Vaikuntha Kamalaja
Encyclopedia
Vaikuntha-Kamalaja is a composite androgynous form of the Hindu
god Vishnu
and his consort Lakshmi
. Though inspired by the much more popular Ardhanarishvara form of the god Shiva
, Vaikuntha-Kamalaja is a rare form, mostly restricted to Nepal
and the Kashmir
region of India
.
Like Ardhanarishvara, Vaikuntha-Kamalaja is depicted as half male and half female, split down the middle. The right half is the male Vishnu, illustrating his traditional attributes. The icon symbolises the oneness or non-duality of male and female principles of the universe. Unlike the Ardhanarishvara much celebrated in Hindu scriptures, Vaikuntha-Kamalaja is mentioned in few Tantric
and iconographical texts and no tale of the origins of this form is found in Hindu legends.
– "half-woman" of the Vaishnava sect, which is dedicated to Vishnu), Ardhanari-Narayana ("Narayana (Vishnu) who is half-female"), Ardhanari-Vishnu ("Vishnu who is half-woman"), Ardha-Lakshmi-Narayana ("Vishnu who is half-Lakshmi"), Vasudeva-Kamalaja ("Vishnu-Lakshmi"), Vasudeva Lakshmi ("Vishnu-Lakshmi") and Ardha-Lakshmi-Hari ("Hari (Vishnu) who is half-Lakshmi").
and his consort Parvati. P. Pal suggests that the concept of Vaikuntha-Kamalaja originated in Eastern India and then migrated to Nepal, however according to Deo, the concept originated in medieval Nepal, which D. C. Sircar refutes citing an 11th century Gaya inscription. A late 11th century inscription of the local ruler Yakshapala in the Shitala Gaya Temple in Gaya
, India says that Yakshapala built the temple to house a number of deities, including Kamalardhangina-Narayana, "Narayana (Vishnu) whose half body is Kamala ("Lakshmi"). According to another theory, Kashmir
was the birthplace of Vaikuntha-Kamalaja. Although relevant Indian texts and icons of Vaikuntha-Kamalaja are found in Nepal, hardly any exist in India except Kashmir
. Some notable Indian icons of Vaikuntha-Kamalaja are found at Bijbehara (late 10th–11th century), Anantnag
, Kashmir; Jaintipur, Haryana; Baijnath Temple
, Himachal Pradesh (1204 CE) and the Sayana Thakura icon of Jagannath Temple, Puri
.
Vaikuntha-Kamalaja icons are found in Nepal since 13th century. The earliest known Nepali depiction of Vaikuntha-Kamalaja is in a 1263 AD pata (cloth panel), now in the Ramakrishna Mission
Institute of Culture, Kolkata
, India. Some Nepali bronze sculptures of Vaikuntha-Kamalaja are housed in some museums. Notable among Vaikuntha-Kamalaja icons are icons in Indreshvar Temple, Panauti
; Narayan Temple, Patan and Saraswati Temple, Sankhu
.
While Ardhanarishvara's legends and iconography are recalled in the Puranic scriptures, Vaikuntha-Kamalaja is not mentioned in them. The Vaikuntha-Kamalaja is hinted implicitly in many Pancharatra
treatises and Tantric texts. Tantric iconographic texts like Saradatilaka (10th–11th century-in a dhyana mantra
-a mantra mentioning a deity's iconic form), the 17th century Tantrasara
of Krishnananda (in a dhyana mantra
) as well as the 16th century Shilparatna
mentions the iconography of this androgynous form of Vishnu.
or Garuda (the vahana
– mount – of Vishnu) as well as a tortoise or Kurma
, often associated with Vishnu, but aligned with Lakshmi as her mount in this particular iconography. Sometimes, the Garuda and the tortoise may be depicted kneeling to the deity on male and female side respectively of the standing deity. Vaikuntha-Kamalaja is eight-armed, has a fuller female breast and a longer floral-patterned waist-garment on the left, while the male half wears a plain shorter waist-garment up to the knee or a same length garment but with a different design. The Vishnu half holds the four traditional attributes of Vishnu: chakra
(discus), shankha
(conch), gada (mace) and lotus. The female half holds a kalasha
(coconut-mango leaves atop a pot) or kumbha (water-pot) filled with gems, mirror, manuscript or book and a lotus. The goddess side may also hold a bell or a rosary. The manuscript and mirror are never associated with Lakshmi's iconography, however they are traditionally associated with other goddesses, suggesting their influence on the iconography of female side. The manuscript is the attribute of goddess Sarasvati, while the mirror is the traditional attribute of Parvati
, especially in Ardhanarishvara icons. The necklace, anklets, waist-belt are common on both sides; the ear-rings, shape of the crown and arm ornaments differ.
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
god Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
and his consort Lakshmi
Lakshmi
Lakshmi or Lakumi is the Hindu goddess of wealth, prosperity , light, wisdom, fortune, fertility, generosity and courage; and the embodiment of beauty, grace and charm. Representations of Lakshmi are also found in Jain monuments...
