A Buddhist Bhairava? Kṛtanagara's Icons Against the Backdrop of Pan

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

A Buddhist Bhairava? Kṛtanagara’s Icons against the Backdrop of Pan-Asian Late Tantric Buddhism (13th–14th Centuries CE) Andrea Acri Maître de conférences, Section des Sciences Religieuses, École Pratique des Hautes Études This talk will discuss visual evidence (mainly statuary) associated with the East Javanese King Kṛtanagara (r. 1268–1292) of the Siṅhasāri dynasty, and its transregional maritime connections with coeval forms of tantric Buddhism practiced in northeastern India, Nepal, Tibet, and China. Kṛtanagara sponsored significant East Javanese artworks and monuments, like the Buddhist temple-mausoleum of Caṇḍi Jago, the Śaiva sanctuary of Caṇḍi Siṅhasāri, and the syncretic (Śaiva- Buddhist) royal mausoleum of Caṇḍi Jawi. While epigraphic and stylistic evidence suggests that he employed foreign (e.g., Nepalese) artists, little evidence survives regarding the tantric initiatory traditions (and their agents) that inspired those creations. Andrea Acri’s presentation will attempt to interpret selected artworks, e.g. the colossal Mahākāla-Bhairava statue from Padang Roco in Sumatra (traditionally attributed to Adityavarman, fl. c. 1320–1378, but possibly associated with, or inspired by, Kṛtanagara’s doctrinal and aesthetic paradigm), and the Cāmuṇḍī group from Ardimulyo in East Java, in the context of late Pan-Asian tantric Buddhism, and trace them back to prototypical icons and doctrinal configurations found in specific Indo-Tibetan traditions that were popular at that time. These icons, like the coeval epigraphic and textual evidence, highlight the cosmopolitan and highly mobile nature of the tantric networks of masters that offered their services to monarchs—most notably Kṛtanagara’s arch-enemy Khublai Khan and his successors at the Yuan court—and allow us to tentatively reconstruct the movements of prominent religious personalities across the maritime routes of diplomacy and trade that connected the Indian Subcontinent with China via Southeast Asia. .

Copy Link

Recommended publications

Guide to 275 SIVA STHALAMS Glorified by Thevaram Hymns (Pathigams) of Nayanmars
Guide to 275 SIVA STHALAMS Glorified by Thevaram Hymns (Pathigams) of Nayanmars -****- by Tamarapu Sampath Kumaran About the Author: Mr T Sampath Kumaran is a freelance writer. He regularly contributes articles on Management, Business, Ancient Temples and Temple Architecture to many leading Dailies and Magazines. His articles for the young is very popular in “The Young World section” of THE HINDU. He was associated in the production of two Documentary films on Nava Tirupathi Temples, and Tirukkurungudi Temple in Tamilnadu. His book on “The Path of Ramanuja”, and “The Guide to 108 Divya Desams” in book form on the CD, has been well received in the religious circle. Preface: Tirth Yatras or pilgrimages have been an integral part of Hinduism. Pilgrimages are considered quite important by the ritualistic followers of Sanathana dharma. There are a few centers of sacredness, which are held at high esteem by the ardent devotees who dream to travel and worship God in these holy places. All these holy sites have some mythological significance attached to them. When people go to a temple, they say they go for Darsan – of the image of the presiding deity. The pinnacle act of Hindu worship is to stand in the presence of the deity and to look upon the image so as to see and be seen by the deity and to gain the blessings. There are thousands of Siva sthalams- pilgrimage sites - renowned for their divine images. And it is for the Darsan of these divine images as well the pilgrimage places themselves - which are believed to be the natural places where Gods have dwelled - the pilgrimage is made.
