The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sadhanamala and Other Cognate Tantric Texts of Rituals c19.t1: 1. Jambhala

The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sādhanamālā and Other Cognate Tāntric Texts of Rituals c19.t1

Language: English

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.

Linked texts (1)

Sādhanamālā — Sanskrit