Pratnatattva Journal of the Dept. of Archaeology Jahangirnagar University, Vol. 25, June 2019: 123-129 ISSN 1560-7593 Parnashabari: The Goddess of Small-pox from Bengal and Bihar SHARMIN REZOWANA Lecturer Department of Archaeology Comilla University Cumilla, Bangladesh srezowana@hotmail.com Abstract Parnashabari was an important female deity in Mahayana Buddhism, and she is still famous among the present Buddhist dominant countries. The worshipping of Parnashabari is believed to give her worshiper effective protection from outbreaks of epidemics. Origin of her identity is deeply rooted in the Shabaras, or wild aboriginal tribe of ancient India. From Iconographic perspective, she holds some extraordinary significance. Parsnashabari is pot-bellied, she is one of the few Goddess who does not have the so-called female beauty by Indian standard. There are total 12 fine examples of Parnashabari have been found from Bihar and Bengal separately, which are belonged to two distinct styles and shdhana. Analyzing the iconographic data of these images, we have got some specific information about contemporary religious and social as well as aesthetic point of view. Associated with the mysterious Shabara tribe, Parnashabari is an important female deity in Mahayana Buddhism. In Tibetan, her name is „Lo-ma-gyon-ma‟, or dressed with leaves. Some scholars describe her as a follower of Buddhist goddess Tara. One of her names is “Sarvasavaranambhagavata‟(Getty 1914: 119). That is to say, she is the goddess of all the Shabaras, or wild aboriginal tribe of ancient India. The worshipping of Parnashabari is believed to provide her worshiper effective protection from outbreaks of epidemics as well as other diseases and assuring safety to the terror-stricken. Although currently she is popular in all Buddhist country, few of her early images have been found from Bengal (present Bangladesh and western part of India) and Bihar. She continues to serve her role in the Tibetan pantheon, that‟s why, at Tibet and China images of Parnashabari could be found in a large number till present day (Shaw 2006: 339). During the first half of 19th century, N.K. Bhattasali found two images of Parnashabari worshiped at two temples in Vikrampura, Dhaka, Bangladesh. One of them was worshiped as „Jiya Thakurani‟ at Nayabad, Tongibari, another one was fixed on the front wall of Kali temple at Vajrayoginni, Munsiganj (ancient Vikrampura) (Bhattasali 1929: 61). This statement gives a little hint about her on-going popularity. Iconographically, she holds some extraordinary characteristics. The iconography of Parnashabari is well-attested in Sadhanamala; it has two sadhanas about her. In one sadhana, she is described as an emanation of Amoghsiddhi, other sadhana describes her as an emanation of Aksobhya. The mantra calls her Pisachi and also Sarvamariprasamani or the destroyer of diseases and epidemics (Bhattacharyya 1958: 196). As a family member of Amoghsiddhi, Parnashabari‟s complexion is green; she has three faces, three eyes and six arms. Her vahana is human (epidemics as human form), and asana is pratyalidha. Her right and left faces are of blue and white color. She carries in her three right hands-the vajra (thunderbolt), parshu (heatch), and arrow, the left-hand carries bow, the cluster of leaves, tarjanipasa. She is in prime of youth, is decked in tiger skin and garments of leaves, has slightly protruding belly, hair tide up above. She tramples various diseases and pestilences under her feet, and bear the image of Amoghsiddhonon crown (Bhattacharyya 1958: 233). As an emanation of Aksobhya, she has “yellow complexion, three faces, three eyes, six arms. First face is blue, right white and the left red. She smiles in a pleasing manner. She should deck with all sorts of ornaments, bears garments of leaves. In her right hands, she carries vajra, parshu and arrow, left hands shows trajani mudra with noose, the cluster of leaves and bow. Her jatamukuta is decorated with flowers. She has the effulgence of the sun as her aureole, stands in the pratyalidha attitude on the moon over white lotus, trampling under her feet the vighna. She threatens the host of vighna with clenched fist of the left hand exhibiting the trajani against the chest and shakes her right fist” (Bhattacharyya 1958: 196-197). Another description of Parnashabari with four hands can be found on the above sadhana. In this case, her right arms carry vajra and parshu, left hands carry bow and arrow. She bears the image of Akshobhy on the crown (Bhattacharyya 1958: 