CHAPTER - V

MOTHER-GQDDE8S

UNIVERSAL I TV OF Atc:T ISM IN

AN ICONQBRAeHIC STUDY

EARLY 11ED IAEYAL BENBAL 1

An iconographic study of the image of the femaie

divinities,

made

regions

of

Bengal
A.D.

stone

have no scope of doubt

the

that

by

the 12th
an

of

century

universal

among all religious sects and cults, Brahmanical

heterodox.

texts,

different

Cult of mother-goddess had received

recognition
and

or metal, found from

In

Brahmanical religion,

Epics and the early Puranas

the

later

propagated

Vedic

the

idea

of 'Sakti' denoting the female energy of the male divinities.

The

significance of the concept of "Sakti" is

the

Deyimahatmya
the

describes
personified
thirty

section of the
chief

form

goddess

Markandeya

Candika

ultimately

h~r

as

least

origin from the

male-

of

those

themselves and thus establishes her supremacy above 11.

Devimahatmya
the

great

draws
goddess

an
and

outline

the

at

emerges as the saviour

of

in

which

Purana~

of the accumulated energies

gods. The goddess who owes

deities,

or

Candi

explained

of

the sculptors

the

image

intending

to

gods
The
of
give

plastic form of the goddess more or less followed the Puranic

description. In her various manifestations, her
features

in

respect of placid or

benevolent

iconographic
and

forms varied, so for as her gestures, posture and

170

terrible
attributes

are concerned.
Side by side with

the supreme mother goddess,

the

"Saktis" or female-consorts of different male-divinities wera

also recognised. For instance,

Brahma , Visnu, Surya, lndra,

Varuna, Mitra, Candra, Kuvera and Agni have their

respective

female consorts. They are generally represented as associated

with their

male

counterparts, although some

of

them

Laksmi, Sarasvati, Vasundhara, Sri, Durga, Gauri and

like

Parvati

are found in some cases, represented independently. Even some

folk-goddesses

like

goddesses

Ganga and Yamuna were

like

Manasa,

and

Sasthi

and

the

river

incorporated

in

the

Brahmanical pantheon
Again, the concept of "Sakti" came to be recognised
the

mystic Buddhist sect belonging to the

VaJrayana

The five Dhyani Buddhas emanated from the AdiBuddha and

Prajna

(universal

father

and

universal

by

faith.

a9.!=.
mother

corrdsponding to Purusa and Prakriti of the Samkhya, and Siva

and

Sakti

sambhava,

of

the

Tantras ).

There are

Aksobhya,

Amitabha and Amoghasiddhi having their

'Saktis' or female consorts Vairocana is

white
or

Ratna-

respective

associated

Tara, Usnisavijaya, JanguliTara and Marici. Nila

Ekajata is the female consort of Aksobhya.

with
Tara

Yellow

Tara,

Vasudhara, Vajratara are associatd with Ratnasambhava.

Rakta

Tara or kurukulla, Sitatapatra, and Bhrkuti are the Saktis of

Amitabha.

Green

consorts

of

Mahayanists

Tara and Parnasabari represent

Amoghasiddhi.

is

Tara

who

171

The
has

chief

goddess

numerous

the

female
of

the

manifestation

comparable to those of Puranic goddess Durga.

and

Sarasvati

enjoy

some

individuality

Prajnaparamita

in

the

Mahayana

pantheon.
The
derived,

iconography

divinities

from

derived

and

For example ,

Visnu,

Indra and even

goddesses

features

from

Avalokitesvara
Siva,

is

Manjusri-

from
1

Surya, and Vasudhara from

from

Marici

Sarasvati,
Again

gods

a great e~tent, their essential

to

Brahmanical

of Buddhist

, many Brahmanical

divinities

were

Laxmi.

incorporated

in

the

Vajrayana pantheon Different

goddess

Tara
and

Marici

such

Vasudhara

concepts

Jainism

also

"Saktis",
Saktism

the

Cult
been

who
were

bondage&,

in

inherent

adopted

Tirthankaras

derived

from

also

associated

of

Mother-goddess.

free

respective

their

with

Yak!!inis.

was a common heritage of both Brahmanical

or

religious

worldly

all

form

The

sects. The universal

Mother-goddess having different

Thus,

and

non-

recognition
names

and

Bengal. lnspite of the diversity of sects and cults,

of mother-goddess has usherd in an unity in

of

forms

appears to be an unique characteristic of the religious

Cult

the

female-divinities

the

called Sasanadevis, who known as

Brahmanical

in

the

Piilrnasabari,

Mahamayavijayavahini,
seem to have been

of

.3

Puranic

Sakti

as

manifestations

life
the

diversity.

As it is stated in the PadmavatistotraJ

Tara

tvam

suqatagame

kaulikasasane,
srutisalini

jinamate

bhagavati

padmavati

Prakritirityuktasi I
.

sai.vagame/vaJ ra

gauriti

visruta

Samkhyaaame
4

Kim prabhutabhanitairvyaptam sam@stam tvava

172

Gcwatri

/Matarbharati

,~,

QLA9SIFIQATIQN OF THE FEMAL-DIVINITIESI

The

classification

necessity

as

'

of

the

the textual

female

reference

divinities
and

is

archaeological

discoveries indicate their varied forms and large number even

within a particular sect.

Of

60DQE8SES

THE PURANIC PANitDN

The Brahmanical female-divinities gained popularity in

two

forms:

Visnu

(1) in association with the

popular

gods

and Siva, and (2) in their independent forms,

like

without

association with male-divinities. Those associated with Visnu

as Sakti, female consorts, are knwon as Vaisnavite
and

those conceived of as Saktis of Siva belong

group.

Surya

As

insignificant
quite

and

position

Ganapati

held

, their female

to

Saivite

comparatively

counterparts

unimportant status. The female-energy

almost unknown in Bengal. Allthough the Sarada

gives

goddesses

had

of Ganapati

a
is

tilAka-Ttntra

a few dhvanas of Ganesa with his Sakti, none of

these

dhyanas exactly corresponds to the images generally found

Begal. Surya is found associated with his twc1 or three

in

wives

in

some

aspects
Sakta
matrka

iconic

The

independent

neutral

of the goddess might be treated as belonging to

group. In this respect we may consider the
images

independent
who

representations.

as

predecessors of the

Sakta

terracotta

deities.

forms of Sakti having terrible or fierce

gained.more prominence in Bengal are

Durga, Candi, Camunda and

the

The

aspect

Mahitsuramardini,

Sarvani, while the placid forms of

173

the

goddess

as

Gauri, Parvati and

Candi

are

represented

separately or in associaton with Siva. The Tantric

like

Carcika,

Rudracarcika,

Camunda,

goddesses

Siddha-Yogesvari,

Dantura, Rudracamunda, Sapta-matrkas, Mahalaksmi, Aparajita,

Sarvani, Kali etc. appear
goddesses

associated

to be Sakta divinities proper. The

with Visnu are Laksmi,

Sarasvati

and

sometime Vasundhara or Prthivi or Mahi (the earth goddess

Laksmi and Sarasvati are comparatively much popular in
independent

aspects as goddases of prosperity and

).

their

learning

respectively. Some images of Visnu are found associated

with

Laksmi and some with both Laksmi and Sarasati.. Again,

Laksmi

and

Vianu.

Vasundhara

are found standing on both sides

Sometimes the river goddess Ganga

Bengal

of

is found with Visnu but in

epigraphs Ganga has been described as

emerging .from

the matted hair of Siva To be more precise, except

Sarasavti , Sri (in some Puranas
as

daughters

of

Laksmi,

they have been referred

Siva-Durga and thus are

included

in

to
the

Saivite group] and Vasundhara most of the other associated or

independent

female-divinities

are recognised

as

Siva and in every Sak ta Pl:. t.ha of Bengal Siva

with

connectd
stays

as

"Bhairava" or male - consort of the "Devi"

MHAYANA

BUQDHI ST BOQDESSEB I

In Bengal Mahayana Buddhism developed as an unique form

b

of

mystic

growth
the
text

Buddhism

of this peculiar system may be traced to th

composition of the
of

Tantric

..