[Show full text]
South-Indian Images of Gods and Goddesses
ASIA II MB- • ! 00/ CORNELL UNIVERSITY* LIBRARY Date Due >Sf{JviVre > -&h—2 RftPP )9 -Af v^r- tjy J A j£ **'lr *7 i !! in ^_ fc-£r Pg&diJBii'* Cornell University Library NB 1001.K92 South-indian images of gods and goddesse 3 1924 022 943 447 AGENTS FOR THE SALE OF MADRAS GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS. IN INDIA. A. G. Barraud & Co. (Late A. J. Combridge & Co.)> Madras. R. Cambrav & Co., Calcutta. E. M. Gopalakrishna Kone, Pudumantapam, Madura. Higginbothams (Ltd.), Mount Road, Madras. V. Kalyanarama Iyer & Co., Esplanade, Madras. G. C. Loganatham Brothers, Madras. S. Murthv & Co., Madras. G. A. Natesan & Co., Madras. The Superintendent, Nazair Kanun Hind Press, Allahabad. P. R. Rama Iyer & Co., Madras. D. B. Taraporevala Sons & Co., Bombay. Thacker & Co. (Ltd.), Bombay. Thacker, Spink & Co., Calcutta. S. Vas & Co., Madras. S.P.C.K. Press, Madras. IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. B. H. Blackwell, 50 and 51, Broad Street, Oxford. Constable & Co., 10, Orange Street, Leicester Square, London, W.C. Deighton, Bell & Co. (Ltd.), Cambridge. \ T. Fisher Unwin (Ltd.), j, Adelphi Terrace, London, W.C. Grindlay & Co., 54, Parliament Street, London, S.W. Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co. (Ltd.), 68—74, iCarter Lane, London, E.C. and 25, Museum Street, London, W.C. Henry S. King & Co., 65, Cornhill, London, E.C. X P. S. King & Son, 2 and 4, Great Smith Street, Westminster, London, S.W.- Luzac & Co., 46, Great Russell Street, London, W.C. B. Quaritch, 11, Grafton Street, New Bond Street, London, W. W. Thacker & Co.^f*Cre<d Lane, London, E.O? *' Oliver and Boyd, Tweeddale Court, Edinburgh.
[Show full text]
One and Three Bhairavas: the Hypocrisy of Iconographic Mediation Gregory Price Grieve
Revista de Estudos da Religião Nº 4 / 2005 / pp. 63-79 ISSN 1677-1222 One and Three Bhairavas: The Hypocrisy of Iconographic Mediation Gregory Price Grieve The artist-as-anthropologist, as a student of culture, has as his job to articulate a model of art, the purpose of which is to understand culture by making its implicit nature explicit. [T]his is not simply circular because the agents are continually interacting and socio-historically located. It is a non-static, in-the-world model. Joseph Kosuth1, “The Artist as Anthropologist” (1991[1975]) Iconography is a hypocritical term. On the face of it, “iconography” simply denotes the critical study of images (Panofsky 1939; 1955). Yet, one must readily admit that iconography stems from the fear of images (Mitchell 1987). In fact, iconography can be defined as a strategy for writing over images. But why fear images? Iconography’s zealotry—from idols made in the likeness of God to fetishes made in the image of capital—stems from the terror of the material. Accordingly, to proceed in an analysis of iconography, one must make explicit what most religious discursive systems must by necessity leave implict religion is never just “spirit.” Whether iconophobia or iconophilia, whether iconoclastic or idolatry, what all religions have in common is that they rely on matter for their dissemination. Even speech, the most reified communication, relies on air and the physicality of the human body. Accordingly, to write about, rather than write over, religious images, we need to return to the material. Stop and take a look at the god-image of Bhairava, a fierce form of Shiva from the Nepalese city of Bhaktapur2.