197). On the other hand, Nispannayogavali listed her as Dharini deity, fifth in the list. Here, she described as having green complexion, and holds peacock feather on the left hand (Bhattacharyya 1958: 339). Sadhanamala (c. 1165 AD) and Nispannayogavali are two important and valuable sources of Buddhist iconography. Nispannayogavali was written by Mahapandita Abhayakara Gupta of the Vikramasila monastery who flourished during the reign of the Pala King Ramapala (c. 1084-1130 AD). These works not only give valuable details regarding the deities, but 123 Pratnatattva Vol. 25, June 2019 also reveal much historical and cultural information of the Tantric Period. Enunciation of Parnashabari in the both accounts proves that she was an important and popular Buddhist goddess in 10th -12th centuries AD. Though it is assumed that as a destroyer of epidemics, Parnashabari was a popular goddess in Bengal and Bihar, her image is quite rare. By analyses of various published literary source and museum catalogues, there are total 12 images can be found from Bengal and Bihar. Five of them are in stone, and seven in metal. They are described belowTwo stone images from two villages of Munsiganj (ancient Vikrampura) Bangladesh, published and described for the first time by N.K. Bhattasali. Both are in black basalt and currently preserved at Bangladesh National Museum, Dhaka. Fig 1 was found from Nayananda, Tangibari, Munsiganj (Bhattasali 1929: 61). In this marvelous sculpture, the three headed, six-armed, pot-bellied goddess is standing in alidha pose on a double petal lotus or bisvapadma. As required by sadhana, she is treading upon the heads of two prostrate male figures placed upon the lotus seat with heads in the opposite directions and having circular small-pox marks all over their bodies. Her beautiful face is lit with irritated but smiling expression. Her hair is upstreaming but restrained. She is decked with beaded upavita around her body, ornamented hara, kantha (one string beaded short necklace) in the neck, kangan (bracelets of beads) and valay (bangles with claps) in the wrist, keyura (armlet), circular kanraphool in the ears and kinkini (anklet with small balls) on her feet. She wears a skirt tide with a girdle of leaves. Though Bhattasali describes her skirt made of tiger skin (Bhattasali 1929: 60), but it seems to portrait some kind of fabric as flower motif in diamond and circular shape is printed all over it. She is holding visvavajra (thunderbolt) and showing tarjani mudra (threatening gesture) near chest with her main right and left hands. Her other right hands carry arrow and parshu, lefts hands carry a cluster of leaves (probably neem or Azadirachta indica) and bow. A long rope can be seen tide on the sharp end of the parshu hanging down on one of the prostrate male figures. May be, this is the pasa or lasso. The five transcendent Buddhas, Amoghsiddi in the middle with avhaya mudra, are shown on top of the stela. Shitala, the Brahmanical Goddess of small-pox, is shown disappearing riding on a donkey at her left. She is holding a broom stick in the right hand and winnowing basket in the left. On the other hand, fever demon and consort of Shitala, the horse headed Javrasura depicted standing in the right of the goddess in an aggressive attitude holding a short dagger. The image is characterized by its relative simplicity and avoidance of floral motifs and associate surface decoration. It is dated to the early 11th century. Fig. 1: Parnasabari, stone, Nayananda, Tangibari, Munsiganj, Bangladesh National Museum (Source: Hossain and Biswas 2015: Pl. 104) Fig. 2: Parnasabari, stone, Vajrayogini, Munsiganj, Bangladesh National Museum (Source: Hossain and Biswas 2015: Pl. 105) Fig. 3: Parnasabari, stone, Northeastern India (Source: Kapoor Galleries) Another image of Parnashabari was found from Vajrayogini, Vikrampura which is also in black basalt and about four feet high (Fig. 2) (Bhattasali 1929: 61). It has almost the same characteristics and resemblance with the Nayanada specimen, few minor difference can be found in the depiction of Javrasura, design of arm and feet ornaments and motifs of her skirt . Here, Javrasura is shown running away in the proper right holding a dagger in right hand. 124 Pratnatattva Vol. 25, June 2019 Kapoor Galleries displayed similar image of Parnashabari (Fig. 3), which is listed as “Ex-collection of Wasim Zaman, Massachutts, USA” (Kapoor Galleries n.d.). Here also the only difference can be found in the depiction of Javrasura. In this image, he is holding