Known as YaJrayans -TaotrAyans

GuhvasamaJatantra ,

Buddhism, assigned
174

to

the

the
3rd

The
ti~e

of

earliest
century

A.D. The

system

had its full-fledged

however,

development
8

during

the

Large

Pala period, and later found

number

of

Buddhist imags and

shelter

Buddhist

in

Nepal.

manuscripts

that Nepal has yielded, so far might be taken into account as

evidence

of

India

The

illustrated

expansion of Tantric
paintings

of

Buddhism from

Mahayana

manuscripts of the

Easterm

deities

Nepalese

found

tradition are

in
of

much value in this regard

The images of Mahayana divinities , discovred in Bengal,
usually follow the descriptions as given in
(12th

the

Sadhanamala

century A.D.) and Nispannayogav@Ji (11th/12th

Century

A.D.). In some cases,however the dhyanas available from these

two

do

sources

not

correspond

to

the

iconographic

representation of some divinities.

due

occurred

Such variation might have

9
Our
local or regional characteristics

to

attention is drawn
Candradvipe

in this connection, to the examples

Bhaqayati

Tar~

(a special form of goddess

of
Tara

prevalent in Candradvipa i.e. Backarganj district),

P@tikerw

vumkara

Uddiyana

Cund@

Marici (Marici

(Cunda of Pattikera Tipperah), and

of

Uddiyana, identified

with

the

village

10

Vajroyogini in Dacca)
Of
pantheon,

the
Tara

numerous goddesses in the

Mahayana

stand out as the most prominent one

female divinties are considered as various forms

11
of
Tara Later, she
was included in
the
Dasamahavidyas
keen

Buddhist
Many

or aspects
list

of

( i.e ten incarnations of Sakti). There

is

controversy amongst

the scholars regarding the

175

origin

of the goddess. Whatever might have bean the

origin, the

popularity

of

place

Tara

goddess

of

hr

in Bengal since

an early period remains beyond dispute. It is learnt form the

NesAri
and

Plete of 9oyinda

snatched

the

Dharmapala's
Palas.

defeated

away an image

(Dharmapala),

tt1e

that the Rastrakuta king

of Bhagavati Tara from Dharma

12
of Vangala. Tara appearing on

king

banner was most probably a dynastic

The

Ramacarita, composed during

emblem

of

reign

of

the

Ramapala, records (iii.7) that goddess Tara was worshipped in

Mahavihara

Jagaddala

the

Avalokitesvara.

(Tarabhavana)

with

consort

her

A Javanese epigraph written in North

records

script

along

the

by

newa

of

construction

of

Indian
temple

the preceptor of the Sailendra

family

A.D. 778. An inscription found at Nalanda of ebout the

half

of

the

12th

century

A.D.

makes

reference

in

first
to

the

construction of a temple of Tarini (goddess Tara) at Somapura

(i.e

Paharpur,

seem

to

suggest

recognition
Chine,

district Rajshahi).
tt1at

the

Archaeological

Buddhist

goddess

in a vast area that includes

Japan,

Eastern

, Western

and

finding

Tara

gained

Indonsia,

Tibt,

Southern

India

and

13

Ceylon.
Among the Mahayana female- dvinities found in
mention

may

be made of Tara (or varieties

Prajnaparamita,
iconogoaphic
form
tiara

Parnasabari,

Cunda

and

over

types),

Marici,

Hariti

In

representation of those goddsses, a

of the parent Dhyani Buddha is found

their

identification.

As

176

pointed out

miniature

engraved

head , which furnishes a

already

Bngal,

key

above

on

to

'

the

proper

Mahayana

goddesses are associated with their respective Dhyani Buddhas

emanated from Adi Buddha.
JAINA 6QDQE8SEB

Jainism

decline

suffered

due

that preceded Buddhism in

to

popularity

wide

Bengal
Puranic

of

Brahmanism and Mahayana Buddhism giving stress on devotion to

personal gods and goddesses. Analysing the c1.1rrent trend
psychology
adjusted

of

the common people, the Jainas

with

the

comtemporary religious

adaptation of bhakti
divinities.

The

seem

The

to

scenario

have

by

different

Jaina

female-deities

like kalpavrksa, mango-leafs

and

are

or special

serpent-hood.

chief female-divinty, Ambika may be considered as

counterpart of Puranic
devi (sakti) of the
worshipped

some

an

and introduction of the worship of some

recognised by their respective mounts, lanchhanas

cognisances

and

Jaina

Durga Apart from Ambika,the Sasana-

Tirthankra (22nd) Neminatha , the Jainas

semi-divine beings knwon

as

Yaksinis

and

Mahavidyas. However, Jaina images, especially those of female

divinities

are

found

in

the

districts

of

West

Bengal

adjacent to the Chotanagpur plateau.

ICONOBRAPHY Of ItE EEMLE-DIYINITIEB Of

A Terracottas:

8ENBAL

The stone sculpture in Bengal w.as preceded by

terracotta art. Terracotta figures and figurines , especially

those

of

remote
historic

mother goddesses , found in Bengal .are

antiquity.

The divinity represnted

terracotta

art

represented

the

by

tr.aced
the

177

proto-

goddess

procreation. The early specimens of terracotta with

to

of

artistic

design

can

period.

hardly

But

before

very recently two terracotta

and

Kharosthi

be dated long

Brahmi

inscriptions

the

Maurya-Sunga

seals

have

contining

attnlcted

our

attention and require mention in this connect.ion.

(1)

The

first

found

from

Hadipyr,

North

24-Parganas,

contains a Chi ton-wearing female figure stand;Lng on an altar,

bedecked with crown on her head and earrings. The right
of

the

left
right
side,
this

female divinity holds ears of corn (paddy)

hand

and

the

rests on thigh. A devotee (upasaka) is standing on

her

side and the Brahmi inscription, incised on

is read as

her

left

Dh@ngnaJi JiJy. The Sanskritized form

inscription

of

"Pevi

might be DhanyaJi(Devi)JtJv@tu i.a.

DhapyaJayi PuJya" The image on tha saal, assi.gnad to tha 3rd

century A.D., might ba regarded
14
Laksmi.
(2)

The

as the earliest specimen

second, found from the ancient

of

site

of

Candraketugarh, North 24-Parganas and asssigned to circa

century A.D.,

is

found

with a carved

image

of

3rd

female

divinity (standing ) resting her right hand in the waist, nd

her

left

while

hand

holding a stick sprouted from a

'

two lotuses are slanting from both sides of the stick.

The following inscription is found

JeJi

waterpot

t@&@oadhiprana chunagasi

Jiranbi. The Sanskritized form of it would probably

be

trsnadirnaprana chudaka yaksi Jirambii.e., "the thirsty yaksi

1~

Jirambi is coming near the well (kupa) to quench her

(3)

The third terracotta seal found from

site assigned to circa

a

carved

image

~th

thirst"
tha

century A.D., shows on its

of a standing goddess
178

and

an

same
obverse

inscription

written in Brahmi-OdananJa &ena udasi prayuktam , which means

'water

cooking rice'

for

B.N.

Mukhop.a.dhyay,

deciphered the seal, think& that the "rice"

the 'rice of sacrifice'

number

of

mean

(yajnanna or caru). On the reverse of

paddy-straws

seal

ha&

here would

are carved pot (kalasa), three

16
some scripturally auspicious signs.
the

who

terracotta

images

and

mother-goddess

of

as&igned to the Maurya-Sunga period have been collected

different

culture-centres

&pecimens

of

Banqarh.

Bengal

One

goddess of good fortune

of

tha

was

early

found

from

She

stands on a fully blossomed lotus in a &tiff

17
posture.
Similar figures have been recovered

&amapada
from

the

of

from

Candraketurqarh,

Haroa,

Tamluk

and

other

sites

of
18

ancient Bengal. One interesting fragmentary plaque from Harp.a

of the Sung.a

period

visualises

full - blown

lotu&.

Another

stylistically
furnishes
lotus,

plaque

part only on

a
19
Candraketwgarh

from

century

complete form of the goddess who

holding

full-bloomed

association

establishes

lower

assignable to the first-second

obvious

her

their

of

all

identity as

lotuses
the

B.C.,

stands

on

in

figurines

Sri-Laksmi.

with
One

lotus

terracotta

20

plaque of an early age

of

the

ocean

of

depicts

the

milk by the gods

scene of 'the churning

and

the

demons',

consequent emanation of goddess Laksmi. The goddess is

seated on a lotus and fashioned according to
The
kusana

~he

figurines. One female

179

found

Sunga style.

site of Candraketugarh yields a number of

terracotta

and

divinity

Sungais

seen

standing

on a heap of paddy-stalks before

~1

the

devotees.

Another of this category

is resting her feet on a stupa-like

22
structure with punch-marked coins rolling on its surface.

One seemingly visualises the goddess as pouring coins from

23
bag.
Two

terracotta

specimens

appear

Tamralipti)

to

be

found from
of

Jamluk

considerable

ancient
in

interest

connection with the cult of Sri. One of these depicts a vase

24
The second specimen
overflowing with punch-marked coins.
from Tamluk,now in the
25
(lustration)of Laksmi.
The
associated

Asutosh Museum, illustrates

abhiseka

female divinities on terracott seals

,being

with paddy-stalk, corn, lotus, pot and coins, and

respresentation of the emergence of Laksmi by churning of the

ocean on a particular seal seem to suggest that at the
stage, the goddess of
popularity
development
from

the

than

corn and good fortune enjoyed far more

'Sakti', the war-goddess.

Later

of Eastern Indian Mediaeval School of

seventh

early

century A.D., the image

of

with

the

sculpture
Laksmi

can

hardly be traced among the stone and metal sculpture. Goddess

Laksmi

with her usual attributes may be traced only on Gupta

and post Gupta coins (upto the time of Sasanka).On the

basis

of archaeological evidences , it may be said that

Pala-

Sena

period (8th to 12th century A.D.) witnessed some of

sculptural

representations

in Bengal. The goddess is

referred to in the epigraphic

B STONE

The

the

elm. ttET AL I I"'AGES

her

often

records of Bengal.

.L

images of the female divinities recovered from

180

Bengal

may

be

namely~

studied after classifying them

(i)

under

three

heads,

(ii)Byddhist and (iii) Jaina.