[Show full text]
Sebuah Kajian Pustaka
International Journal of Linguistics, Literature and Culture Available online at https://sloap.org/journals/index.php/ijllc/ Vol. 2, No. 3, September 2016, pages: 28~34 ISSN: 2455-8028 https://sloap.org/journals/index.php/ijllc/article/view/114 The Paradigm of Religious Evolution: The Transformation of Rudra to Pashupata Satendra Kumar Mishra a Article history: Abstract The Pashupata cult is the oldest known cult of the Saivism. Pashupata cult Received: 10 June 2016 was established around 200 BC by Lakulisha. Born to a Brahmin family Revised: 10 July 2016 according to Karavana Mahatmya, he died in the seventh month and during Approved: 20 August 2016 his short span he displayed remarkable spiritual powers. His mother floated Published: 1 September 2016 his body in a river as per the tradition and as said a group of tortoise carried the body to a Shiva shrine. The child became alive and became an ascetic. By Keywords: yet another account Lakulisha died but was revived by Lord Siva himself. Lord entered his body and preached the Pashupata moral and ethics to the Shaivism; world. The place of his rebirth is today a town called Kayavarohana "to Lakulisha; incarnate in another's body". This miracle is still celebrated among the Kaurusha; Pashupata believers. The archeological department takes care of two stone Pashupata; inscriptions there with the names of Lakulisha’s four disciples- Kushika, Kayavarohana; Maitreya, Gargya, and Kaurusha. Lakulisha was a basically a dynamic Pashupata reformist. 2455-8028 ©Copyright 2016. The Author. This is an open-access article under the CC BY-SA license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) All rights reserved.
[Show full text]
I Introduction to Bhairava-Kali- Abhichara
I Introduction to Bhairava-Kali- Abhichara ABHICHARA India is like a treasury full of precious stones shining with all the colours of the rain - bow. Hundreds of peoples, each of them rich in their unique ethnic culture, art, tra - ditions and customs, have been living in that country for ages. Such a number and diversity of religions as can be found in India is impossible to meet in any other country. India is the birthplace of Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. Islam, Christian - ity and Shamanism can also be found there; Judaism and Zoroastrianism are related to India as well. However, most of India’s population practices Hinduism, which is a colourful multitude of various spiritual movements united by certain principles. India gave us sophisticated medicine, the first grammar treatises in history, the dec - imal numeration system, a number of algebraic, geometric and trigonometric con - cepts, chess, highly developed religious and philosophical systems, masterpieces of world art, and much more. Within the colourful diversity of cultural, geographic, religious, caste and social formations of India, there evolved and flowered unique mystical-magical traditions: namely, the tantric ones. The main definAinbgh fiechataurrae’ of all tantric schools is their practical mysticism based on a detailed and multileveled study of doctrinal concepts of sacred texts and on religious-magical practices in - cluding theurgy and mantic arts. The applied mystical-magical aspect of Tantrism is called ‘ in Sanskrit. The root ‘abhi’ can be translated into English as ‘action’, and ‘char’ - as ‘movement’, ‘following’ or ‘way’. Thus, it can be said that Abhichara is ‘the way of performing actions’.
[Show full text]
Walking the Faithscapes of Varanasi, India Pilgrimage of the Panchkroshi Yatra
WALKING THE FAITHSCAPES OF VARANASI, INDIA PILGRIMAGE OF THE PANCHKROSHI YATRA BY SALONI CHAWLA THESIS Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Landscape Architecture in Landscape Architecture in the Graduate College of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2018 Urbana, Illinois Advisers: Professor D. Fairchild Ruggles, Chair Dr. Aneesha Dharwadker Assistant Professor Jessica Birkenholtz ABSTRACT Sacred landscapes in India play a pivotal role in the celebration of religious traditions and the mythological stories associated with them. A pilgrimage is an act of journeying to the sacred landscapes primarily for religious reasons and spiritual benefits but is not limited to them. Pilgrimages have various types of paths like circular, linear, spiral, converging at a central point, etc. Circular pilgrimage like the Panchkroshi in Varanasi, India, ends at the same point it started, thus forming an endless loop. The Panchkroshi Pilgrimage is about circumambulating around the holy territory, along a 25-mile long route, protected by 108 shrines of Hindu gods and goddesses. There are a number of goals identified for performing a pilgrimage, with the most important being the attainment of divine salvation. The act of achieving these goals is to walk through the sacred landscapes of the pilgrimage. However, with rapid urbanization and lack of preservation, these heritage landscapes have suffered degradation. The pilgrimage path has become fragmented, breaking the continuity and flow of movement. The pilgrimage route has become a palimpsest of urban residential, commercial zones, state and national highways with no designated pathway for pilgrims to walk on. My master’s in landscape architecture has contributed immensely towards the sensitivity I feel for the environment.