a sword, wearing short dhuti and jatamukuta. His face is turning back to the goddess and running away from her. Though Northeastern India is referred as the finding spot of this image, the close similarity with Vikrampura specimen hints that this was also produced in the same area. Binoytosh Bhattacharyya described a mutilated image of Parnashabari (Fig. 4), showcased in the Indian Museum with three faces and six arms trampling upon Ganesa (Bhattacharyya 1958: 270). She is not pot-bellied and wearing a karanda mukuta. Her right hands carry visvavajra, parshu and arrow, while her main left hand is showing tarjani mudra with pasa, one hand broken, the other carries a bow. There is an unidentified female attendant standing on her right. All the three images from Vikrampura described above, bearing the image of Amoghsiddhi upon their head and have an angry smile in face. The physical features and attributes on hand prove that Bengal artists strictly followed the dhayan of Parnashabari described in Shadhamala as an emanation of Amoghsiddhi. They also add some special features to prove her as supreme deity of small-pox. The fleeing figures of Brahmanical small-pox deity Shitala in associate with fever demon Javrasura hints that Shitala is represented here as the cause of the disease. This is to be mentioned that, Shitala is said to inflect small-pox, as well as avert it and her chief lieutenant is fever demon Javrasura. She herself known as disease the queen of disease (Roga Raja), master of poxes (Basanta Rayja) (Stewart 1995: 389). The prostrate figure of Ganesa at the bottom, and the flight of Shitala and Javrasura appear to indicate the suppression of the worship of these Brahmanical deities of disease by the introduction of that of Parnashabari (Bhattasali 1929: 61). There are seven metal images of Parnasavari discovered from Kurkihar, Bihar, have been shortly described in Patna Museum Catalogue (Gupta 1965: 150-151). Among the images, an amazing harmony is noticed; all of them are presented in sitting position on single lotus thorn, with one head and four/six hands. But their sitting gestures and attributes of hands do not completely match with the sadhanas those are quoted in Sadhanamala and Nisponnoyogabali. In the first bronze image, Parnashabari is seated on single lotus thorn on a high rectangular pedestal with maharajaliasana. Her right leg rests on small figure of Ganesa, kneeling down in front row on pedestal. She has four arms and one head. With her main hands, she is holding vajra on right and pasa (noose) on left. Other right hand is showing varada mudra, left hand is resting on her left knee leaning against stalk of a plant which is issued from the lotus seat. She is wearing a sari, length of which just reaches below of her knee. The anchla of the sari is placed on her right shoulder. She is decked with plain kharu on feet, bangle, necklace and large circular ear rings (Fig. 5). Her eyes are wide open and face is lit with pleasant smile. This image is belonged to 11th century (The Huntington Archive n.d.). The second image is made of gold, silver and bronze. Here, the goddess is seated on single lotus thorn in vajraprayanka asana. She has one head and four arms, and a pleasant smile in face. She holds arrow in her upper right hand, showing abhaya mudra in lower right, bow in upper left hand and a long stalk of lotus in lower left. She wears a long skirt, various ornaments, upavita and karanda mukuta on head. This image is datable to the 10th century AD (Fig. 6). The third image is also seated on single lotus thorn, made of bronze and belonged to the art work of 11 th century AD (The Huntington Archive n.d.). This image is one headed and four-armed, and the goddess has a third eye on her forehead. A pleasant smile could be traced on her face. She holds arrow in the upper right hand, shows abhaya mudra in lower right hand, bow in upper left and utpala in lower left hand (Fig. 7). In the fourth image again, she is seated in vajraprayanka asana on single lotus thorn. She wears a long skirt, designed blouse and decked with beaded necklace, simple bangle, beaded mekhla and karanda mukuta on head. She has a third eye and pleasant smile on face. She holds an arrow as if she is pulling it from quiver with her upper right hand while shows varada mudra in lower right hand. Her upper left hand holds a bow and lower left holds long stalk of lotus. This 3-inch bronze image is belonged to the 10th century AD (Fig. 8). The Fifth image is made of bronze, datable to the 11th century. It