Vastu-shastra (Vol. I: Hindu Science of Architecture; Vol. II: Hindu Canons of Iconography and Painting) v2.c75.s3.84

v2.c75.s3.84

**14. Independent Deities—are** (cf. the classification of the 14 groups of Buddhist images) the last group comprising both gods and goddesses. It may be said here that these independent deities are so called because they are independent of the sires and how can Hindu gods, like Gaṇapati, Sarasvatī etc, be assigned to a peculiar siredom of the Dhyānis? Bhattacarya says: ‘In the Sādhanamālā there are six male gods who could not be assigned to their sires. This number is increased by one if we include Paramāśva, another form of Hayagrīva without crest, who emanates from either Amitābhā or Akṣobhya. Not knowing to whom Paramāśva may be assigned he is dealt with under the independent deities. If we add Namasaṅgīti from Dharamakoṣasaṃgraha of Amṛtānanda, the number rises to eight.’ Accordingly the following gods in the Buddhist Iconography are known as independent ones: