vaiśravaṇa, Kelimālī, Civikuṇḍalī, Sukhendra and Carendra who are identical in all respects with the principal figure. Each Yakṣa is accompanied by a Śakti with whom he remains in yab-yum in the same way as Jambhala remains with Vasudhārā, and the names of these eight Yakṣiṇīs are: Citrakālī, Dattā, Sudattā, Āryā, Subhadrā, Guptā, Devī and Sarasvatī. The Yakṣiṇīs are identical in form with Vasudhārā, who is yellow in complexion, carries the ears of corn and shows the Varada mudrā in her two hands.

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When single, Jambhala is of golden complexion and carries the mongoose in the left hand and the citron in the right. The illustration (Fig. 176) shows a stone image from Nepal which was in the possession of the late Pandit Siddhiharsa. Here the god is represented as sitting in the Lalita attitude. Two other specimens (Figs. 177 and 178) from Vikrampur¹, in Eastern Bengal, depict the god in the same attitude, and they are some of the finest products of the Bengal art of medieval times.

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¹ Bhattasali : IBBS, p. 34, Pl. XI.

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There is another form of Jambhala which is two-armed, carries the citron and the mongoose in his two hands and tramples upon two semidivine beings Śaṅkhamuṇḍa and Padmamuṇḍa by name, apparently in the Ālīḍha attitude².

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² Sādhana No. 287 in the Sādhanamālā, p. 564

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(a) JAMBHALA (Yab-Yum) Colour—White Faces—Three Arms—Six

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Jambhala in yab-yum has another form with three faces, six arms and white colour. According to the Sādhana his two faces to the right and left are red and blue respectively. Jambhala sits in the Vajraparyaṅka attitude, and embraces his Prajñā Vasudhārā of his own creation with the two principal hands. In the two remaining right hands he carries the red Vajra and the sword, and in the two remaining left hands he holds the emerald and the lotus. In all other respects he is identical with the forms described previously ¹.

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¹ Sādhana No. 297 in the Sādhanamālā, p. 581

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Images of Jambhala are found in Tibet ² and China ³. Fig. 179 illustrates a Nepalese drawing of the deity in yab-yum.

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² Getty : GNB, p. 159

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³ Clark : TLP, II, pp. 203, (six-armed), p. 310

2. Ucchuṣma Jambhala

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Āsana—Pratyālīḍha Appearance—Terrible Vāhana—Kuvera

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This Ucchuṣma Jambhala is identical in form with the one already discussed under the emanations of Akṣobhya. Here also Ucchuṣma stands in the Pratyālīḍha attitude with his left leg stretched forward on the forehead of Kuvera while the right tramples upon his two legs. He is terrible to behold, with protruding belly, bare fangs and the snakes for ornaments. He holds the Kapāla full of blood against his chest in the right hand and looks eagerly at it with three eyes. The left hand as usual holds the mongoose.

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Ucchuṣma Jambhala is rarely represented and his images are not known except the one at Sarnath already described under the emanations of Akṣobhya. This unique image shows all the characteristic features of the god as obtained from the Sādhanas. The figure shows his consort Vasudhārā in the left, but the effigy of neither Akṣobhya nor Ratnasambhava can be seen on his head. It is Amitābha who is there. Nevertheless, this is the only figure known to students of iconography, as representing Ucchuṣma Jambhala.

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Jambhala in his fierce form of Ucchuṣma or Dimbha is not known either in Tibet or in China.

II. Goddesses

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Several Buddhist goddesses emanate from the Dhyāni Buddha Ratnasambhava with the yellow colour and the Varada mudrā as his recognition symbol. He presides over the Ratnakula or the collection of deities with the jewel as their family symbol, and the yellow colour as their family colour. All deities which are not specifically mentioned as emanations of a particular Dhyāni Buddha can be assigned to the Dhyāni Buddha Ratnasambhava, provided that they have yellow colour. On this principle the undernoted deities are brought under Ratnasambhava, and described one after another.