Brahmanical~

Again

the images of Brahmanical and Puranic goddesses, so far found

in

Bengal,

Major,

may be studied under the following

Minor.

b)

surrounding

The

first

whom there evolved

heads

a)

includes

category

a particular cult

those

or

sect,

while those who failed to form a separate cult for themselves

belonged to the second category. The Vaisnavite
the

Sakta female divinities may be brought under

category

Saivite and
the

fir6t

. The female-divinities associated with minor

gods

like Surya and Ganapati were relegated to the minor position,

as

it has

like

been

Manasa,

Ganga,

the

pointed out above Besides,

Sasthi,

Sitala,

Matrkas,

and

deities

river-goddess

whose folk base is beyond doubt, were relegated to

secondary position from elitist point of view.

a)

IMAGES QE
The

MAJOR GODDESSES

goddesses

associated

with

Vi6nu,

literary texts as well as in some sculptural

are

Laksmi

and

sculptures,
twofold

Sarasvati.

though

aspects,viz.

few

We

find

in number,

Gaja-Laksmi and

in

different

representations

Laksmi

exhibiting

in

Bengal

herself

Laksmi-Narayana.

in
Two

26

Gajalaksmi

images

respectively.

belong

to 10th

and

11th

The goddesses are represented as being

by two elephants with upturned pitchers. In the

kavva,

written

Kamale-Kamini)
elephants,
elephant

century

in mediaeval Bengali, goddess

has

showing

been
the

portrayed
Devi

in

devouring

Image of Laksmi-Narayana, made of

181

bathed

Candimanqal@
Candi

(named

association
and

A.D.

with

eructing
black

an

basalt

stone

assignable to the Pala -Sena Age (a period

from

stretching

8th century A.D. to 12th century A.D.) was found in

27

village
the

Basta~

left

district Dacca.

thigh

Raghurampur

Laksmi

of Visnu reminds us of

images

Mahesvara

Goddess

of Bengal. The

the

typa

Visnupattas~

excavation, contain Laksmi and

with Visnu in

sitting

on

of

Uma-

found

from

Sarasvati

along

and Pritivi and Laksmi in association with

28
at Vikrampur,
in the other.
In a 5pecimen found

Visnu

one~

Dacca , Visnu is associated with Laksmi and

on

S~rasvati

his

sides, while 'Sri' is seen on the upper compartment of

29
the slab. A small copper image of Visnu along with Laksmi

both

30

and Sarasvati was recovered from Visnupur, Bankura

Visnu in

his Fish and Varaha incarnations is found accompanied by

wives~

two

sculptural

Laksmi and Sarasvati, as it is evident

representations

recoverd from

two

his

from

two

villages

of

31

Dacca

district .

Regarding

the

.image

of

Bhattasal i has observed ; "In the Catalogue of'

the

Rajshahi

Museum, three images of Sarasvati, found in the districts

of

Bogra

is

and Rajshahi~
are described. Only one of the~
32
entire" . The image of Sarasvati usually
worshipped
Bengal

corresponding the description

pust~k@-m@lika

in

-hasta

33

vina-hasta

Sarasvati, is

however

rare

in

stone or

met~l

representation of ancient Bengal.

From

sculptural representations of Bengal

it

appears

that the Sakti of Siva had been worshipped in Bengal in three

of

her

children~

forms-- neutral, accompanied by

Siva

and

with

Karttikeya and Ganesa on her lap or in half

182

her

lying

position

beside them. Numerous image& of her neutral form

both placid and terrific, are found from the

of

Bengal. The

ancient

culture-centre&

terrific form is found

in

larger

number in comparison with the placid ones. As it has

already

been said above , by the 7th century A.D. the image of

as

described in

in

Samatata

the Markandeya-Purana came to be

and

Magadha . The

eight-armed

Sakti

prominent

Sarvani

image

(octo-alloy) depicting her demon-killing aspect is found in a

village

named

inscription

It is known

Deulbadi in Tipperah.

on

the pedestal of the image that

from

the

queen

of
34

Buddhist dynasty had caused to gilt the image

It

has

with

gold.

the

goddess

been suggested that the description of

closely

that

follows

of

and

Ambika,Kshemankari

Bhadra-Durga,

Vedagarbha,

Saradatilaka

!antra

this

of the goddess has been

aspect

as

Bhadra-Kali,
found

the

in

of much later date. The Bihar image

designated

as

of

"Durga

3~

killing a demon " by

deity

is

Stella

Kramrisch

and the

found standing on the head of a demon.

two-armed
One

early

interesting specimen in found in the Vaital temple (A.D. 775)

at

Bhubanesvar,

surrounded

Orissa, where the central goddess

by

four

Durga(four-armed),

other

prominent

Ardhanarisvara,

deities

is
such

Sapta-matrkas

seen
as
and

36

Camunda

The
The

found

have

goddess,

far,

goddess

is

terrible-looking.

ninth century Mahisamardini image,

at

is known to have hailed from

least

belonging

five
to

or
the

183

six
tenth

images
century

only

one

of
37
Darjeeling, showing her fighting aspect in a graceful fashion.

We

so

eight-armed

of

village

the
A.D.

warriorA

very

interesting
goddess

stone

sculpture

representing

the

slaying the demon 'Mahisa' was recovered

ten-armecl
Dulmi

fro~

38

in Manbhum district. The

goddess

is

shown

in pratyelidha

pose with her right hand and left legs planted firmly on
lion

and buffalo respectivly She carries in her ten

(piercing

trisula

the

neck

tanka, Sara, Khadqa, dhanu,

of

parasy,

the

demon),

ankusa,

the
hands

KhetAka,

naqapasa

and

39

sucimudra.
image,

black - stone

The

similar

in

composition,

eleventh
considered
metal
in

bears

on

the

12th

A.D. A specimen of Orissan sculpture of

the

tenth-

century
as

found

in

from

remarkable

characters

Kitching,

piece

of

MayurbhanJ,
40
this series.

piece of the same period was recovered 1'rom a

Dinajpur, where the goddess is found

standing

with

deserve
alloy

arms,

his

and the goddess named Simhavahini found

43
our
attention in this connection.

Ambika,

hailing

from

Paharpur

of

human

a tn-armed

in Mahisamardini form is found from Sundarban

42
Bengal, the arms being broken off. The

Sarvani

One

village

twelve

mount lion, while the demon is seen here in

41
from.
An imperfect sculpture, in granite, of

West

is

in alidha pose, with her right foot on the back

her

Durga

pedestal

the
of

inscription,Sri-Masika-Candi
century

Mahishamardini

ten-armed

and

from
The

(Rajshahi),

in

Malda
octothough

couchant lion serves as her seat , has a baby on hr lap

and

anothE't"

black stone Ambika (four-armed)

bears
similar
44
characteristics. A number of Mahisamardini
images are
found

from different places of Bankura and now preserved

in

the Vangiya Sahitya Parisat Museum, calcutta. From an ancient

184

Jain culture centre on the bank of the river Kumari, a

temple

has
early mediaeval image of
an
45
installed A fine specimen of eight-armed
made

the

goddess

Mahisamardini

of black stone is now preserved in the Vangiya

Parisat

Museum,

small

Visnupur ( Bankura district )

Sahitya

and

remains

unpublished (Plate III Fig-1). A number of Mahisamardini

yet

image of the Pala-Sena period are known to be still worshipped

46
in some villages of Dacca,Faridpur,Tipperah and BackarganJ,as
family or village deities. In this connection, mention may be
made

of

the relief of Nava-Durga (nine-Durgas)

Porsa, Dinajpur, which

eighteen - armed

is

central

rare

figure

is

goddesses

surrounding

Rudracanda,

Pracanda,

Candogra,

twelfth

Candarupa

century

Darjeeling

which

Ugracanda
the

is

found

yielded

and

central

from

the

The
other

one

Candanayika,

and Aticandika. One fine

A.D.

from

47
instance in Bengal.

sixteen-armed

Candavati,

found

are

Canda,

specimen

same

of

place

ninth-century

in

image

of

48

Mahisamardini.
have

Three

Mahisamardini

images

are

known

been worshipped in three villages of Dacca in the

to
name

49

of

Candi

(inscribed) during

the

reign

of

the

Sen a

kings.
The wide distribution of the Mahisamardini images

from

Darjeeling in the North to Sundarban in the south and Manbhum

in
that

the south-west to Samatata in the east,makes

the

it

obvious

war-goddess, whatever her name might be

widest popularity since an early period and this is

probably

the reason why in mediaeval Bengal she was rcognised as

national deity.
185

the

the

However
Parvati,

Gauri~

well-known

in

goddess in her placid

Candi(not killing demon)

A

Bengal

remarkable

forms

such

as

Ambika

and
number

of

was

images

representing her placid aspect are found.in the collection of

the

museums

of West Bengal.

The images of this

type

represented as two cr four-armed, with either lion or

are

iguana

(godhika), being accompanied by Karttikeya and Ganesa or

two

female attendants, standing or seated The best specimen

Bengal school , belonging to the 11th century A.D.
the

, shows on

right of the Goddess Karttikeya, with two lions

him,

and on the left Ganapati, with two

of

beneath

antelopes.

There

are plantain trees on either side, and the miniature

figures

of the Navagraha and of the donors.

