The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sadhanamala and Other Cognate Tantric Texts of Rituals c20.s8: VIII. Four Musical Instruments

The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sādhanamālā and Other Cognate Tāntric Texts of Rituals c20.s8

Language: English

VIII. Four Musical Instruments

c20.s8.1

There is a further group of goddesses representing the four musical instruments and are often mentioned in the Sādhanas and Maṇḍalas as companions of important deities. When everything else is deified there is no reason why these musical instruments should not also be deified. These four Musical Instruments are named as Vaṃśā (flute) Vīṇā (violin), Mukundā ((kettle-drum) and Murajā (drum) and we find them all deified with human form, colour, faces, hands and symbols. In the Vajraḍāka Maṇḍala they are collectively described as nude, violent in appearance, wearing garlands of skulls and severed heads and dancing in Pratyālīḍha. They display the different instruments as their special symbols. They are described below in the same order in which they appear in the Pañcaḍāka Maṇḍala.

1. Vaṁśā

c20.s8.t1.1

Colour—Red Arms—Two Symbol—Flute

c20.s8.t1.2

The first in the series of deities representing the musical instruments is called Vaṃśā whose form is described in the following terms in the Pañcaḍāka Maṇḍala:

c20.s8.t1.3

“Vaṃśā raktā karābhyāṃ dhṛtavaṃśaṃ vādayantī”. NSP, p. 76

c20.s8.t1.4

“Vaṃśā is red in colour. She holds the flute in her two hands and plays on it.”

c20.s8.t1.5

She is not represented in the Chinese collection.

2. Vīṇā

c20.s8.t2.1

Colour—Yellow Arms—Two Symbol—Vīṇā Instrument

c20.s8.t2.2

The second goddess representing musical instruments is called Vīṇā, and her form is described in the following words : “Vīṇā pītā vīṇāvādanakaradvayā.” NSP, 76 “Vīṇā is yellow in colour. With her two hands she plays on the musical instrument, the Vīṇā.”

c20.s8.t2.3

In the Chinese collection she is represented as goddess Vīṇādharā which is the same as Vīṇā ¹. This Chinese statuette is illustrated in Fig. 209.

c20.s8.t2.4

¹ Clark : TLP, II, p. 107

3. Mukundā

c20.s8.t3.1

Colour—White Arms—Two Symbol—Mukunda Instrument

c20.s8.t3.2

The third goddess in this series is the goddess Mukundā who plays on the instrument called the Mukunda. Her form is described thus in the Niṣpannayogāvalī : “Mukundā sitā karābhyāṁ Mukundaṁ vādayantī.” NSP, p. 76 “Mukundā is white in colour. She plays on the instrument called the Mukunda with her two hands”.

c20.s8.t3.3

One statuette of Mukundā is found in the Chinese collection under the name of Mukundadharā, who is the same as Mukundā ². This Chinese statuette is illustrated in Fig 210.

c20.s8.t3.4

² Clark : TLP, II, p 107

4. Murajā

c20.s8.t4.1

Colour—Smoky Arms—Two Symbol—Muraja Instrument

c20.s8.t4.2

The fourth and the last deity in the series of goddesses of musical instruments is the goddess Murajā whose principal symbol is the Muraja on which she plays. Her form is described as under : “Murajā dhūmravaṛṇā murajavādanaparabhujadvayā.” NSP, p. 76 “Murajā is of the colour of smoke, and she is engaged with her two hands in playing on the Muraja instrument.”

c20.s8.t4.3