Gods and Goddesses of Buddhism
and Hinduism
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RATNAPANI
He is the Bodhisatwa of Dhyani Byddha Ratna Sambhava. He is green
in colour, holds the jewel in the right hand, and the disc of the
moon on lotus in the left hand. |
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MANJUVAJRA
Manjuvajra is a form of Manjusri represented with his sakti. He has
three heads. The center face is red, the right face is blue and the
left white. He has six arms which the principal pair is engaged in
embracing his female counter part. The remaining four hands carry
the sword, the arrow, the bow and the night lotus. He sits in Vajrasana
or in the Bajra-Paryanka attitude in the orb of the moon supported
by a lotus. |
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YOGAMBAR
Yogambara is the principal deity of Yogamber Mandala. He sits in Ardhaparyanka
on a double lotus placed on lion. He is blue in colour and is three
faced. His principal face is blue, the right white and the left red.
He is six armed. In his two principal face is blue, the right white
and the left red. He is six armed. In his two principal hands carrying
the Vajra and the Vajra marked bell. He embraces his prajna jnan dakini,
who is either blue or white in colour and is decked in ornaments of
snake. In the remaining two hands he holds the breast and the arrow,
and in the two left he shows the lotus bowl and the bow.
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CROWN BUDDHA
Crown Buddha is a Buddha in the position of mediation known
as firm as a diamond. He is making the gesture of "Touching the
earth" Gesture and attitude are equally characteristic of the historic
Buddha Sakyamuni and of his earthly predecessors, and of the Dhyani
Buddha Akshobhya, the unshakable one.
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CHAMUNDA
Chamunda is the sixth deity in the series of Hindu mother Goddesses
which are known as Astamatrikas. Chamunda rides on a corpse. She is
of red colour and four armed with the first pair of hands. She holds
the katri in the right and the kapala in the left. In the second she
exhibits the anjali. Chamunda, known also as Kali, is the celebrated
Hindu Goddess of death. She may be represented alone or in the Company
of a group of Goddesses known collectively as the Eight Mother Goddesses.
She was created by the great Goddess Durga who gave her title Chamunda,
because she killed the demons Chanda and Munda. Her body is bare and
very thin with fantastic and expressive face articulated ribs bony
arms and legs. |
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VAJRAPANI
Vajrapani with the vajra symbol is the spiritual son of the Dhyani
Buddha Akshobhya who is the progenitor of the Vajra family. His spiritual
mother is Mamaki. Vajrapani is also known as God of rain. It is said
that when the Nagas (serpent) appeared before Buddha to listen to
his teachings, Vajrapani was charged by Tathagata to guard them from
the attacks of their mortal enemies, the Garudas. To deceive and combat
the Garudas, Vajrapani assumed a form with head, wings and claws like
the Garuda themselves. Hence, Vajrapani as the protector of Nagas
is looked upon as the Rain God. So, Northern Buddhists appeal when
rain is needed or is too abundant. One can also find Vajrapani in
Garuda form among the various forms of Vajrapani. Vajrapani when represented
either stands or sits and carries usually a lotus on which is placed
the family symbol of Vajra. Sometime, he holds the vajra against the
chest in one of his hands. |
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