3. Vajratārā

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Colour—Golden Yellow Faces—Four Arms—Eight

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According to a definite statement ¹ contained in the Vajratārā Maṇḍala of the Niṣpannayogāvalī, the Dhyāni Buddha Ratnasambhava is the spiritual sire of Vajratārā. She is four-faced and eight-armed and her description is as under :

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¹ NSP : p. 38 Vajratārāyāḥ kuleśo Ratneśaḥ

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“Bhagavatī Vajratārā suvarṇavarṇā . hemābha-śubhra-nīla-lohitamū-la-savya-paścimottra-caturvaktrā aṣṭabhujā savyair-vajraṃ pāśaṃ śaraṃ śaṅkhaṃ ca vibhratī vāmaiḥ pītotpalaṃ cāpaṃ aṅkuśaṃ tarjanīṃ ca.”
NSP, p. 38

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“Goddess Vajratārā is of golden yellow colour.. She is four-faced. The principal face is golden in colour, the right is white, the one behind is blue and the left red. She has eight arms. In her four right hands she shows the Vajra, the noose, the arrow and the conch. In the four left she has the yellow night lotus, the bow, the goad, and the raised Tarjanī.”

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Vajratārā is a popular deity in Buddhism and her images are found almost everywhere in India. She is popular also in Nepal. In the Chinese collection of statuettes at Peiping an image of Vajratārā is found under the title of Aṣṭabhujā Vajratārā ².

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² Clark : TLP, II, p. 210

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Here, at least one very peculiar image of Vajratārā may be noted. It is in the Indian Museum, Calcutta. The Indian Museum bronze of Vajratārā is in the form of a lotus, and represents the complete Maṇḍala with all the attendant deities ³. It is so constructed that it can be opened and closed at will. The petals are eight in number, and each bears the image of an attendant deity. The Dhyāna describing her form in the Sādhanamālā and explaining this particular image is as under :

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³ See also Bhattasali : IBBS, pp. 45f. pl. XV, XVI, XVII.

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Mātr̥maṇḍalamadhyasthāṃ Tārādevīṃ vibhāvayet I
Aṣṭabhujāṃ caturvaktrāṃ sarvālaṅkārabhūṣitāṃ II
Kanakavarṇanibhāṃ bhavyāṃ kumārīlakṣaṇojjvalāṃ I
Pañcabuddhamukuṭīṃ vajrasūryābhiṣekajāṃ II
Navayauvanalāvaṇyāṃ calatkanakakuṇḍalāṃ I
Viśvapadmasamāsīnāṃ raktaprabhāvibhūṣitāṃ II
Vajra-pāśa-tathā-śaṅkha-saccharodyatadakṣiṇāṃ I
Vajrāṅkuśotpaladhanustarjanī-vāmadhāriṇīṃ I
Vajraparyṅkayogena sādhayet bhuvanatrayam II
Sādhanamālā, p. 179

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"The worshipper should conceive himself as Vajratārā, who is in the midst of the circle of the Eight Mothers, is eight-armed, four-faced, and decked in all ornaments. Her complexion is like the colour of gold, and she is graceful and resplendent with the auspicious marks of a virgin; she bears the images of the five Dhyāni Buddhas on her crown, and is born of the water of consecration of the Vajra and the sun; she is effulgent in her blooming youth, has swaying earrings, sits on the double lotus, and radiates red-hued light; she carries in her right hands the Vajra, the noose, the conch and the swift arrow, and in the left the Vajrāṅkuśa, the Utpala, the bow and the Tarjanī. Thus conceiving her as sitting in the Vajraparyaṅka attitude (the worshipper) may conquer the three worlds."

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The Sādhana further describes the deities constituting the Maṇḍala. In the four cardinal points there should be four goddesses on the four petals of the lotus on which Vajratārā sits.

1. Puṣpatārā (East)

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"Pūrveṇa Puṣpatārāṃ tu sitavarṇāṃ manoramām | Oṃkārākṣaraniṣpannāṃ puṣpadāmakarākulāṃ | Dvibhujāṃ ekavaktrāñca sarvālaṅkārabhūṣitāṃ" ||

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"On the east is Puṣpatārā, who is white and winsome, is born of the syllable 'Om', carries the garland of flowers, is two-armed, one-faced and decked in all ornaments."

2. Dhūpatārā (South)

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"Dakṣiṇe Dhūpatārāṃ tu kṛṣṇavarṇāṃ surūpiṇīṃ | Dhūpaśākhākaravyagrāṃ sarvālaṅkārabhūṣitāṃ" ||

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"On the south is Dhūpatārā, who is of blue colour, attractive, carries the Dhūpa (incense) stick and is decked in all ornaments."