[Show full text]
Pashupatinath Temple Notes
Pashupatinath Temple Notes http://discover-nepal.tripod.com/pashupatinath_temple.htm The magnificent temple of Lord Pashupatinath about 5 kms north-east of Kathmandu, is situated amidst many other temples on the right bank of the River Baghmati. Pashupathinath is the guardian spirit and the holiest of all Shiva shrines in Nepal. Lord Shiva is known by many different names; and Pashupati is one. Pashu means animal beings, and Pati means master. In other words Pashupati is the master of all living beings of the universe. This is how lord Pashupati is eulogized in the Vedas, Upanisada and other religious books. Legends are numerous as to how the temple of Lord Pashupati came into existence here. As stated in chronicles, the image of Lord Shiva in the form of the Jyotirlinga was covered with earth over the years, and soft green grass sprouted over it. Further, as the legend goes, a cow used to go there mysteriously every day and offer her milk to this holy but hidden Linga of Lord Shiva. When the Gwala (owner) saw that the cow had stopped giving milk for a few days he started keeping eye on her; he finally came across the place where the cow offered her milk. With a natural curiosity to know the importance of the place, where his cow made offerings of her milk, the gwala dug up the place and found the Jyotirlinga of Lord Shiva. After this, a number of gwalas gathered to worship this Linga according to religious conformity. This started the tradition of worshipping this Linga.
[Show full text]
Essence of Amarnath Yatra Phala
E S S E N C E O F A M A R N A T H Y A T RA P H A L A V.D. N. Rao, Former General Manager, India Trade Promotion Organisation, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, Ministry of Commerce, Govt. of India, New Delhi. 1 Other Scriptures by same Author Essence of Puranas:- Maha Bhagavata, Vishnu Purana, Matsya Purana, Varaha Purana, Kurma Purana, Vamana Purana, Narada Purana, Padma Purana; Shiva Purana, Linga Purana, Skanda Purana, Markandeya Purana, Devi Bhagavata; Brahma Purana, Brahma Vaivarta Purana, Agni Purana, Bhavishya Purana, Nilamata Purana; Shri Kamakshi Vilasa Dwadasha Divya Sahasranama: a) Devi Chaturvidha Sahasra naama: Lakshmi, Lalitha, Saraswati, Gayatri; b) Chaturvidha Shiva Sahasra naama: Linga-Shiva-Brahma Puranas and Maha Bharata; c) Trividha Vishnu and Yugala Radha-Krishna Sahasra naama; Padma-Skanda-Maha Bharata and Narada Purana. Stotra Kavacha-A Shield of Prayers Purana Saaramsha Select Stories from Puranas Essence of Dharma Sindhu Essence of Shiva Sahasra Lingarchana Essence of Brahma Sutras (awaiting release) Essence of Paraashara Smriti (awaiting release) [Note: All the above Scriptures released on www.Kamakoti.org/news as also on Google by the respective references] 2 Contents Page Rasa Linga Mahatmya 4 Sarala Narayana Khilya Tirtha Mahima 5 Maamaka Linga Gananatha Kshetra 6 River Lambodari and Glory of Ganeshwara 7 Bhrigu Tirtha Mahatmya 9 Nila Ganga Vrittaanta-Significance for women 10 Sthaana Ashrama and Pesha Parvata Mahima 10 Sesha Naaga Parvata Mahima 12 Reputation of Vayu Daitya varjana Tirtha 14 Sushka Sarovara Vrittanta
[Show full text]
Shaivism by Dr
