Gods and Goddesses of Buddhism
and Hinduism
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VIGHNANTAKA
Vighnantaka is a guardian God of the gates in the Mandala. The name
is significant as the word "Vighna" or "Obstacle" refers to the Hindu
God Ganesh. He is one faced, two armed, and blue in colour. He carries
in his left hand the Tarjanipasa and wields the Vajra in the right.
He is terrible in appearance and his brown hair rises upwards. There
is a prostrate figure of Ganesh whom he tramples under his feet. It
is said that the God Ganesh, being strongly opposed to the idea, began
throwing dangerous obstacles on the way of the due performance of
the rite of the Odiyana Pandit in order to obtain Siddhi (perfection).
Being helpless the Odiyana Pandit invoked the God Vighnantaka, the
destroyer of all obstacles. Vighnantaka appeared in a fierce and terrible
form, armed with destructive weapons and in no time overcome the latter.
So, it may be seen how Vighnantaka is trampling heavily on Ganesh. |
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APARMITA
(AMITAYUS)
Aparmita is the name given to Amitabha in his character of bestower
of longevity. Aparmita may be turned either a "Crowned Buddha or
a Bodhisatwa and is therefore richly clad and wears the thirteen
ornaments. His hair is painted blue and falls on either side to
his elbows or may be curiously coiled. He is seated like a Buddha
and his hands lie on his lap in Dhyana Mudra holding the ambrosia
vase, his special emblem. The vase is richly decorated and from
the cover fall four strings of beads which represent sacred pills.
For obtaining long life the lamaist ceremony is held in a curious
mixture of Buddhism and demon-worship. In the preliminary worship,
the pills made from buttered dough and the ambrosia brewed from
spirit or beer and offered in a skull bowl to the great image of
Aparmita.
The lama then places a vajra on the ambrosia vase, which the image
of Amitayus holds in its lap, and applies a cord, which is attached
to the vajra, to his own heart. The wine in the ambrosia vase is
then consecrated and the people partake of it as well as of the
sacred pills with the firm conviction that their lives will be prolonged
through their faith in Aparmita.
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BISWAPANI
Biswapani is very obscure. One seldom finds representation of the
God either in bronze or paintings. He is seated, dressed in all the
Bodhisatwa ornaments. His left hand lying on his lap, palm turned
upward. The right hand in charity mudra holds his symbol, the double
thunderbolt. Viswapani is believed to be in contemplation before the
Adi Buddha while waiting the fifth cycle Maitriya will come as Manushi
Buddha. |
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UMA MAHESWARA
Uma Maheswara is another name of Parvati and Shiva. When Shiva is
represented with his consort Parvati or Uma, in composition called
Uma Maheswara. In this position Shiva, Maheswara is shown sitting
in a relaxed posture (Lalitasana) in his home Mount Kailash with his
wife Uma as she sits on his left thigh and resting in the body of
Nandi his mount at his right side. He has four arms, the top right
holding a string of beads (Akshyamala) and the top left a trident
(Trisula). The front right hand is turned downwards in the gesture
of bestowing (varada mudra) while the left is under the left shoulder
of Uma. His hair is shaped in Jata, that is braided and piled high
in the characteristic style of an ascetic. Uma is nestling on her
husband's left thigh with her right hand. Her leg raised on the seat.
The lower part of her body is turned gracefully outwards with her
right foot hanging down and resting on the back or her tiny mount,
the lion. Uma is holding a flower in her left hand. The Uma Maheswara
composition became a prototype representation of a peaceful aspects
of Shiva and Parvati. |
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