3. Dīpatārā (West)

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"Paścime Dīpatārāñca dīpayaṣṭikarākulī | Pītavarṇāṃ mahābhūṣāṃ calatkanakakuṇḍalām" ||

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"On the west is Dīpatārā, who carries the torch in her hands, is of yellow complexion, profusely ornamented and has ear-rings swaying."

4. Gandhatārā (North)

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"Uttare Gandhatārāṃ tu gandhaśaṅkhakarākulāṃ | Raktavarṇanibhāṃ devīṃ bhāvayet garbhamanḍale" ||

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"On the north is Gandhatārā, who carries in her hands the conch of scents, and has red complexion"

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All these (goddesses) should be situated in the inner circle.”

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The Sādhana further says that the following Guardians of the Gates should also be meditated upon as around the principal goddess, but apparently not in the same circle with the four described above.

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5. Vajrāṅkuśī (East)

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“Pūrvadvāre Vajrāṅkuśīṃ ekavaktrāṃ dvibhujāṃ vajrāṅkuśotpalahastāṃ vikṛtavadanāṃ kṛṣṇavarṇām”.

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“On the eastern gate there is Vajrāṅkuśī who is one-faced and two-armed. She carries in her two hands the goad marked with a Vajra and the night lotus. She has a distorted face and is blue in colour.”

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6. Vajrapāśī (South)

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“Dakṣiṇadvāre Vajrapāśīṃ pītavarṇāṃ vikṛtānanāṃ ekavaktrāṃ dvibhujāṃ vajrapāśāhastām”.

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“On the southern gate there is Vajrapāśī of yellow colour. She has one distorted face. She carries in her two hands the noose marked with a Vajra”.

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7. Vajrasphoṭī (West)

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“Paścimadvāre Vajrasphoṭīṃ raktavarṇāṃ ekavaktrāṃ dvibhujāṃ vikṛtavadanāṃ vajrasphoṭahastām”.

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“On the western gate there is Vajrasphoṭī of red colour. She has one distorted face. In her two hands she carries the chain marked with a Vajra”.

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8. Vajraghaṇṭā (North)

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“Uttaradvāre Vajraghaṇṭāṃ śvetavarṇāṃ ekavaktrāṃ dvibhujāṃ vikṛtavadanāṃ vajraghaṇṭāhastām”.

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“On the northern gate there is Vajraghaṇṭā of white colour. She has one distorted face. In her two hands she carries the bell marked with a Vajra”.

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9. Uṣṇīṣavijayā (Above)

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Goddess Uṣṇīṣavijayā occupies the upper regions.

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10. Sumbhā (Below)

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Goddess Sumbhā occupies the lower reigons.

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All these goddesses stand on the orb of the sun in the Ālīḍha attitude with the right leg stretched forward. They are radiant like the Sungod and are surrounded with a fiery halo. They are decked in ornaments of snakes.

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These goddesses originate from the ten different letters of the mantra of Vajratārā, which is "Oṁ Tāre Tuttāre Ture Svāhā", consisting of ten syllables. Each syllable brings forth a goddess, and these goddesses are said to be the embodiments of the ten Pāramitās of the Mahāyāna School.

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The following are some of the instances in which the mantra of Vajratārā might be applied with success. Let a knot be tied at the end of a cloth over which the mantra has been recited seven times, and its wearer can go even to the most inaccessible regions of the Vindhya mountains without being molested. Tigers, thieves, crocodiles, lions, snakes, elephants, buffaloes, bears, bulls and the like will flee or even be destroyed, at the mere recital of the name of the goddess. If one hundred and eight lotuses are offered into the fire with this mantra, it will be enough to subdue any woman born of man. The feather of a crow over which this mantra has been recited thirty-two times, if kept concealed within the house of an enemy, will destroy it mysteriously in the course of a week. There is no need to multiply instances. It is enough to say that Vajratārā is sure to bring success to her worshipper in anything he may undertake, and that is the reason why she is so popular among the Vajrayānists.

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Fig. 180 illustrates the Indian Museum image of Vajratārā enclosed within a lotus, surrounded by all the ten deities of the Vajratārā Maṇḍala. Fig. 181 is the Orissa image of Vajratārā illustrated in N.N. Vasu's Mayurbhanj Archaeological Survey. Fig. 182 is the image of Vajratārā discovered at the Sarasvatisthan close to the Svayambhu Temple in Nepal.

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Fig. 183 illustrates the Peiping statuette of Puṣpatārā, one of the attendants of Vajratārā.

4. Mahāpratisarā

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Varieties—1. Three-Faced, Ten-Armed
2. Four-Faced, Eight-Armed

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Mahāpratisarā¹ is the principal goddess in the Pañcarakṣā group, and her worship is widely prevalent amongst the Tāntric Buddhists. She is represented either singly or in a Maṇḍala in the company of four other Pañcarakṣā deities. She is generally yellow when worshipped independently, and white when worshipped in the Maṇḍala of the five goddesses. She may be represented with four faces and eight arms, or with three faces and ten arms, in accordance with the Sādhanas, but in actual representations she may have three faces and eight arms. The form with three faces and eight arms, is said to bear the image of Ratnasambhava on the crown, and the other yellow form may also be assigned to this Dhyāni Buddha. The Sādhana describes the former in the following terms:

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¹ See also Bhattasali : IBBS, p. 61 and Pl. XXIV

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“Mahāpratisarā pīta trimukhī pratimukhaṃ trinayanā daśabhujā kṛṣṇasitadakṣiṇetaravadanā dakṣiṇapañcabhujeṣu yathākramaṃ khaḍga-vajra-bāṇa-varada-hṛdayaśāyīhastasthacchatrāṇi tathā vāmapañcabhujeṣu cāpa-dhvaja-ratnacchaṭā-paraśu-śaṅkhāḥ Ratnasambhavamukuṭī kṛṣṇa-kañcukaraktottarīyā ca ardhaparyaṅka-lalitākṣepā divyābharaṇavastra-bhūṣitā ceti.” Sādhanamālā, p. 401-402.

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“Mahāpratisarā has yellow complexion, three faces, each with three eyes, and ten arms; her right and left faces are of blue and white colour respectively. She carries in her five right hands the sword the Vajra, the arrow, the Varada mudrā and the parasol held against her chest, and her five left hands similarly hold the bow, the banner, the jewel, the Paraśu and the conch. She bears the image of Ratnasambhava on the crown, has a blue jacket and a red scarf, sits on the Ardhaparyaṅka in the Lalita attitude, and wears celestial ornaments and garments”.

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The form with four faces and eight arms is described under the five Rakṣā deities. But there is another form which is worshipped independently, and which is almost identical with the preceeding one, except that here she is endowed with four faces and eight arms. The principal face is yellow, the right white, the left red, and the face behind blue. She carries in her four right hands the sword, the Cakra, the Triśūla and the arrow, and in the four left the Paraśu, the bow, the noose and the Vajra.

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Two photographs (Figs. 184, 185) represent this form of the goddess, and these tally with the Sādhana in all other respects except that they have only three faces instead of four.

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The goddess is popular in Tibet¹ and China².

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¹ Gordon: ITL, p. 76

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² Clark: TLP, II, pp. 289 (two-armed)

5. Vasudhārā

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| Colour—Yellow | Face—One |
| Arms—Two | Symbol—Ears of Corn |

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Vasudhārā is the consort of Jambhala and bears the image of either Akṣobhya or Ratnasambhava on her crown. Several Sādhanas in the Sādhanamālā describe her form which is invariably two-armed. As none of the Sādhanas mentions the Āsana, she may be represented in any attitude, standing or sitting. She is richly decked in ornaments and is invariably accompanied by her attendants. Her complexion is always yellow, and she carries in her left hand the ears of corn with the vessel that showers gems, while the right hand exhibits the Varada mudrā. The short Sādhana describing her is as follows :

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“Pīta-Vaṁ-kāraparinātāṁ dvibhujaikamukhīṁ pītāṁ navayauvanā-bharaṇavastravibhūṣitāṁ dhānyamañjarīnāratnavarṣamāṇaghaṭavāma-hastāṁ dakṣiṇena varadāṁ anekasakhījana-parivṛtāṁ viśvapadmacandrā-sanasthāṁ Ratnasambhavamukuṭinīṁ...niṣpādya”.

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Sādhanamālā, p. 422-3.

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“The worshipper should conceive himself as (Vasudhārā) who originates from the yellow germ syllable ‘Vaṁ’. She is two-armed, one-faced, of yellow complexion, is in the prime of youth and is decked in all sorts of ornaments and garments. She carries in her left hand the ears of corn on a vessel showering gems, while the right exhibits the Varada mudrā. She is surrounded by many lady friends, rests on the moon over the double lotus, and bears the image of Ratnasambhava on the crown...”.