The ninth-century specimen of this series, was found
Bholahat,

Rajsahi

and is illustrated in

the

Malda

from
Museum

50

Catalogue.

The

standing

goddess

is

found accompanied

by

bull (mount of Siva), lion and a linga (reprsenting Siva).

51
Two
images ,
one
from
Mangalbari (Dinajpur) and
the
other

large stone figure of

and

Ganesa,

latter
school

one
of

'Gauri',
the

Parvati attended by Karttikeya

52
from (Rajshahi), are
good
specimens.
The

is said to be the best evidence

of

the

Bengal

art. Two eleventh-century specimens designated

discovered

at a later period and now

remaining

as
in

State Gallery of Archaeology, West Bengal Bovt,.is yet to

be published. The Birpur(Mursidabad) specimen (Plate-III,Fig-2)

is accompanied by Karttikeya

and

Ganesa,

and

the

(district not mentioned) specimen is found as having an iguana

carved on

its

pedestal (Plate-III, Fig-3) Another interesting

186

unpublished

image is

Ambikanagar,
Parisat

Bankura

Museum.

attended

the pedestal

and

The

by two

properly

found

from
now

remains in the Vangiya

goddess

female

and

is

the~e

is found

with

heavy

of

Sahitya
breasts,

standing on lotus-pedestal. Below

carved

(Plate~III

identified

the Jaina culture centre

image

Fig-4).

of

an

animal,

not

The characteristics of

local art are found prominent.

Of
goddess

the

on

images of the benign

Nowgong

form of

this

Bengal, some deserve our attention

image
of
53
lion. Seated

well-decorated

from

from

found

seated

seated

(Rajshahi)

Parvati found from Bogra

four-armed

Devi

with Karttikeya and

was

is

found

discovered

Ganesa on either

54

side.

She

holds

bhringara. She is
Aoarajita

of

by a

stone

sand

showing the

in

her

hands

identified as
the

pevipurana

specimen

attributes of

(9th

padma,

~'

trisult

and
55
Devi.

Sarvamangala aspect of
appears

to

century)

be

represented

from

Niyamatpur

the goddess as yar9, sword,

shield

56

and

trident

known as
still

held

mutilated

stone

the

ruins

reports

one

ancient

ruins

temple.

The

preserves
and

four

hands

A six-armed goddess

Bhuvanesvari

worshipped

from

in her

image

rep~esenting

of

Mahasthan

goddess Candi was found

58
59
( Bogra ). Bhattasali

four-armed unique image of Candi found from

of

Rampal ( Dacca ),and now

Vangiya

one fine

another

belongs to the Pala-sena period and is

57
at a
village (Sekhati) of Jessore. One

slab

Sahitya

image of

Parisat

Candi

found

of pot-stone containing

Durga, bearing trident and

worshipped

Museum,
from
seated

in

Calcutta,
60
Dinajpur
image

emrta-bhanda in two of her

187

the

of

hands

61

(found

at a time
were

found

from

Calcutta).

Three images of Parvati

from Malda and are now preserved

in

the

Malda

62

One

Museum.
lion

and

peculiar

iguana

image

representing Candi with

was found from

village

in

both

Jalpaiguri

63

district
this

and is

preserved

in

Museum.

Some

type have been reported by Bhattasali as

images

of

preserved

in

the Museum and being worshipped by local people in some parts

64

of

Dacca.

In

this

connection

we may refer to

seated

image of twenty-armed goddess with various attributes (fruit,

boon, protection, discus, sword, pestle, arrow etc.) showing
a

miniature

identified

Linga

by

on

its

Gopinath

head,

which

tentatively

is

Rao as Mahalaksmi.

It

is

rare

specimen in Bengal discovered from a village of Rajshahi.

The
during
of
the

terrific

that the

goddess

had

taken

battle with the great demons may be considered

One

these forms is Camunda, who is also recognised as one

saptamatrkas.

representations
Camunda

skeleton
skulls,

the

goddess

by

of

little

sculptural

different

names

Rudra-Carcika,

characteristics

variations

Dantura,

like

Siddha-

Siddha-Camunda,
in

however,

those
all

the

image.

on
The

same,

as

body with eight arms, red sunken eyes,

garland

of

matted hair and posture of standing on a

corpse

in

cases.

are,

of

different

Rupavidya,Rudra-Camunda and

consideration
general

of

Scholars identify

,Bhadrakali,

Yogesvari,

some

forms

Her ornaments are made of bones, she

is

often

clothed in tiger-skin, her complexion is dark and her laugh is

horrible. Since

the ninth-century A.D.we find her sculptural

representation. The earliest image of Camunda has been yielded

188

from

Itahar,

Dinajpur

(Plate IV, Fig.5). The

four-armed

seated goddess is seen resting her right leg on a lying human

body.

The

tenth century Camunda image was also

found

from

North Bengal and included in the Catalogue of the Malda

65
Museum. Of the three images of Camunda of the eleventh
66
found from Malda, another from
century
A.D., one was
67
Dinajpur and the findspot of the third one (Plate IV,fig.6)now
in

not

the State Gellery of Archaeology, West Bengal

recorded.

The

Dinajpur

specimen

is

Govt.,

styled

Dantura,

looking grim with extremly emaciated body. One such image

Dantura

was

from

recovered

the

village

is

of

Attahasa ,

68

Burdwan. It

is

marvelously

sculpture.

Vangiya

Sahitya

( Bankura),

has

image of

one

well-executed

Parisat

piece

Museum,

Camunda

in

Vishnupur

its

collection,

discovered from Bankura district (Plate IV, Fig.7) but

remains unpublished.

In

according

Bengal

such

ass-riding Camunda

in

is
the

of the RaJshahi Museum is designated as pisit@sana

to

resemblance
designate

still

this representation the goddess

found riding on an ass. One

collection

of

the Matsya-Purans (261/33-37 ). On the basis of

in

respect

Bankura
'Sitala'

~ardabhavahini

Rudracarcika

the

specimen as
(goddess

of

ass-mount,

'pisitasAna'.,
small - pox)

we

may

also

although

in

known

as

is

(riding on ass).

six-armed

of

found

miniature
from

of

Dinajpur

the
is

goddess

found

styled

on

seated

69

prostrated corpse. The

forms

of

Camunda are found illustrated in

Rudra-Camunda

and

Siddha-

the District gazetteer

of

70

Birbhum.

The

former

is

known
189

to

be

worshipped

in

village with the local name of 'Fulesvari Devi'

Rupavidya

71

was

found

from

Siddha-Yogesvari

Betna, Dinajpur.

Twelve

armed

in greyish black-stone was found

dancing
somewhere

1'2

in

the

of

ruins

Rampal

in

Dacca.

Excavation

Raghurampur yielded
jackal

a mutilated stone image of D--.ntura with a

73
a lying corpse. Another variety of the image

eating

represents

inseparability
Such

and

Siva

together

Sakti

of Purusa and Prakrti of the

Kalyana-Sundara

Ardhanarisvara,
number of

half-male

sculptural

However,

we

the

ancient

interesting

depicts

stone Linga (phallus), out of

figure

ruins

The

We

have

of

compostie

growth

which

which

e~ergas

the

goddess,
identified by
74
Bhairavi, a Tantric
form

of anthropomorphic representation

leaning

to erotic sentiment

Such an image
in

the

enthusiastically
Tripura-

image

Vikrampura,

for

of

Siva

Parvati

vigorously prominent in some of the conjugal images of

given

goddess.

fervent

Parvati.

the

of a four-armed

scholars as Mahamaya or Tripura

the

in

representations of this type in Bengal.

may begin with an

half-length

Uma-Mahasvara,

and half-female form.

from

the

system.

or Vaivahika culminated

discovered

with

Samkhya

images variantly styled as Hara-Parvati,

Siva-Durga,

of

representing

Kalika-Purana
on

Sundari

corresponds to the

Uma

the lap of her consort

of the Tantric text. An

Siva-

description

(ch.6).

is

as

seated

resembles

excellent

image

with
bronze

of this type assigned to the period of Devapala

75
century A.D.)
found form Kurkihar, is notable
for

(9th

artistic

from

form

An image of this category

190

was

found

its

Boram,

Purulia,and

Gallery

of

is now in the collection

Archaeology,

assigned

to

remains

yet

West

Bengal

of

Govt.

the

The

century A.D.(Plate VII, Fig.

1~th

unpublished.

In this

connection

we

reference to a (upper portion mutilated ) sandstone

looking
both
the

State

image

is

18)

and

may

make

sculpture

very simple (Plate VII, Fig.19). The face-cutting

of

the god and the goddess is very much similar to that

of

tribal people living in the Chotanagpur area

sculptural

representation of Ardhanarisvara

Dacca and is preserved

the

in

Only

one

was

found from
76
Museum. Although

Rajshahi

the image is mutilated, the contrast of the male and female in

either parts of the body is evident.
Another
seated

female

Linga on
A

from

divinities ( Candi) are found

its

number

four

sides

and

styled

to

the

sites
9th

in

Four

surrounding

Caturmukha

of sculptural representation of this

different

assigned
this

variety of the composite aspect is unique.

Linga

type,

found

North
Bengal,
are
77
A.D.
Recently, an image of

century

type was found from a village is south 24- Parganas

and

78

scholars assign it to the Sena period

Another

type

in

this composite category

is

known

as

'Kalyanasundara'or Vaivahika form. A number of images of this

79

type were

collected

from

Dacca

and

Bogra. The

depict a scene of Siva's marriage with Parvati. One

specimen

found

Stuard Bridge
Goddess
herself

from Eastern India,is

Collection
Durga

of

the

British

or Parvati in her

now

191

artistic

preserved

Museum,

mother-form

accompanied by her sons Karttikeya and

specimens

in
80
London.

exhibits

Ganesa

and

81

this

type

slabs

representing

carved

is

styled

as

this

Sadyojata. Generally
aspect

are marked

the

stone

linqa

with

above the half-lying goddess. From thP find-spots

this type of images it appears that this form of the

of

goddess

was popular mainly in the Varendri region.

b)

lt1AGES QE. MINOR GODDESSES 1

Side

by side with the development of the great

goddess

in her multifarious forms, some minor female divinities

found

recognition in Bengal. Although a number

of

separate

reliefs representing the Dikpalas, Indra, Agni, Varna,

and

Kuvera,

have

representions

been

of

in

Bengal,

their female-consorts

consort

Indrani,

discovered

Indra,

of

are

has

Varuna

sculptural

rarely

few

found.

sculptural

representations, like Brahman!, female energy of god

Indrani

and

Brahmani

are included in

the

also

list

Brahma.
of

seven

mothers Among the minor sectarian Gods, Ganapati has hardly

any female-consort represented in sculptures, while Surya
sometimes found accompanied by two arrow-shooting
Usha

and

Pratyusha. In the Pala period,

found with Sanga

Images
stone

of

slab

Museum.
Brahman!

~nd

Surya

is

goddesss,
images

are

Chhaya, two consorts of the god.

Sapta-matrkas( seven mothers ) carved

are

found in the

metal

slab has

collection
on

it

of

three

the

on

Rajshahi

mothers,Kaumari,

and Vaisanvi. A stone slab having five

mothrs

is

82

preserved

in

sometimes

represented

Indrani

Malda

Museum.

But

separately

the
We

mothers
have

riding on elephant found from a village

an

were
image

in

of

Bankura

and now in the collection of Visnupur Vangiya Sahitya Parisat

192

Museum

(Plate V, Fig. 9), although the upper portion of

the

83

image

is

mutilated.

worshipped

in

Varahi images
from

the

temple of Siva at

Indrani

Kurmun,

is

West

Dvarvasini,Hooghly, and

Dinajpur

(Plate V, Fig.

still

Burdwan.

have come to our notice so far. One

village

Bahirha,

A fine specimen of

the

was found

other
An

11).

Two

from

image

of

84

Brahmani

of the

Nadiya.

An

Pala-Sena period was found

goddess

unidentified

with

from

Devagram,

some

peculiar

85

characteristics
bellied
hand.

is

now

in the

Malda

Museum. The

pot-

goddess is found holding a fish in her proper

It might be reasonably considered as a

local

right
Tantric

female-deity. Visnupur Vangiya Sahitya Parie.at Museum has two

such

images

which remain unidentified and may be

taken

some local deities (Plate VII ,Fig. 20, Plate VIII, Fig.

as
21),

although the museum authority thinks the latter as Cunda.

Among
prominent
Manasa.

the

minor or folk deities of

position

number

might be ascribed to
of

sculptural

goddess have been found from

iconographic
thus

Bengal,
the

features of the snake-goddess may be

the

with

hoods of seven snakes spread over her

left

hand

holding the eighth

~'

her right

the

holds a fruit, and she is attended

four-handed

variety of the

image,

bronze image of Manasa found from Rajshahi

The

lalitasant
head,

all

her

in

the

either

male person.

rosary,

pitcher and manuscript are held in her four hands An

193

this

described

hand

side by a seated emaciated figure and a crowned

In

of

different parts of Bengal.

pose

pose

most

snake-goddess

representations

the goddess is seated on a lotus in

varada

the

snake,
early

shows a child

on

her

left

lap

and is now preserved in

the

Indian

Museum,

Calcutta.

The Dacca Museum specimens are found to have usual

86
iconographic traits. The inscribed image recovered from
Bangarh is an excellent specimen in this series. Five

Manasa

87

images

are

in

the

collection

of the

Malda

Museum

slightly mutilated sand-stone image of Manasa (Plate V,

10),

found from Khatra, Bankura, is preserved in

Gallery

of

inscribed

Archaeology, West Bengal

image

Govt.,

was found from Paikore,

the

State

sculptures

inferior

of

Manasa

(lower

portions

is

sand-

broken),

type, are in the collection of the Vangiya

Parisat Museum, Visnupur (Plate

One

and

assigned to the reign of the Sena King Vijayasena. Two

stone

Fig.

Calcutta.

Birbhum,

of

Sahitya

VIII, Figs. 22, & 23).

Images of Sasthi are rare in Bengal,probably due to

reason

that

symbols
Two

represented

like earthen pot or a piece of stone under

images, assigned to the period within the

A.D.

,may be recorded One was found

the

other

information
of

the goddess in generally

from Bihar

Madanapaladeva

shows

its

installation

(A.D.1144-1158).

a goddess with

some
tree.

12th century
88
Rajshahi
and

from
89
an inscription, furnishing

with

regarding

by

the

child on

during

The

the

Rajshahi
90
her lap
The

the
reign

specimen
mount

of

the goddess is a cat looking upwards

The river goddess Ganga

used

to

be

worshipped by the

people of Bengal whose life was affected by the

destructive

benign

and

aspects of the river An image of

century A.D.), was found

from

Ganga (12th
91
Deopara, Rajshahi.
Another

image was discovered from Bhadrasila, West Dinajpur (Plate X,

194

Fig

29

shows

).

The image of the goddess

hailing

irom

Jessore

standing on her vehicle Makara, carrying a garland

pearls

with both hands and being accompanied by

nagini

on

either side

four-armed

variety

of
and

, dated

12th century A.D., was found at Triveni (Hooghly). Again, the

basement

sculpture No.23 in the Paharpur depicts the goddess

Yamuna standing on a tortoise , with her right hand

92
a lotus and her left hand holding a lotus

touching

IMA6ES QE. 8UDDH I ST GODDESSES ..t

Mahayana-Vajrayana

The
deities

for whom there

Apart

descriptions.
(Dacca,Faridpur,

Buddhism,

includes

are prescribed
from

the

dhyanas

Chattagram,Sylhet,

Comilla),

or

districts

Barisal,BackarganJ),and
the

numerous
image-

of

Van gil

Samatata(Tipperah,

districts

of

Burdwan,

Birbhum,and Murshidabad in Radha,those of Rajshahi, Bogra and

Malda

in

Bhagalpur
number

Varendri, and Nalada, Bihar-sarif, Patna, Gaya and

lying

Magadha-

Anga regions

yielded

of Mahayana female divinities. Most of

correspond

to

the

Nispannayogavali,

descriptions
although

of

the

large

these

images

Sadhanamala

local variations in

some

and
cases

can hardly be overlooked.

For an iconographic study of the Buddhist goddesses
have to take into account not only Eastern Indian

we

sculptures
93

but

also

paintings, compiled and edited

by

S.K.Sarasvati.

Nos.202-Mahasri Tara, 203-Mahasitavti,205-Mahamantranusarini

, 206 - Mahasahasrapramardini,
Nairatmayogini,265

245 - Mahapratisara ,

and 269-Mahamayuri,

268-Tara-ware

260found

from Eastern India and are preserved now in the collection of

19~

the Victoria and Albert Museum, London,in the Manuscript

Astasahasrika
copied

in

Prajnaparamita, No.L.S.4-1958

the

year

36 of the

reign

to

of

of

L.S.10-195B

the

Pala

ruler

Ramapala.
The advent of the chief Buddhist goddess Tara
during

the

century
94
of Tara is

representation
temple
might

at

found

first

sculptural

from the ruins of a Gupta

Karnasuvarna (Rajbadidanga, Murshidabad)

be

between

The

A.D.

7th

occurred

considered as a production of
the

intermidiary

stage

art

of Amoghasiddhi), also known as Syama-Tara(of green

one of the commonest
seated

colour),

varieties of such images, is

or standing, holding a blue

generally

lotus

in

hand, and accompanied by Asokakanta (Marici) and Ekajata.

image

it

of the Gupta age and the Eastern Indian

95
School of sculpture. Khadiravani-Tara (emanation

Mediaeval

depicted

and

of this variety, dated in the 12th century

A.D.,

her
An
was

96

found at Sompara(Dacca)
The first image of Tara belonging to the Pala period was
found

from

Hilsa

(Bihar) bearing

the

epithet

gm

Tare

tuttara Ture Sv4ha and an inscription of the 35th regnal year

97
of Devapala. Another ninth century A.D. image of Tara was
found from Mangalbari, Dinajpur and a tenth-century specimen
98
hailed from Rajshahi The Dacca Museum specimens include
an image of Vajratara (Tara of yellow colour) recovered fro
99
a tank in Faridpur , showing a Tantric mandtla that is

sysmbolised
an

by a full-blown lotus.Vajratara is known to

emanation

temple-site

of Dhyani Buddha Ratnasambhava.

of

Bhagalpur

(Bihar)
196

an

image

From
of

an

be
old

Vajratara

accompanied
found. The
early

by

nine Brahmanical and

image is

dated in

Buddhist

deities was
100
century A.D. Two

the tenth

mediaeval images of Tara (inscribed) were

found

from

Chittagong,

one stone bas-relief and the other bronze

101
covered with silver-leaf.
The

Vangiya

Sahitya

Parisat

image

Museum,Calcutta,

has

number
of

of images of Tara, mainly found from different sites

102
Bihar. Two inscribed images of Tara, one belonging to

the

reign

century

of Mahendrapaladeva(Pratihara

A.D.)

of

9th-10th

other belonging to the reign

103
(A.D. 1077- 1130), were found from Bihar.

Ramapala
One

and

king

the

four-headed

image

of Vajratara,

was

found

of

from

Baragram, Birbhum, is a fine specimen of early sculplture of

104
Bengal. The State Gallery of Archaeology, West Bengal
Govt. preserves an image hailing from Lohapur,Birbhum. It
dated

10th

seated

goddess

Lalitasana on a full-blown lotus

in

very benign
hands

century A.D. The three-faced

found

is

representing

aspect(Plate V, fig.12). Unfortunately, all

are found broken. From ancient

is

a
the

Samatata an octo-alloy

image was found and tentatively identified as Sitatapatra(the

105
goddess of white parasol).
It is now preserved in the
Dacca
Tara

Museum. The Dacca Museum also has some other forms

as

Bhrkuti

Brahmanical god
handed,
the

Tara (a terrible
Ganesa). The image

aspect
is

suppressing

the

three-headed,eight-

seated in the yirasana pose, with Ganesa

pedestal

of

and Dhyani Buddha Amitabha in its

carved

on

crown.

An

interesting image of Tara with five miniature Dhyani

Buddhas

round

village

her

head

was
197

found

from

the

Vajrayogini(Vikrampur) and
106
Dayaganj, Dacca.

is now preserved at the Svamibag,

Parnasabari, ( Sabara woman wearing apron of leaves), is

a

prominent

female

divinity

pantheon, is considered as
Parnasabari
'Jiyas

of

the

form

Mahayana
Buddhist
107
Tara. Two images of

of

were found in Dacca by Bhattasati, one known

Thakurani

at

a village and

the

other

found

as
from

Vajrayogini, Vikrampur, and now remaining fixed in a wall of

108
Dacca. The three-headed and six-handed
a Kali temple,
Goddess

holds VaJrt ,parasu and sara in her right hands,and

tarjani,

dhanu and parnapichchhika in the left onas. Of

miniature
section

figures
of

Buddhist

of

the five DhyaniBuddhas

on

the

the

top

the prabhavali, the central one is Amoghasiddhi.

solar goddess Marici (manifested from Tara) may

considered

as the Buddhist
109
'Maricimali, who
is not a

counterpart
female

Brahmanical

of
not

and

be

associated

with pig. It may be assumed reasonably that the concept of

female

form

of

Surya

syncretism

between

sculptures

of

this

originated out

the Saktas

deity

representing
Gallery

at

Marici

and

of an ideology of
110
Sauras. Some of stone

goddess were found

(Faridpur)
region, and
111
Museum, and
Rajshahi
household

mainly

are now preserved in

112
Museum, while one was

Tipperah. A

beautifully

from

Vanga

the

Dacca

found as a

carved

is now in the collection of

image

the

of Archaeology, West Bengal Govt. It was found

State
from

Dinajpur(Plate VI, Fig.13).The Dacca Museum specimen, hailing

from

Ujani(Faridpur)

and datable in the

A.D.

represents Marici with three faces, the left

198

11th-12th

century

~ne

being

that

of a

sow ,

asokaleat,

suci,

eight

hands

holding vaJrA ,ankusa ,sara,

dhanu, pasa, and a tarJani pose, with the

figure of her spiritual father (Ohyani Buddha Vairocana)

her

headdress, and riding in pratyalidha pose on

drawn

by

seven pigs, driven by the charioteer

accompanied

by

four

subsidiary
113
Vadali, Varali and Varahamukhi.
Buddhist goddess

Hariti,

goddesses,

the

chariot

Rahu.She
viz.

protector

on

of

is

Varttali

child like

Sasthi,is rarely represented in stone or metal in early mediaeval Bengal.Only two specimens come to our notice, one from
114
115
Dacca
the
other
from
Nalimda.
The latter is
and
shown as carrying a child on her lap, and the former holds

fish and a drinking bowl.

The

attributes

of

Buddhist

goddess

Vasudhara

are

PhanyamanJari (sheaf of corn), RatnamanJari(sheaf of jewells),

Bhadraqhata
showing

(auspicious jar full

or

showering

of wealth) and varad@ pose

116
treasures
The
sculptural

representation of this goddess is not found in Bengal proper,

but

the adjacent areas of Bihar and Nepal yielded a

number

of sculptures of this goddess.

Among

the

twelve Dhranigoddesses

Nispannayogavali,Cunda
single
with
regnal

image
an

described

in

the

acquires the eighth position. 9n1y

of Cunda was found from

Kurkihar,

Bhagalpur,

inscription recording its erection in the

117
year of Mahipala-1. But that the worship of

31st
this

goddess was prevalent in the Samattlta region :is evident from

118
the
label
of a manuscript
which reads as Pattiktre
cunda vara bhavane cunda i.e., "Cunda in the
199

E~xcellant

temple

of Cunda at Pattikera". Pattikera is identified with a place

119
in Tipperah district.
This is a sixteen armed figure of
the

goddess,

while

an

century)

of the goddess was found from

120
and is now in the Rajshahi Museum.
Vagisvari'

Buddhist

reign

Niyamatpur(Rajshahi)

is the female counterpart of Vagisvra,

deity of knowledge. In Eastern India only an

designating
the

representation(9th

eighteen-armed

the
image

itself as 'Vagisvari' waa found and assigned to

121
of Gopala II
The four-armed deity seated on a

lion is shown engaged in pulling off the tongue of two demons

with

forcep. The attributes and attitude do not

match

with

the world of knowledge.

The

goddess

Prajnapgramita

occupies

very

exalted

position in the Buddhist pantheon. She is believed to be

personification

of

'transcendental

knowledge'

and

the

female

energy of the Bodhisattva Manjusri. Her image is rarely found

in Bengal. One was found during the Raghurampur excavation at
.
122
Dacca and
by
noticed
Bhattasali , who expresses doubt
about

the

proper

identification of

the

goddess.

Another

image,

properly identified, remains in the ~lda Museum and

123
is illustrated in
the Catalogue The two-armed deity is
found
five
She

seated on
miniature

full-blown lotus in a meditative pose

dhyani

Buddhas

are

and

seen carved around her.

is shown seated in padmasana ,both of her

hands

placed

against her breast, the right in the Vyakhyana and the leftin
the Jnana-mudra holding the book AstasahasrikaPreJnaparamit4.
The

goddess is painted in bright

the MSS., of the Prajnaparamita.

200

and variegated colours

on

In

the

Vajrayana-Tantrayana pantheon,

protective
Buddhist

goddesses(Panca-raksa),
householders. They arr

Mahasahasrapramardini.
They

are

in

bP!ieved

worshipper

from
being

every

Mahamayuri,

Mahamantranusarini.

mystic

spells.

that their worship could usher in timely

people

$~Ve

Mahapratisara,

Mahasitavati and

five

to

v~nerable

the five deified

f~ct

are

'th~re

It

rain

is
and

droughts,
a

and ultimate gain for

the
124
harvest An image of Mahamayuri

good

is

datable to the eighth c~ntury A.D. was found from

125
126
Nalanda and Bhattasali noticed
one Mahapratiaara image
worshipped

being

in

family

of

Dacca 'town.

He

found

striking resemblances between the images of BhrikutiTara

~nd

Mahapratisara The latter, dated in the 11th century A.D. is

in

the

Dacca Museum But scarcity of

sculptures

of

type, is compensated by the paintings of 'Pancaraksa

'on

the

manuscripts

collected

from

this

mandala

Nalanda(12th

centry

A.D.,Mahamayuri),Dacca (12th century A.D. Mahapratisara)

127
Nepal (A.D.
1120, Mahapratisara) The
Pancaraksamand9la
inscription

and

dated

Mahamantranusarin!
14th

regnal

year

were
of

and
of

with

an
128
Nayapaladeva.

IMAGES DE JAINA GQDDESS

In

some

districts of West Bengal, situated near

the

Jaina

centre of Paresnath (Chotanagpur plateau), Jaina images

found.

Mrs.

Debala Mitra during her official

Bankura district

tour

in

were
the

noticed some images of Jaina goddesses An

image of the chief Jaina goddess Ambika , belonging to

early

mediaeval

named

period, was found in a temple of a

201

village

Ambikanagar,

situated

at the confluence of the

Kumari

and

129

Kangsavati

rivers

Sasanadevi

or

Ambika

Sakti

is

recogni.sed

or Yaksini of

Tirthankar

Neminatha.

Ruins of another Jaina temple were found in the

named

Barkola,

Purulia, which yielded an

image

village

of

by

Parsvanatha

with serpent-hood is found to have on its,

carved

image of Visnu

accompanied

An

Ambikt

accompanied

side

other images of Tirthankaras.

the

as

by

image

of
back

Laksmi

and

Sarasvati.
A notable numbe.

of images of Jaina deities

discovered

at a later date, mainly from villages of Bankura and adjacent

areas are now preserved in the Vangiya Sahitya Parisat Museum
Visnupur.

Most

of

these

images

remain

unidentified

of

Jaina

female

divinitie

and

unpublished.
Two

types

independent
number
heads

and associated with respective

are

found,

Tirthankaras.

of Yaksini images symbolised by Kalpavrksa

were found (Plate VI,Fig 16; Plate

VIII~

on

their

Fig 24, Plate-

IX,Fig 25,26).The seated images associated with a male partner,

are

found

with a child

on the lap of the goddess (Plata VI,

Fig 15, Plate IX, Fig 27,28 ). In

female
may

one

of

them the male

are seen as holding babies in their laps.

be

tentatively called as

~eminatha-Amqika

This
or

and
type

Kyvera-

Hariti or Yaksa-Yaksini.
Two
(Plate

similar

independent

images

of a female

VII, Fig.17), found from Paresnath,show ome

deity

peculiar

characteristics. The ten-armed three faced image of a goddess

is

shown

as

standing on a corpse or a

202

living

human.

The

weapons

are not very clear. It might be some

Jaina

Tantric

goddess or Mahavidya.
The

Visnupur Museum has another interesting image

which

is still unidentified still(Plate VII,Fig.14). The eight-armed

(with

weapons)

resting
might

her

goddess, having a placid attltude,

is

right leg on a bird looking like falcon

be a peacock). An animal looking like a lion

beside

goddess.

the

She

might
or

Anantanatha(cognizance-falcon)

be

the

might

found
(or

is

it

found

Sasaoadevi
be

of

Yaksini

of

Sumatinatha named Ankusa (cognisance-Krauncha,i.e., large size

heron),
whose

or

she

might

be

is

not

be

cognizance

identification
iconographic
Prajnapti.
peacock,

may
features

the

Jaina
130
peacock
decisive,

goddess
But
because

the

last

the

other

'dhyana'

of

whose

vehicle

is

but the weapons are not matching with a

goddess

of

She

might

do not accorded with the

Prajnapti

be Jaina Sarasvati

learning. If the bird would be accepted as peacock, the

image

might be Buddhist Mahamayur1 or Brahmanical Kaumari (akti

of

Karttikeya) one of the seven-mothers.

A unique bronze miniature found at Halgora (24-Parganas)
represents

female- deity

standing on a

lotus

underneath

bent

bow of a tree, clasping a child on her waist

with

left

hand, and holding some in her right, with another

her
nude

child standing close to her on her right. Near the bottom

of

the

to

be

tree is the miniature figure of a lion which appears

her cognisance It most probably represents

Kusmandini

or Ambika, the Yakshini of Neminatha, her cognisances being a

203

131
lion and two children.
An

analysis of the iconographic types of

Brahmanical,

Buddhist and Jaina goddesses indicates a trend towards

exchange,

from

the

available texts, especially the Puranas, that an image of

the

Mother-goddess had been standardized sometime between the

6th

and

9th

assume

assimilation

century

and synthesis. It

Therefore, it would be

A.D.~

that the iconographic type of the

borrowed

prescribing

while

reasanable

Buddhist

goddesses,

Sadhinamalt or the

the

meditation

incorporated

the

goddesses
the

~ispannayogtvali,

forms

Tantric

inherent in the Vajrayana- Mahayana

of

(dhyana~)

elements

the
were

which

Buddhist faith. The basic

behind the artistic creation of the form of the

was

to

from the prior form and content of the image of

goddess. Of course the

idea

appears

mutu.l

goddess

not remarkably changed. We may in this connection draw

comparison

between the image of the Puranic goddess Candi

Mahlsamardini
goddesses

Marici

manifestations
held

in

their

on the one hand and the images of the

and

of

Parnasabari

who

the hands of Candi, Marici and

The

to

be

attributes

Parnasabari

belligerent mood. Again the fearful aspects

or

Buddhist

are supposed

the supreme goddess Tara.

suggest

which

are

often found in the Tantric Buddhist goddesses may be traced in

different

manifestations

Ugracanda,

Candogra etc.

iconographical
the

difficult

in

Camunda

like

Rudracanda,

So far as Tantric elements

represen~ation

examples of the

culminated

of

in

are concerned, we may also

Yuganaddha images of Siva-Parvati

the form of Ardhanarisvara.

It

is

site

which

therefore

to ascertain to what extent Buddhist mysticism

204

the

was

indebted

to

Brahmanical

Tantricism

because

it

has

been

suggested by some scholars that Buddhist Tantricism might have

started
other

the

process of TantriKisation of Bengal

words

the 'Tantrayana art .Whatever

art

that

or

in

might

be

there is least doubt about the fact that there was a

constant

process of give and take between the Brahmanical and

Buddhist

art

and iconography. The Jainas seem to have adopted

in Bengal at a
The

late~

stage, as it has been pointed out

Sasanadevis, Yaksinis and Mahavidyas of the

hardly

introduced

distinguished
iconographic
attributes,
maintained

an iconographic standard

from

~s

above.

Jainas

which

the Brahmanical and.Buddhist

might
norms.

norms are to be measured by gestures,

and

Saktism

mounts or cognisances. All these

the characteristic features of the

have
be
The

postures,
have
images

been
of

divinities through the ages. Among the Jaina goddesses Ambika,

the

female consort of Neminatha, holds the premier

position.

The characteristic iconographic feature of the goddess is

her

association

her

waist.

with a child seated either on the lap or

This feature may be traced in the images of

in
Gauri

or

Parvati accompanied by her two children Karttikeya and Ganesa.

The

iconographic

types

known

as

Sadyojat~

may

also

considered in this connection. However in course of time

conceptually
Buddhist

and iconographically Puranic Durga or

Tara

and Jaina Ambika was synthesised to

be
both

Parvati,
form

the

popular concept of Great Mother goddess in Bengal.

So
Bengal

is

far as the evolution of the image of Durga

concerned,

it

may

be

held

that

the

imagination that created image forms of the different

205

in

artists'
aspects

of the goddess to suit the local needs and taste in

different

centuries seem to have been combined to give a final shApe

Devi

Durga as she is popularly known in Bengal. From the

century
the

onwards we have specimens of the imAges

goddess

by

identified

with

Sarasvati and Laksmi, as the

goddess

found

to be either a couchant lion

or

is

species

by

accompanied

mount

and Ganesa or

9th

representing

goddess as the killer of the demon MahlsA, as

Karttikeya

to

two

of a rectile. In some specimens of images

goddesses
whose

iguana,
the

upper

part of the stone slab on which a goddess is sculptured are to

be

found Brahma, Visnu and Siva or sometimes Siva

alone,

we

have found different aspects of the goddess like Sarvamangala,

Aparajita,

Bhuvanesvari,

~conographic

emergence

Candi, Camunda

stc.

in

different

representations. Taking all these together,

of goddess Durga, also known as Sarada, as

She

usually worshipped in the autumn, might have been possible.

206

the
is

REFERENCES :-

1. Bhattacharya,

B.C., Studies in Byddhist

Iconography,

Delhi,

1978, PP. 16, 26, Foot-note 31 of Ch.-Two

2.

~'

PP. 344 ff.

3. Bhattacharya, B.C., op. cit., Ch.Two,

4. Bhairavapadmavatikalpa, published by Digambar Jain Pustakalaya,

Surat, 1953, pp. 124-5
5. IB8SDM , pp. 148 - 173
6. Cong,

E.,

Buddhism--- Its Essence @Qd Develppment,

2nd

Ed,

lond, 1952, pp.178 tt.

7.

~~

Introduction

8. Altekar,

A.S. (Ed.), Biography of Dharmasvaffiin, Trans. by

C.Roerich, Patna, 1959, P.ii

9. Bhattacharya,

B.C.,

op. cit.,

Introduction

Foot-note220,

'

p.10,
1e. Mss.

of

Astasahasrika Prajpaparamita, No. ADD

Cambridge University library & no.

of

Bengal.

B.Bhattacharya

twenty-four forms of
~Vol

Tara See

has

IRl,

of

the

of the Asiatic Society

11. On the basis of the Mss. of

Nispannayogavali,

12.

A.!~

1643

SadhanamalA

prepared

list

and
of

introduction.

XXI, P. 99 ff

13. Dasgupta, K.K.,

'Iconography of Tara'

in

Sakti cult and Tara,

Ed. by D.C. Sircar, c.u., 1967, pp. 115-27.

14. Mukhopadhyay, B.N., Kharosthi and KharosthiBrahmi Inscriptions
in West Bengal, Calcutta, 1990, p-59, Fig-72

207

15. Ibid., p. 55, Fig. 37 A

16. Ibid., p. 49, Fig. 17 , 17 B .pa
17. Goswami, K.G.,Excavations at Banqarh, 1948, Pl. XIX B, p.

21;

Biswas, S.S., Terracotta Art of B@ngal, Delhi, 1981, p. 83, pl

VIII a
18. Biswas, S.S., op.cit., PI. VII b
19. Ibid., Pl. IX a
20. Dasgupta,

P.C., An introduction to the

State

Archaeological

Gallery, W.B., Pl. VI.

