Indian Antiquary Vol 43

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 42

38
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
MARCH, 1914.]
The texts which I have selected at present are with one exception (No. 6)' now published and translated for the first time and relate especially to the Garuda, which is characterised in the title by its beak.' That monstrous bird, which incorporates a sun-myth as well as a thunderstorm-myth, from its widespread prominence amongst primitive people in remote antiquity, presumably was regarded as the supreme spirit in prehistoric times. It is the Phoenix or Feng of the Chinese in its combat with the dragon-spirits (the nagas of India) who withhold the rain ; it is the gryps of the Greeks and the roc or rukh or simurgh of the Persians. In the ancient Indian Buddhist sculptures at Sáncbî and elsewhere it figures prominently in antipathy to the nagas, and in process of being absorbed into Buddhist mysticism. Whilst into later Brahmanism it has been incorporated to form the car of Vishnu and as the symbol of victory to surmount the standards and banners dedicated to that god by the Imperial Guptas and other would-be Chakravarta emperors. In No. 2 the appearance and functions of the bird are described.
By No. 6 important light is thrown upon the genesis and evolution of the Buddhist goddess Tara, the so-called Queen of Heaven' and 'Mother of the celestial) Buddhas.' The identity of Tara with the goddess Usuişa-Vijaya was pointed out by me long ago. Now, in this Dharani Târî is identified with Durga (who also bears the title of Vijaya) and Kali and most of those other Mother' she-devils of pre-Vedic times, who have in later clays been imported into and incorporated with Brahmanism. She is moreover especially identified with the Garuda under the title of the "Female Thunderbolt-Beak," Vajratundi.
In form, these Dharanis or spells are generally given the shape of the orthodox Buddhist sútra. They purport to have been recited in the usual way by Ananda at the First Council,' the place and circumstances where they were delivered 'is usually mentioned ; and the words of the spell are often put into the mouth of Buddha himself. The incantatory formulas, constituting mantras or spells-proper, are in a crude style of Sanskrit, with recurring cabalistic ejaculatory words, such as are also found in Brahmanical mantras.
1. The Iron Thunderbolt-Beak.
Vaira-loha-tundia Dharani. India Office Tibetan texts (Waddell Collection) No. 17 Vol. Z. (19). No. 261 in my list n Tib. MS. loc. cit.]
Om ! In the Indian speech [this] is called Arya vajra loha-tunda nima dharani: in the Tibetan speech Phags-pa rdorje gnam-lchags kyi mch'u (or “The noble Iron-ThunderboltBeak of the Sky.'')
Salutation to Buddha and all the Boddhisattvas ! Thus have I heard. The Blessed One having gone into the country of Magadha passed through the mango-grove.' Leaving the mango-grove he sat down in the rock-cave of the Indra hills. Then Sakra the most powerful of the gods together with the (gods of the directions, came to the outside of the place where The Blessed One was and saluted the feet of The Blessed One. Then Brahma and Vishn'ı and Indra (Sakra) and the four great kings (of the Quarters) thrice circled around The Blessed One and besought him saying :- Bhagvan we, all assembled, beseech you to
A fragment of this Dharani from the Sanskrit has been published with translation by Dr Hoernlo from a Stein MS. in J. R. A. S. 1911, 461, etc., and a full translation of another Stein MS. is I understand to be published in the final Report on the Expedition Results. An Uigur version of the same is translated into German by F. W. K. Müller, Uigurica II. 1911, 50.
For further descriptions of this bird-god from Buddhist sources with illustrations, see my article on " the Dharapi Cult" above cited, pp. 187-191.
« The Indian Buddhist Cult of Avalokita and Tara," J. R. A. S. 1894, 83, No. 4.. 8 Indra-saila-guha in the Rajgir Hills.