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Images of Vasudhārā are not generally met with in sculpture. She accompanies Ucchuṣma in the unique Sarnath image already referred to. The other image from Sarnath is mutilated beyond recognition. In both cases, however, she is represented standing. Fig. 186 illustrates a Nepalese drawing of the goddess.

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Vasudhārā is sometimes represented as one-faced and six-armed, and as sitting in the Lalita attitude. In the three right hands she exhibits the Namaskāra mudrā, the Varada mudrā and the ears of corn. The first left hand has the book, the second the ears of corn, and the third on the lap carries the vessel containing jewels. Her hair rises upwards in the shape of a flame, she is beautifully decked in ornaments and her expression is truly peaceful. Fig. 187 represents this variety of the goddess and is a fine specimen of Newari art. Fig. 188 illustrates a beautiful bronze image of Vasudhārā in the Baroda museum.

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Images of Vasudhārā are found in Tibet ¹ but not in China.

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¹ Images of Vasudhārā are found in Tibet

6. Aparājitā

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Colour—Yellow

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Identification Mark—Trampling upon Gaṇeśa

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Mudrā—Capeṭadāna (Slapping)

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The name of Aparājitā occurs in the Dhyāna for Aṣṭabhuja Kurukullā already quoted and translated. There she is said to bear the image of Ratnasambhava on her crown, and to carry in her four hands the staff, the goad, the bell and the noose.

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Aparājitā is an interesting Buddhist goddess. She tramples upon Gaṇeśa, and one of her hands is raised in the attitude of dealing a slap, while her parasol, according to the Sādhana, is held by important Hindu gods. A very short Sādhana is devoted to her worship, and the Dhyāna contained in the Sādhana describes the form of Aparājitā thus:

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“Aparājitā pītā dvibhujaikamukhī nānāratnaśobhitā Gaṇapatisamākrāntā capeṭadānābhinayadakṣiṇakarā, gṛhītapāśatarjanīkahṛdayasthitavāmabhujā atibhayankarakarālaraudramukhī aśeṣamāranirdalanī Brahmādiduṣṭaraudradevatāparikarocchritacchatrā ceti.”

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Sādhanamālā, p. 403.

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“Aparājitā is yellow in complexion, two-armed, one-faced, is decked in various gems, and tramples upon Gaṇeśa. Her right hand is raised, displaying the act of dealing a slap, while the left carries the noose round the raised index finger against her chest. Her face is awful, terrible and ferocious. She is the destroyer of all wicked beings, and her parasol is raised over her head by the host of wicked and ferocious gods, Brahmā and others”.

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In the Sādhana one epithet of the goddess deserves special notice. It is Gaṇapatisamākrāntā “Who tramples upon Gaṇapati”. The word ‘ākrānta’ is derived from the original root ‘kram’ to ‘trample’. On the strength of this epithet of the goddess the Nālandā fragment (Fig. 189) showing only the lower half of the full image is identified with that of Aparājitā. In it, the figure to the right of the principal goddess appears to be Indra and the rod held by him seems to be the handle of the parasol required to be held over her head by the gods beginning with Brahmā. The upper part of the Nālandā image is unfortunately lost. Had it been complete, it would have been possible to find the Capeṭadāna mudrā in the right hand of the goddess and the noose with the raised index finger in the left, and a parasol over her head in continuation of the broken handle.

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This identification was confirmed when subsequently the Indian Museum image (Fig. 193) was discovered. This image is only slightly mutilated but is complete, and resembles the Nālandā fragment in the lower portion, while the whole image follows with precision, the directions given in the Sādhana quoted above. This new discovery leaves no room for doubt regarding the identification.

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Aparājitā is known in China ¹.

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¹ Clark : TLP, II, pp. 208, 290.