Shaivism By Dr. Subhash Chandra Shaivism is one of the major traditions within Hinduism that reveres Shiva as the Supreme Being. The followers of Shaivism are called "Shaivites" or "Saivites". It is one of the largest sects that believe Shiva — worshipped as a creator and destroyer of worlds — is the supreme god over all. The Shaiva have many sub-traditions, ranging from devotional dualistic theism such as Shaiva Siddhanta to yoga-oriented monistic non-theism such as Kashmiri Shaivism. It considers both the Vedas and the Agama texts as important sources of theology. The origin of Shaivism may be traced to the conception of Rudra in the Rig Veda. Shaivism has ancient roots, traceable in the Vedic literature of 2nd millennium BCE, but this is in the form of the Vedic deity Rudra. The ancient text Shvetashvatara Upanishad dated to late 1st millennium BCE mentions terms such as Rudra, Shiva and Maheshwaram, but its interpretation as a theistic or monistic text of Shaivism is disputed. In the early centuries of the common era is the first clear evidence of Pāśupata Shaivism. Both devotional and monistic Shaivism became popular in the 1st millennium CE, rapidly becoming the dominant religious tradition of many Hindu kingdoms. It arrived in Southeast Asia shortly thereafter, leading to thousands of Shaiva temples on the islands of Indonesia as well as Cambodia and Vietnam, co- evolving with Buddhism in these regions. In the contemporary era, Shaivism is one of the major aspects of Hinduism. Shaivism theology ranges from Shiva being the creator, preserver, destroyer to being the same as the Atman (self, soul) within oneself and every living being.
[Show full text]
ELEMENTS of HINDU ICONOGRAPHY CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY All Books Are Subject to Recall After Two Weeks Olin/Kroch Library DATE DUE Cornell University Library
' ^'•' .'': mMMMMMM^M^-.:^':^' ;'''}',l.;0^l!v."';'.V:'i.\~':;' ' ASIA LIBRARY ANNEX 2 ELEMENTS OF HINDU ICONOGRAPHY CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY All books are subject to recall after two weeks Olin/Kroch Library DATE DUE Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924071128841 ELEMENTS OF HINDU ICONOGRAPHY. CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 3 1924 071 28 841 ELEMENTS OF HINDU ICONOGRAPHY BY T. A.^GOPINATHA RAO. M.A. SUPERINTENDENT OF ARCHEOLOGY, TRAVANCORE STATE. Vol. II—Part I. THE LAW PRINTING HOUSE MOUNT ROAD :: :: MADRAS 1916 All Rights Reserved. KC- /\t^iS33 PRINTED AT THE LAW PRINTING HOUSE, MOUNT ROAD, MADRAS. DEDICATED WITH KIND PERMISSION To HIS HIGHNESS SIR RAMAVARMA. Sri Padmanabhadasa, Vanchipala, Kulasekhara Kiritapati, Manney Sultan Maharaja Raja Ramaraja Bahadur, Shatnsher Jang, G.C.S.I., G.C.I. E., MAHARAJA OF TRAVANCORE, Member of the Royal Asiatic Society, London, Fellow of the Geographical Society, London, Fellow of the Madras University, Officer de L' Instruction Publique. By HIS HIGHNESSS HUMBLE SERVANT THE AUTHOR. PEEFACE. In bringing out the Second Volume of the Elements of Hindu Iconography, the author earnestly trusts that it will meet with the same favourable reception that was uniformly accorded to the first volume both by savants and the Press, for which he begs to take this opportunity of ten- dering his heart-felt thanks. No pains have of course been spared to make the present publication as informing and interesting as is possible in the case of the abstruse subject of Iconography.
