Pramāṇa · Search · About · API

The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sadhanamala and Other Cognate Tantric Texts of Rituals c20.s7: VII. Four Dance Deities

The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sādhanamālā and Other Cognate Tāntric Texts of Rituals c20.s7

Language
English

Contents

VII. Four Dance Deities

c20.s7.1

There are four deities in this group and they are homogenous in character. These are Lāsyā, Mālā, Gītā, and Nṛtyā, all required in the staging of a drama or in entertainments. All these four deities are popular in the Vajrayāna pantheon and are described times without number both in the Sādhanamālā as well as in the Niṣpannayogāvalī. In the Chinese collection at Peiping statuettes of these deities are found. Although it is not possible to describe all their forms here, an endeavour will be made at least to describe one typical form of each for the purpose of recognition. Below is given an account of the four goddesses headed by Lāsyā in the same order as it occurs in the Pañcaḍāka Maṇḍala of the Niṣpannayogāvalī. They are violent in character with garland of severed heads, and dance in Pratyālīḍha. They show the Tarjanī against the chest as the common gesture.

1. Lāsyā

c20.s7.t1.1

Symbol—Lāsya dance

c20.s7.t1.2

The first deity of the Lāsya group is Lāsya who is described in the following words :

c20.s7.t1.3

“Lāsyā raktā sagarvaṁ lāsyābhinayobhayabhujā”. NSP, p. 76

c20.s7.t1.4

“Lāsyā is of red colour and with pride she arranges her two hands in the Lāsya act”.

c20.s7.t1.5

Two statuettes of Lāsya are found in the Chinese collection ¹. One of the statuettes is illustrated in Fig. 206.

c20.s7.t1.6

¹ Clark : TLP, II, pp. 63, 145.

2. Mālā (Mālyā)

c20.s7.t2.1

Colour—Red Arms—Two Symbol—Garland

c20.s7.t2.2

The second deity of this group is Mālā who is described as follows :

c20.s7.t2.3

“Mālā raktā karābhyāṁ ratnamālābhṛt”. NSP, p. 76

c20.s7.t2.4

“Mālā is of red colour and holds in her two hands the garland of jewels”.

c20.s7.t2.5

Three statuettes of this goddess under the slightly different name of Mālyā occur in the Chinese collection of images at Peiping ².

c20.s7.t2.6

² Clark : TLP, II, pp. 63, 103, 145.

3. Gītā

c20.s7.t3.1

Colour—Reddish white Arms—Two Symbol—Indian Gong

c20.s7.t3.2

The third deity of this group is Gītā who is described in the Pañca-ḍāka Maṇḍala as under :

c20.s7.t3.3

“Gītā raktasitā bhujābhyāṁ kaṁsike vādayantī” NSP, p. 76.

c20.s7.t3.4

“Gītā is reddish white in colour, and with her two hands she is engaged in playing on the Indian gong (Kaṁsī)”.

c20.s7.t3.5

Three statuettes of this goddess occur in the Chinese collection³. One of these three statuettes is illustrated in Fig. 207.

c20.s7.t3.6

³ Clark : TLP, II, pp. 63, 94. 146.

4. Nṛtyā

c20.s7.t4.1

Colour—Mixed Arms—Two Symbol—Vajra

c20.s7.t4.2

The fourth and the last goddess in the Lāsyā group is Nṛtyā whose form is thus described in the Niṣpannayogāvalī:

c20.s7.t4.3

“Nṛtyā viśvavarṇā savajrabhujābhyāṃ nṛtyantī”. NSP, p. 76.

c20.s7.t4.4

“Nṛtyā is of variegated colour and she dances with her two hands holding the Vajra”.

c20.s7.t4.5

Three statuettes of this goddess are noted in the Chinese collection¹. One of the three statuettes is illustrated in Fig. 208.

c20.s7.t4.6

¹ Clark : TLP, II, pp. 64, 93, 143.

Cites (2)