7. Vajrayoginī

(I) Headless Form

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Colour—Yellow Āsana—Ālīḍha Companions—Two Arms—Two Symbols—Kartri and severed head

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Vajrayoginī is another of the important and popular goddesses who does not seem to bear the image of any of the Dhyāni Buddhas on the crown. Four Sādhanas describe her forms, which are three in number and conform to two distinct types, very different form each other. In one case, she has no head on her shoulder, but carries it in her hand, and in another, she has her head intact. The former form is identical in appearance with the Hindu goddess Cchinnamastā belonging to the group of ten Mahāvidyās. It is therefore possible to conclude that this Buddhist goddess was borrowed and incorporated wholly into their pantheon by the Hindus. She is always accompanied by the two Yoginīs on either side of her, who are called Vajravairocanī and Vajravaṛṇanī. The Sādhana describing her headless form is as follows:

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“Bhaṭṭārikāṁ Vajrayoginīṁ...pītavarṇāṁ svayameva svakartṛ-kartita-svamastaka-vāmahastasthitāṁ dakṣiṇahastakartrisahitāṁ, ūrdhvavistṛtavāmabāhuṁ, adhonamitadakṣiṇabāhuṁ, vāsaḥśūnyāṁ, prasāritadakṣiṇapādāṁ saṅkucitavāmapādāṁ, bhāvayet. Kavandhānniḥsṛtyāsṛkdhārā svamukhe praviśati, apare ubhayoḥ pārśvayoginyor-mukhe praviśati iti bhāvayet.

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Vāmadakṣiṇapārśvayoḥ śyāmavarṇa-Vajravaṛṇanī-pītavarṇa-Vajravairocanyau vāmadakṣiṇahastakartrisahite, dakṣiṇavāmahastakarpparasahite, prasāritavāmapādaprasāritadakṣiṇapāde saṅkucitetarapāde muktakeśyau bhāvayet Ubhayoḥ pārśvayoḥ, ubhayor-yoginyor-madhye antarikṣe atibhayākulaṁ śmaśānaṁ bhāvayet.”

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Sādhanamālā, p. 452-453.

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“The worshipper should conceive himself as Bhaṭṭārikā Vajrayoginī ...of yellow colour, who carries in her left hand her own head severed by herself with her own Kartri held in her right hand. Her left hand is raised upwards while the right is placed below. She is nude, and her right leg is stretched while the left is bent down. He (the worshipper) should also meditate on the streams of blood issuing from the severed body as falling into the mouth of the severed head and into the mouths of the two Yoginīs on either side of her.

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He (the worshipper) should also, conceive the two Yoginīs to the left and right (of the principal goddess), the green Vajravaṛṇanī and the yellow Vajravairocanī, both of whom carry the Kartri in their left and right hands respectively, and the cup made of a skull in the right and left hands respectively. Their left and right legs respectively are stretched forward, while the other legs are bent, and they have dishevelled hair. On all sides, between the two Yoginīs and in the firmament there is the awful cremation ground”.

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(II) RED FORM Colour—Red Vāhana—Corpse Symbols—Vajra and Kapāla Āsana—Ālīḍha

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The Red form is no less terrible than the one described above. She is surrounded on all sides by the terrible burning grounds. She stands in the Ālīḍha attitude, on the orb of the sun, is in the prime of youth, and has red complexion. She rides the corpse, is nude, has three eyes, red and round, contorted brows, protruding belly and tongue, and is endowed with the six auspicious symbols. She carries the Kapāla in the left hand and the Vajra in the right, while the Khaṭvāṅga hangs from her left shoulder. This form of Vajrayoginī is similar in many respects to the forms of both Nairātmā and Vajravārāhī, so much so, indeed, that a confusion is likely to arise in the identification of their images. If an image shows the dancing attitude in Ardhaparyaṅka, it may be identified as Nairātmā or Vajravārāhī, but if it shows the Ālīḍha attitude, it may have to be identified as Vajrayoginī. The excrescence near the right ear and the corpse lying on its chest is peculiar only to Vajravārāhī; while the absence of the excrescence and the corpse lying on its back point to Nairātmā. The Ālīḍha attitude is peculiar only to Vajrayoginī.

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(III) YELLOW FORM Colour—Yellow Arms—Two Symbols—Kartri and Kapāla

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She may also have a Yellow form, when according to the Sādhana, she will carry the Kartri and the Kapāla, but in other respects will be identical with the one just described. Another Sādhana adds the information that the Kapāla should be filled with the blood of the Devas (gods) and the Asuras (demons) and that the hand carrying the Kartri may show the Tarjanī also.

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Vajrayoginī is one of the consorts of Heruka, who remains with her in yab-yum, and their union is the subject of the celebrated Heruka-Tantra. The temple of Vajrayoginī at Sāṅku (Fig. 191) in Nepal does not contain an image of any of these varieties of Vajrayoginī. It contains the image of Ugratārā, more popularly known as Mahācīna-Tārā, which is believed to have been carried over there by Bengali priests.

