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The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sadhanamala and Other Cognate Tantric Texts of Rituals c22.s5: 5. The Eight Dikpālas

The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sādhanamālā and Other Cognate Tāntric Texts of Rituals c22.s5

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5. The Eight Dikpālas

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The eight Dikpālas or the Lords of the Eight Quarters are described in the Dharmadhātuvāgīśvara Maṇḍala and other places in the Niṣpannayogāvalī. They are the Lords or rather the embodiments of the four principal directions and the four intermediate corners, and resemble the Yamāntaka group of deities of the Buddhists. Their forms are described below in the same order as they appear in the Dharmadhātuvāgīśvara Maṇḍala. Here only one typical form is given, although there are many more, even with their female counterparts.

(I) Indra

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Colour—Yellow Arms—Two Vehicle—Elephant Direction—East

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The first in the series of Eight Hindu gods of direction is Indra who presides over the Eastern quarter. His form is described as follows :

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“Airāvatārūḍhaḥ Indraḥ pīto vajraṁ stanaṁ ca dadhānaḥ.”
NSP, p. 61

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“Indra (of the east) rides on the Airāvata elephant and is yellow in colour. He holds in his two hands the Vajra and the breast of a woman.”

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Under the name of Śakra he appears in the Chinese collection ¹. Fig. 236 illustrates his Peiping image.

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¹ Clark : TLP, II, pp. 89, 178

(II) Yama

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Colour—Blue Arms—Two Vehicle—Buffalo Direction—South

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The second in the series of eight deities of direction is called Yama here as well as in Hindu scriptures. Yama is described in the following words :

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“Yāmyāṁ Mahiṣe Yamaḥ kṛṣṇo yamadaṇḍaśūlabhṛt.”
NSP, p. 61

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Fig. 205 Ḍombī (Peiping)

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Fig. 206 Lāsya (Peiping)

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Fig. 207 Gītā (Peiping)

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Fig. 208 Nṛtya (Peiping)

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Fig. 209 Vīṇā (Peiping)

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Fig. 210 Mukundā (Peiping)

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Fig. 211 Tālikā (Peiping)

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Fig. 212 Kapāṭā (Peiping)

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Fig. 213 Dīpā (Peiping)

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Fig. 214 Ratnolka (Peiping)

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Fig. 215 Siṃhāsya (Dr. Moghe's Collection)

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Fig. 216 Siṃhāsya (Upper View showing the lion-head)

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Fig. 217 Ḍākinī (Peiping)

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Fig. 219 Dhyāna Pāramitā (Peiping)

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Fig. 220 Praṇidhāna Pāramitā (Peiping)

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Fig. 221 Upapatti Vaśitā (Peiping)

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Fig. 222 Ṛddhi Vaśitā (Peiping)

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Fig. 223 Dharmameghā (Peiping)

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Fig. 224 Nirukti Pratisamvit (Peiping)

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Fig. 225 Pratibhana Pratisamvit (Peiping)

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Fig. 226 Mahakala (Peiping)

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Fig. 227 Four-armed Gaṇapati (Dr Moghe’s Collection)

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Fig. 228 Gaṇapati (Maharani Chimanabai Gaekwad collection)

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Fig. 229 Gaṇapatihṛdayā (Courtesy : W. Y. Evans-Wentz)

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“In the south, there is Yama riding on a Buffalo. He is blue in colour and holds in his two hands the staff of death and the Śūla”.

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Yama, the God of Death is fairly popular in Tibet where his images are found ¹.

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¹ See for instance Gordon : ITL, p. 90 ; also Getty : GNB, Pl. XLVII, a and b.

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(III) VARUṆA Colour—White Arms—Two Vehicle—Crocodile Direction—West

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The third in the series of gods of direction is Varuṇa whose form is described in the text as follows :

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“Vāruṇe makare Varuṇaḥ śvetaḥ saptaphano nāgapāśaśaṅkhabhṛt.” NSP, p. 61

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“In the west there is Varuṇa riding on a Crocodile. He is white in colour and has seven hoods. He holds in his two hands the noose of snake and the conch”.

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His statuettes occur in the Chinese collection under the title of Varuṇa (deva) ².

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² Clark : TLP, II, pp. 98, 178

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(IV) KUBERA Colour—Yellow Arms—Two Vehicle—Man Direction—North

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The fourth deity in this series is Kubera of the North and his form is described in the text as follows :

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“Kauberyāṃ nare Kuberaḥ supītoṅkuśagadādharaḥ.” NSP, p. 61

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“In the north, there is Kubera riding on a man. He is of deep yellow colour and holds in his two hands the goad and the Gadā (mace)”.

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Kubera is fairly well represented in Tibet ³.

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³ See for instance Gordon : ITL, p. 90 also Getty : GNB, plate LII, b

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(V) ĪŚĀNA Colour—White Arms—Two Vehicle—Bull Direction—Īśāna

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The fifth in the series of gods of direction is Īśāna the Lord of the Īśāna corner, and his form is described in the following words :

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Aiśānyāṃ Vṛṣabhārūḍhaḥ Īśānaḥ triśūlakapālapāṇiḥ jaṭārdhacandra-dharaḥ sarpayajñopavītī nīlakaṇṭhaḥ.” NSP, p. 61 “In the Īśāna corner there is Īśāna riding on a Bull. He is white in colour and holds in his two hands the Triśūla (trident) and the Kapāla (skull-cup). On his matted hair appears the half-moon, on his body a sacred thread of serpent and his throat is blue.”

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As Īśāna he is not represented in the Chinese collection.

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(VI) AGNI Colour—Red Arms—Two Vehicle—Goat Direction—Agni

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The sixth in the series of direction gods is Agni the Lord of the Agni corner. His form is described thus :

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“Āgneyyāṁ Cchāge’gniḥ raktaḥ śruvakamaṇḍaludharaḥ.” NSP, p. 61

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“In the Agni corner there is Agni riding on a Goat. He is red in colour and holds in his two hands the Śruva (ladle) and the Kamaṇḍalu (water bowl).”

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As Agnideva his forms occur twice in the Chinese collection ¹. Fig. 237 illustrates one of the two statuettes from Peiping.

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¹ Clark : TLP, II, pp. 87, 65

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(VII) NAIRṚTI Colour—Blue Arms—Two Vehicle—Corpse Direction—Nairṛta corner

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The seventh direction god is called by the name of Nairṛti who presides over the Nairṛta corner. His form is described in the text as follows :

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“Nairṛtyāṁ Rākṣasādhipo Nairṛtiḥ nīlaḥ śave khaḍgakheṭakabhṛt.” NSP, p. 61

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“In the Nairṛta corner there is the Lord of the Rākṣasas (goblins) called Nairṛti who is blue in colour and rides on a corpse. In his two hands he holds the sword and the Kheṭaka (stick)”.

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He is not represented in the Chinese collection.

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(VIII) VĀYU Colour—Blue Arms—Two Vehicle—Deer Direction—Vāyu.

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The eighth and the last deity in the series of direction gods is called Vāyu the Lord of the Vāyu corner. His form is described thus :

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“Vāyavyāṁ mṛge Vāyurnīlo vātapuṭadharaḥ”. NSP, p. 61 “In the Vāyu corner there is Vāyu riding on a Deer and blue in colour. In his two hands he shows the Vātapuṭa” (empty fold).

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Under Vāyudeva his statuette occurs in the Chinese collection ¹. Fig. 238 illustrates this image.

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¹ Clark : TLP, II, p. 181

Cites (1)