21. Biswas, S.S., op. cit., p.84, Pl IX b
22. I bid. P 1. XL I I I
23. Ibid. Pl. XXVII
24. Ramachandran, T.N., In Artibul AFaie, val. 14, P. 235
25. Biswas, S.S., op. cit., p. 84
26. HAB, P.639; Indian Archteology, 1957-58, p .. 72;

t:m.,

p. 439; cf

VRS Report 1926-27, Museum Notes by N.G.MaJumdar,P.5, Fig. 3.

27. IBBSDM, p. 89
28. Ibid., Pl. no 3 A (i) C
1

29. Ibid., Pl. No 3a(i) C

2

30. Saraswati,

S.K.,

Early Scylptyre of Bengal,

2nd

Ed.,

Cal,

1962, P. 180
31. lBBSDM, PP. 104 -- 06
32. Ibid. p. 188 ;

, p. 440

33. Agni-p. Ch. 50

34. IBBSDM, PP. 203-5, pl. LXX
35. Kramrisch, Stella, 'Pala and Sena Sculptures,' RUfAM, No.

40,

Oct., 1929, Cal. P. 108, Fig. 1

36. Panigrahi, K.C.

, Archaeological Remains at Bhuvanesvara, Fig.

208

112; Shah, A.P., Life in Mediaeval Orissa (c.A.D. 600-

1200)

, Varanasi 1967, pp 180-83

37. Bhattacharya,

P.K., Iconography of Sculptures, A.K.M

Museum,

N.B., 1983, pp. 30-31, Pl. IX, Fig. 19

38. HAB, pp. 551-552J ASI, 1928-29, PL. LIV (a)
39. HB, Pl. XIII .33.
40. RUPAM, No. 19-20, 1924, pp. 140-41
40a.

~'

p. 136 (APP.C)

41. ASIAR, 1925-26, p-169 Museum No-6.

42. CHACIM, John Anderson, Cal. 1883, P. 246
43. Bhattacharya,M.S, Art in Stone - A Catalpgug of Sculptures
Malda Museum , Malda,1982,

in

Pp.31,33-34, Cat. No. RMH-1 & RSM-1

44. ASIAR, 1925-26, p.115

46. IBBSOM, pp 195-98
47. VRS.Rep.,1936-38, Pp 24-26, fig 2;

~'

App.C.pp,114-16

48. Bhattacharya,P.K., op. cit, Pp 31-32, PL VII, fig 17.

49. IBBSDM, Pp 203-5
50. Bhattacharya, M.S, op .cit , Pp 33-34 .RPR-1
51.

~,

P.550

52. Banerjee , R.D.

East~rn

Indian School of Mediaevtl

Sculptyre,

Delhi, 1933,P.116, PL. L VII()

53.

~,p.551

54. I bid.
55. VRS. Mus. No.1549.
56. VRS Rep. 1936-38, Fig.3
57. Banerjee,R.D, op.cit., p.123, Pl.Lvii(a).
58. ASIAR, 1928-29, Pp.95-97.
59. IBBSDM, Pp. 203-204
60. Ganguly,

M.M.Handbook of the Sculptures of thw Museym of

209

the

Vanqiya

Sahitya Parisat, Calcutta, 1922, Pp. 82-83,

PL.XVI,

J(.a)1.
61. Ibid, Pp. 85-86, PL.XVI J(d)1
62. Bhattacharya, M.S,Op.cit, RPR-2,RPR-3,RPR-4.
63. Bhattacharya, P.K, Op.cit, p.28, Fig18
64. lBBSDM, Pp. 200-202.
65. Bhattacharya, M.S, Op.cit, p.30, RCM-1
66. Ibid. RCM-2
67. JASB, N.S.vol. XXVIII,1932,Pp.182-89
68. VSPP, vol XXII,p.28
69. VRS,

Annual

Rajshahi,

Reports

Monographs

and

Cat.No.

D(d)10/280
70. Chakraborty, M.R., Virbhum Yivaran, Ed. by H .. K.

Mukhopadhyay,

Cal. 1323-1334 B.S., Vol. II, P. 144

71. HAB, PP. 553-554
72. IBBSDM, P. 212
73. Ibid.
74. ASI,

1924-1925,

P.

15~

Pi XI 9(c); IBBSDM, Pp.

192-94,

Pl.

LXIV
75. IBBSpM, Pp. 120-130 EHI, Pp. 337-52;

Utl1,

p. 156

76. IBBSDM, PP. 130-33.

77. Ghosh,

Benoy,

Pascimvanger Smskrti, (Bang.) Vol.

II,

Cal,

1978, P.46.
78. Daily AJkal Patrika, 24th July, 1996

Page-si~.

79. IBBSDM , pp. 120-23

80. Chanda,
Museum

R.P.,

Mediaevl

Indian Sculptures

in

the

British

Lond., 1936, pp 48-49

81. Some Scholars like to identify this type as Yasoda with

Krsna,

whereas some ascribe it as child

210

Siddhartha

child

(Buddha)

with Mayadevi. But the presence of carved bjnQA on the top

the

slab indicates the Mother to be

Gauri/Parvati/Durg~

of
with

Karttikeya and Ganesa.

82. Bhattacharya, M.S., Op. Cit; P.34
83. Ghosh, Benoy, op. cit., Vol. I, P. 236
84. Ibid VSPM Catalogue, pp. 84-85, Pl XIX
85. Bhattacharya, M.S. op cit, p.35
86. JASB, Ns. 1932, vel XXVII, pp 178, 181; HAB, pl VII Fig. 14
87. Bhattacharya, M.S., op. cit., p-32, Nos RMN-1 --- RMN-5.
88. HB, P. 461
89. ASR III, No 16, p. 126
90. HBI, PI.XIV , 38.
91. HAB, P. 641.
92. HB, PI.LXXVI, 179;PI.L VIII ,144.
93. Tantrayana Art -- An Album, Ed. by S.K. 5araswati.
94. Saraswati, S.K. op. cit, Pp. 33 -34

a lnd Arch. 1958-59,

p77;

!:ia., P. 627

95. HAB, P. 627

96. HB, PI. LXV 156, PI.LXVI,160.
97. RUPAM, No 40, Oct. 1929, Cal, P. 109
98. HAB. Pp. 638-41
99. Foucher, Buddhist Iconpgraphy, Pt. II, Pp. 69-71
100. Jl.

on the Buddhist Text Society for 1894, vel. II,

Pages, ii and iii

101. ASIAR, 1921-22 Pp 82-83
102. Museum Catalogue No. C(e)l/269, Pl. VIII,
C(e) 2, C(e)3, PL. VI (Carved in a pot stone),
184
7

211

Pt

II,

C(e) 6
272

and C(e) 7
273

103. ASR, 1920-21, P 35

104. MASB, Vol. V, P-93; J & P. A.S.B,, Vol IV, P. 109, Pl VII
105. IBBSDM, I B (IV) a

l
106. Ibid., Pp. 45-53
107. See Sadhanamala. Sadhana no 150 states Parnasabari es a
of

Tara.

It may be reasonably assumed that

like

the

goddess 'Candi' of the Markandeya Purana, Mahayana deity

also had been worshipped by many aboriginal tribes,

form
great
Tara

specially

by the Sabaras.
108. IBBSDM, Pp. 61 - 62
109. Bhavisya-p., 7th Kalpa, Sahasranamamala of Surya.
110. Bhattacharya, D.C., op. cit., P. 19
111. IBBSPM, Pp. 43-45
112. Rajshahi

113.

HB~

Museum Cat. No A {0) 2 ,

137

(02 d
94

PI.XXVII .65

114. IBBSOM, Pp. 63-67

115. Ghosh, A, A Guide to Nalanda, Pp. 26-27
116. Bhattacharya,

D.C., Tantric Buddhist

Jcooographic

Sources,

New Delhi 1974, P 36

117. JBORS, XXVI,P. 245; JISOA, Vol. II P. 72
118. Mss.

no.

ADD

1643

of Prajnaparamita

in

the

Camb.

Univ

Library.
119. IBBSDM, P-13
120. HB, PL.XXVI, 64.
121 .

B 1 oc h ,

T ,

Supplementary Catalogue of

the

Archaeological

Collection of the Indian Museum, 1911, Pp-87-88, 3947

212

122. IBBSDM, Pp. 42-43

123. Bhattacharya, M.S.,
124. Ms.

, op. cit., p 39,No. RPR-1.

B. 35, Fol 27.::,; Bhattacharya, D.C.; .i!-tdies in

Buddhist

lconography, p 75, Foot-note 75.

125. JAS, Vol. 1, NO 1, 1959, Pp. 37 ff.
126. IBBSDM, PP. 61-62
127. Asutosh Musuem, Cal. Ms no. T. 1055
128. Camb Univ. Lib. Ms. No. ADD 1688
129. Mitra, Debala, " Some Jaina Antiquities from Bankura "

JASL,

XXIV, No. 2., 1958, P.131

130. Bhattacharya,

B.C., The Jaina lconography, Delhi, 1972,

16, 89, 123

131.

~'

PL. LXIV, 153

213

Pp.