[Show full text]
President's Message
APRIL-MAY- JUNE-2012 Vol. 25 No. 2 OM NAMAH SHIVAYA OM NAMO NARAYANAYA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Dear Devotees, Namaste. Andariki Ugadi Subhaakaankshalu – (Telugu New Year :: 3/23/12) Hosa Varushadha Shubhashayagalu - (Kannada New Year :: 3/23/12) Iniya tamizh Puthaandu Nalvaazhthukkal.- (Tamil New Year :: 4/13/12) Shuvo Nabo Barsho - (Bengali New Year 4/13/12) Naye Varsha Ki Shubhkamanyen - (Hindi New Year- Gudi Padawa :: 3/23/12) Nveen Varshachy Shubhechcha – (Marathi New Year – Gudi Padawa :: 3/23/12) Puthuvatsara Aashamsakal – (Malayalam New Year - 4/13/12) Nave sal di Mubarak - (Punjabi New Year – Baisakhi :: 4/13/12) Nutan Varshbhinandan – (Gujarati New Year -- Diwali:: 11/14/12) I am happy to inform that the Temple infra-structure and facility improvements & construction are progressing with good speed by the grace of almighty and the unflinching & assiduous work of our pro-bono construction Project-Engineer Sri BR Govinda Rao garu and his team of dedicated engineers. The Arrowhead street is improved with pathways and street lights on either side, The landscaped parking on the south lot along with walkways for pedestrians are complete. The administrative building is scheduled to be complete before mid-April. It will house Temple office, space for devotee amenities (like shoes etc.,), rest rooms, Conference rooms, Youth and energy area (with media and servers etc) and an area where devotees could celebrate their family Hindu religious functions like Namakaranam, Annaprasana, Satyannarayana Puja/seva, engagement, Birthday, etc., for a reasonable suggested donation. The new & integrated Devotee and Naivedyam kitchens, Library, Class rooms, Storage areas, Additional Restrooms, green-rooms for Men and Women, Devotee Puja performing areas are all on their way to be ready in the north-lot behind the main temple and they are on schedule to complete before July of this year.
[Show full text]
Shri Shiva Rahasya
SHIVA RAHASYA C SHRI SHIVA RAHASYA (THE SECRET TEACHING OF SHIVA) 1 SHIVA RAHASYA In the Name of Shiva, the Most Glorious, the Most Obvious, the Highest God, Master of the Universe, Lord of Yoga, Lord of Unity To the Eternal Teacher and Master, Obeisance. May He Enlighten the heart of all Seekers And set their purified mind upon that Path which is straight and not crooked! May He forever guide us From Delusion unto Truth, From Darkness unto Light, From Death unto Eternal Life. SHRI SHIVA RAHASYA (THE SECRET TEACHING OF SHIVA) being THE GLORIOUS MYSTERY OF SUPREME REALITY according to HIS DIVINE HOLINESS MAHAGURU SHRI SOMA-NATHA MAHARAJ DEV with Abridged commentary by Shri Somananda Copyright © 2004-2006 The Yoga Order International 2 SHIVA RAHASYA THE FIRST LIGHT (Chapter One) 1 Wherein His Supreme Majesty Lord Shiva introduces the Eternal Teaching of Yoga to the Four Holy Seers Om is the Eternal Sound Supreme. Of that all other sounds are born. Thus spoke Sage Vyasa, the divinely appointed Compiler and Disseminator of Sacred Scriptures: 1. OM. Adoration be to Shiva, the Essence of all Goodness, the Kindly, the Pure, the All- Knowing, the All-Powerful, the Most Merciful One! 2. O you who have sought instruction in the Highest Truth! seek no more. For, I shall now speak to you the Word of God which was proclaimed for the deliverance of Souls from delusion, pain and sorrow. By hearing It men know what is right and tread upon the Path of Light. 3. Om is the Eternal Sound of Truth that ever abides in God's Heart.
[Show full text]