has similar feature like image described above (Fig. 9). An interesting image of Parnashabari from Kurkihar is described by various authors having no pedestal (Sharmila 2017: 680). By summarizing the above images, it can be stated that these images were produced according to the dhayana of Sadhanamala, where Parnashabari is mentioned as an emanation of Aksobhya. Though no image of Aksobhya can be found on her crown, but her other features, attributed and pleasant smile on face proves her as a member of Aksobhya family. An icon of goddess Parnashabari with eight hands is found from Nalanda. The front face is distinct and no doubts a laughing appearance. The side face is indistinct and seated with crossed legs on plain or simple pedestal (Sharmila 2017: 680) . 125 Pratnatattva Vol. 25, June 2019 Fig. 4: Parnasabari, West Bengal, Indian Museum Kolkata, India (Source: Bhattacharyya 1958: Pl.140) Fig. 5: Parnasabari, Bronze, Kurkihar, Bihar, Patna Museum, India (Source: Huntington Archive) Fig. 6: Parnasabari, gold, silver and bronze, Kurkihar, Bihar, Patna Museum, India (Source: Huntington Archive) Fig. 7: Parnasabari, bronze, Kurkihar, Bihar, Patna Museum, India (Source: Huntington Archive) Fig. 8: Parnasabari, bronze, Kurkihar, Bihar, Patna Museum, India (Source: Huntington Archive) Fig. 9: Parnasabari, bronze, Kurkihar, Bihar, Patna Museum, India (Source: Huntington Archive) Summarizing the iconographic data of the twelve images of Pranashabari from Bengal and Bihar, it can be said that she was quite popular as a deity of epidemics in that area. But artists of these two lands followed two separate dhayna and styles while reproducing her icons. By analyzing the iconographic data of these images of Parnashabari, some specific information can be gathered about contemporary religious and social situation as well as artistic. Two different and distinct styles can be found in making of these images1. 126 Parnashabari images of Bengal (specially from Vikrampura, Bangladesh) were made according to the sadhana of Shadhamala; artists strictly followed almost all the details. She is presented as a family member of Amoghsiddhi. Pratnatattva Vol. 25, June 2019 2. 3. 4. 5. Kurkihara, Bihar specimens do not completely follow any of the sadhanas quoted in Sadhamala or Nispannayogavali. Some of their features matched with the dhayana of her as an emanation of Akshoyba. However, in every image, Parnashabari wears karandamukuta instead of jatamukuta and no image of Akshoyba is shown on her crown. Bengal artists added some special features to her image. Vikrampura images have Brahmanical deities Shitala, Javrasura and Ganesa defeated by her. Indian museum image shows Ganesa is trampled by Parnashabari. Without one exception, no Bihar images display any of these interesting features. The Parnashabari images of Vikrampura are pot-bellied and with griddle of leaves around waists. Her dress style makes a closer connection with the Shabara tribe of ancient India. None of the Bihar images is pot-bellied; they are shown wearing sari and skirt-blouse. All of the Vikrampura specimens show small-pox in human shape trampled by Parnashabari. She captured them by her lasso and crushed them under her legs. Brahmanical goddess of small-pox Shitala and god of childhood fever demon Jarasura shown running away by the presence of a more powerful goddess. The opposite and pinnate leaves which was used as an emblem of Parnashabari stone images has a close similarity with Margosa neem leaves. Still today small pox, chicken pox etc. disease traditionally treated with a past of neem leaves. These interesting features are completely absent in those of Bihar miniatures. On the basis of the foregoing discussion, it seems that Parnashabari was worshiped mainly as a goddess of small-pox and fever in Bengal. Small-pox had all along been a general disease in Indian Subcontinent. People did die from it, and even many of those who managed to recover carried marks of the disease with them as pits on the face and sometimes even the loss of the eyes and such other defects (Samanta 2011: 212).