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from a place of the same name in the District of Dacca, about A. D. 1350, when the Muhammadans led their victorious armies over Eastern Bengal.

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Images of Vajrayoginī are found in Tibet ¹.

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¹ Gordon : TLP, p. 81.

8. Prasannatārā

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Colour—Yellow Faces—Eight Arms—Sixteen

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Prasannatārā is mentioned twice in the Sādhanamālā, once as a companion of Aṣṭabhujā Kurukullā and once again as a principal deity in the Sādhana. As a companion of Kurukullā she is red, but her independent form shows the yellow colour. Thus in the absence of more definite information, she has to be assigned to the family of the Dhyāni Buddha Ratnasambhava of yellow colour. The Sādhana devoted to her independent form gives the epithets of Amṛtamukhī and Amṛtalocanā and there is no doubt that except for the face on the top all her seven faces are represented as having charmingly sweet expression. But she is not benign and peaceful. She is fearful like Vidyujjvālākarālī, a form of Ekajaṭā. The Dhyāna describes her form in the following terms:

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“Hemavarṇāṁ mahāghorāṁ Tārādevīṁ maharddhikāṁ I
Trinetrāṁ aṣṭavadanāṁ bhujaṣoḍaśabhūṣitāṁ II
Ūrdhvapiṅgalakeśāṁ sārdraśatārdhamuṇḍamālāṅkṛtahārāṁ.
Pratyālīḍhapadopetāṁ jagattrāṇāṁ mahābalāṁ I
Vicitravastranepathyāṁ hasantīṁ navayauvanāṁ II

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Pradhānamukhaṁ pītaṁ dakṣiṇaṁ dvitīyaṁ nīlaṁ, tṛtīyaṁ śyāmaṁ caturthaṁ gaganaśyāmaṁ, vāme kundasannibhaṁ, dvitīyaṁ raktaṁ, tṛtīyaṁ gaganaśyāmaṁ ūrdhvāsyaṁ dhūmravarṇābhaṁ mahāghoraṁ vikaṭoṭkaṭaṁ ; dakṣiṇa-kareṣu khaḍga-utpala-śara-vajra-aṅkuśa-daṇḍa-kartri-abhayadharāṁ ; vāmabhujeṣu sapāśatarjanī-kapāla-dhanuḥ-khaṭvāṅga-vajrapāśa-Brahmaśiraḥ-ratnakalaṣadharāṁ ; viśvapadmacandrasthāṁ sūryyaprabhāvibhūṣitāṁ : vāmapādena Indraṁ, dakṣiṇapādena Upendraṁ, pādadvayamadhye Rudraṁ Brahmāṇaṁ cākramya sthitāṁ, sarvāvaraṇavināśanīṁ bhāvayet. Prasannatārā-Sādhanam.” Sādhanamālā, p. 241.

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“The worshipper should conceive himself as (Prasannatārā) who is of golden complexion, of terrible appearance, bestows prosperity, is three-eyed, eight-faced and sixteen-armed. Her brown hair rises upwards and her necklace is made of half-a-hundred heads wet with blood. She emancipates the universe and is terrible to behold. She stands in the Pratyālīḍha attitude, has smiling faces, is in the fulness of youth and her garments are of variegated colour. Her first face is yellow, the second to the right is blue, the third green, and the fourth blue like the sky ; the face to the left is white like the Kunda flower, the second red, and the third blue like the sky ; the face on the top is of the colour of smoke, terrible in appearance, distorted and disfigured. In her eight right hands are : 1. the Khaṭvāṅga, 2. the Uptala, 3. the arrow, 4. the Vajra, 5. the Aṅkuśa, 6. the staff, 7. the Kartri and 8. the Abhaya pose ; and in the left 1. the noose with the Tarjanī, 2. the Kapāla, 3. the bow, 4. the Khaṭvāṅga, 5. the Vajra, 6. the noose, 7. the head of Brahmā, and 8. the vessel of gems. She stands on the moon over the double lotus, is radiant with the glow of the sun, tramples under her left foot Indra, under the right Upendra, and presses Rudra and Brahmā between the two, and destroys the veils of ignorance”.

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Fig. 192 illustrates a Nepalese drawing of the goddess which tallies with the Sādhana in major details.

Linked texts (2)