. Though inspired by the much more popular Ardhanarishvara form of the god Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
, Vaikuntha-Kamalaja is a rare form, mostly restricted to Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
and the Kashmir
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
region of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
Like Ardhanarishvara, Vaikuntha-Kamalaja is depicted as half male and half female, split down the middle. The right half is the male Vishnu, illustrating his traditional attributes. The icon symbolises the oneness or non-duality of male and female principles of the universe. Unlike the Ardhanarishvara much celebrated in Hindu scriptures, Vaikuntha-Kamalaja is mentioned in few Tantric
Tantra
Tantra , anglicised tantricism or tantrism or tantram, is the name scholars give to an inter-religious spiritual movement that arose in medieval India, expressed in scriptures ....
and iconographical texts and no tale of the origins of this form is found in Hindu legends.
Names
The androgynous form of Vishnu is known by several names including: Vaikuntha Kamalaja, (Vaikuntha is the abode of Vishnu, here name of the Vishnu side and Kamalaja is "she who is born of a lotus" – Lakshmi), Vaishnava Ardhanari ("the ArdhanariArdhanari
Ardhanarishvara , is a composite androgynous form of the Hindu god Shiva and his consort Parvati . Ardhanarishvara is depicted as half male and half female, split down the middle...
– "half-woman" of the Vaishnava sect, which is dedicated to Vishnu), Ardhanari-Narayana ("Narayana (Vishnu) who is half-female"), Ardhanari-Vishnu ("Vishnu who is half-woman"), Ardha-Lakshmi-Narayana ("Vishnu who is half-Lakshmi"), Vasudeva-Kamalaja ("Vishnu-Lakshmi"), Vasudeva Lakshmi ("Vishnu-Lakshmi") and Ardha-Lakshmi-Hari ("Hari (Vishnu) who is half-Lakshmi").
Development
The concept as well as iconography of Vaikuntha-Kamalaja is derived from Ardhanarishvara – the popular androgynous form of the god ShivaShiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
and his consort Parvati. P. Pal suggests that the concept of Vaikuntha-Kamalaja originated in Eastern India and then migrated to Nepal, however according to Deo, the concept originated in medieval Nepal, which D. C. Sircar refutes citing an 11th century Gaya inscription. A late 11th century inscription of the local ruler Yakshapala in the Shitala Gaya Temple in Gaya
Gaya, India
Gaya is the second largest city of Bihar, India, and it is also the headquarters of Gaya District.Gaya is 100 kilometers south of Patna, the capital city of Bihar. Situated on the banks of Falgu River , it is a place sanctified by both the Hindu and the Buddhist religions...
, India says that Yakshapala built the temple to house a number of deities, including Kamalardhangina-Narayana, "Narayana (Vishnu) whose half body is Kamala ("Lakshmi"). According to another theory, Kashmir
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
was the birthplace of Vaikuntha-Kamalaja. Although relevant Indian texts and icons of Vaikuntha-Kamalaja are found in Nepal, hardly any exist in India except Kashmir
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
. Some notable Indian icons of Vaikuntha-Kamalaja are found at Bijbehara (late 10th–11th century), Anantnag
Anantnag
Anantnag , a city and a municipality in Anantnag district in the state of Jammu & Kashmir, India. Anantnag is regarded as the commercial and financial capital of the valley of Kashmir...
, Kashmir; Jaintipur, Haryana; Baijnath Temple
Baijnath, Himachal Pradesh
Baijnath is a town in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. It is roughly fourteen kilometres from the town of Palampur. It is very famous all over the world as it is believed to be one of twelve jyotirlingas according to popular legends.-Geography:...
, Himachal Pradesh (1204 CE) and the Sayana Thakura icon of Jagannath Temple, Puri
Puri
Puri is district headquarter, a city situated about south of state capital Bhubaneswar, on the eastern coast of the Bay of Bengal in the Indian state of Orissa. It is also known as Jagannath Puri after the Jagannath Temple . It is a holy city of the Hindus as a part of the Char Dham pilgrimages...
.
Vaikuntha-Kamalaja icons are found in Nepal since 13th century. The earliest known Nepali depiction of Vaikuntha-Kamalaja is in a 1263 AD pata (cloth panel), now in the Ramakrishna Mission
Ramakrishna Mission
Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission are twin organizations which form the core of a worldwide spiritual movement known as Ramakrishna Movement or Vedanta Movement. The Ramakrishna Mission is a philanthropic, volunteer organization founded by Ramakrishna's chief disciple Swami Vivekananda on...
Institute of Culture, Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
, India. Some Nepali bronze sculptures of Vaikuntha-Kamalaja are housed in some museums. Notable among Vaikuntha-Kamalaja icons are icons in Indreshvar Temple, Panauti
Panauti
Panauti is a historical city in Nepal. It is 32 km SE from the capital Kathmandu. It was a small state given by King Bhupatindra Malla as dowry to his sister.-Origin:...
