The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sadhanamala and Other Cognate Tantric Texts of Rituals c19.s1.t8: 6. Aparājitā

The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sādhanamālā and Other Cognate Tāntric Texts of Rituals c19.s1.t8

Language: English

6. Aparājitā

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Identification Mark—Trampling upon Gaṇeśa

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.

Linked texts (1)

Sādhanamālā — Sanskrit