; Narayan Temple, Patan and Saraswati Temple, Sankhu
Sankhu
Sankhu is a village development committee in Kathmandu District in the Bagmati Zone of central Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 2097 living in 353 individual households....
.
While Ardhanarishvara's legends and iconography are recalled in the Puranic scriptures, Vaikuntha-Kamalaja is not mentioned in them. The Vaikuntha-Kamalaja is hinted implicitly in many Pancharatra
Pancharatra
Pancharātra is a Sanskrit drama written by Bhasa. The plot is based on the Hindu epic Mahabharata....
treatises and Tantric texts. Tantric iconographic texts like Saradatilaka (10th–11th century-in a dhyana mantra
Mantra
A mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of "creating transformation"...
-a mantra mentioning a deity's iconic form), the 17th century Tantrasara
Tantrasara
The Tantrasara is a work attributed to Abhinavagupta, the most famous historical proponent of the Trika or Kashmir Shaivism philosophy of Hinduism. It is said to a condensed version of the Tantraloka, Abhinavagupta's Magnum opus....
of Krishnananda (in a dhyana mantra
Mantra
A mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of "creating transformation"...
) as well as the 16th century Shilparatna
Shilparatna
Shilparatna is a classical text on traditional South Indian representational-performing arts. It is particularly influential in painting and theatrical performance. It was authored by Srikumara in 16th century AD...
mentions the iconography of this androgynous form of Vishnu.
Iconography and symbolism
As explained in Saradatilaka and Tantrasara, Vaikuntha-Kamalaja, like Ardhanarishvara, symbolise the oneness or non-duality of male and female principles of the universe. The Shilparatna specifically talks about the oneness of Vishnu and Lakshmi. It also denotes the combination of Sat (truth) and Cit (consciousness), producing ananda (bliss) (See Satcitananda). Like Ardhanarishvara, the left half is female signifying Lakshmi, the right is the male Vishnu. The icon is depicted standing on a lotus pedestal or may be seated on the GarudaGaruda
The Garuda is a large mythical bird or bird-like creature that appears in both Hindu and Buddhist mythology.From an Indian perspective, Garuda is the Hindu name for the constellation Aquila and...
or Garuda (the vahana
Vahana
Vāhana denotes the being, typically an animal or mythical entity, a particular deva is said to use as a vehicle. In this capacity, the vāhana is often called the deity's mount. Upon the partnership between the deva and his vāhana is woven much iconography and mythology...
– mount – of Vishnu) as well as a tortoise or Kurma
Kurma
In Hinduism, Kurma was the second Avatar of Vishnu. Like the Matsya Avatar also belongs to the Satya yuga.-Samudra manthan :...
, often associated with Vishnu, but aligned with Lakshmi as her mount in this particular iconography. Sometimes, the Garuda and the tortoise may be depicted kneeling to the deity on male and female side respectively of the standing deity. Vaikuntha-Kamalaja is eight-armed, has a fuller female breast and a longer floral-patterned waist-garment on the left, while the male half wears a plain shorter waist-garment up to the knee or a same length garment but with a different design. The Vishnu half holds the four traditional attributes of Vishnu: chakra
Sudarshana Chakra
The Sudarshana Chakra is a spinning, disk-like super weapon with 108 serrated edges used by Lord Vishnu. The Sudarshana Chakra is portrayed on the right rear hand of the four hands of Vishnu, who also holds a Shankha in his left rear hand, a Gada in his right fore hand, and a Padma in his left...
(discus), shankha
Shankha
Shankha bhasam , also spelled and pronounced as Shankh and Sankha, is a conch shell of ritual and religious importance in Hinduism and Buddhism. It is the shell of a large predatory sea snail,Turbinella pyrum found in the Indian Ocean....
(conch), gada (mace) and lotus. The female half holds a kalasha
Kalasha
Kalasha, also spelled as Kalash and kalasa , is a metal pot with a large base and small mouth, large enough to hold a coconut. Sometimes "Kalasha" also refers to such a pot filled with water and topped with a coronet of mango leaves and a coconut...
(coconut-mango leaves atop a pot) or kumbha (water-pot) filled with gems, mirror, manuscript or book and a lotus. The goddess side may also hold a bell or a rosary. The manuscript and mirror are never associated with Lakshmi's iconography, however they are traditionally associated with other goddesses, suggesting their influence on the iconography of female side. The manuscript is the attribute of goddess Sarasvati, while the mirror is the traditional attribute of Parvati
Parvati
Parvati is a Hindu goddess. Parvati is Shakti, the wife of Shiva and the gentle aspect of Mahadevi, the Great Goddess...
, especially in Ardhanarishvara icons. The necklace, anklets, waist-belt are common on both sides; the ear-rings, shape of the crown and arm ornaments differ.