\Antiquity of this disease in this region can be found in some early medical text. For about last 2,000 years, a disease called masurika has been recognize in Indian medical compilation, later this term used to designate small-pox (Nicholas 1981: 25). However, the Atharva Veda does not contain this name among the ancient diseases. It was first mentioned in the early medical compilation of Caraka and Susruta. It is described as a fatal disease in the 7th century book, named, Astabgabrdaya by Vagbhata. Masurika is also mentioned in the eighth century book, named, Nidana by Madhava-karna. He also wrote about the treatment of small-pox which was exclusively biological. But he did not mention any deity or demon in connection with this disease (Nicholas 1981:25). Actually, there is no reference of goddess of small-pox before 10th to 12th centuries. Thus, these early appearances suggest that small pox was an ancient disease in Indian subcontinent. Most likely, outbreak of this disease was inc reasing day by day, and therefore, the necessity of palliative divinity becomes necessary. In this context, the local village goddess of disease has endured in the Hindu and Buddhist pantheon at approximately the same time. The concept of female divinity that cures fever and epidemics is panIndian. By course of time, numerous local epidemics goddesses are tended to merge and coalesce into pan regional divinities (Shaw 2006: 195), such a goddess is Shitala, the Hindu goddess of small pox. A good number of shrines and sculptures of Shitala are found throughout the Indian subcontinent. The cult of Shitala, associated primarily with small-pox, is unquestionably the most highly developed in Bengal, for there are found major all-village pujas, Mangal Kavya (earliest date from 1600 AD) and Shitala temples (Wadely 1980: 33). These sources prove that Shitala became very popular goddess among the Brahmanical pantheon within 16 th AD. And perhaps, this is why the Buddhist accumulated their idea of having a goddess of epidemics parallel to Shitala and the chose their protector of disease form the famous tribal sect- Shabara of Bengal. Thus, we find Parnasabari as a goddess of small pox and other epidemics in the Tantric Buddhism. Several accounts about the daily life of Shabara-Shabari have been narrated in the ancient Bengal literature Charyapada. According to Kanhopada, they lived on the high altitude of hills. Fascinating description of Shabari is also there; she wears necklace of gunja, kundela in ears and peacock feather around her waist (Ray 1959: 597). She is also described as Karnakundalavajradhari there (Dasgupta 1985: 140). Again, Siddhacarya Sibaripa (last half of 8th to first half of 9th AD) was a historical person. He composed several Dohas which were published in Charyacharja for the first time. Tibetan works (Sumpa Makhan-po) cited in Shabaripa as a belonging to the hill tribe called Shabara or the huntsman in Bengal. He appears to the same as Savarisavara, some of whose work in the Bstan-hayur are connected to the Vajrayogini Shadhana. (Majumdar 1943: 340-341). Later on, this Vajrayogini Shadhana was made popular in Bengal by Indrabhuti, the King of Uddiyan, and his sister Lakshmikara. According to Ray, he was the founder teacher (acharja) of Buddhist Shabara Sampradya (Ray 1959:713) Besides these, literary sources, numerous terracotta plaques depicting various pictures of Shabara-Shabari have been found from the outer wall of Somapura Mahavihar, Paharpur, Bangladesh. Therefore, it can be assumed that as a tribal group, Shabara has an important position in the social structure of that time and Pransabasabari was originally worshiped by them. So, it is not unusual that a popular goddess of this tribe can be included in Tantric Buddhism by the Siddhas. Ethnographic data show, even today Shabara of South Bengal worship Shitala as their village goddess to get rid of disease and for wellbeing of their children and for fortune (Ghatak 2013:119). 127 Pratnatattva Vol. 25, June 2019 Now, the question is in what circumstance artists of these two geographically and politically nearby areas chose completely different style in depicting such a popular Goddess? According to Susan Huntington, „although these two-region maintained extensive contact with each other, it also retained individuality as can be seen in the describable difference in their art style‟ (Huntington 1984: 81). As stated before, on the basis of stylistic features, big stone images of Vikrampura, and miniatures from Kurkihar, Bihar are belonged to 10th-11th centuries. This is the time when the prevalence of Tantrism and tantric practice are blamed as a decadent feature in Buddhism resulting in the undermining of Buddhist religion, thereby causing both a decline in Buddhism and allowing an increase in the popularity in Brahmanical sects simultaneously (Huntington 1984:81). Bengal was an important center of Tantrism. According to the Tibetan sources, Tantric Buddhism flourished in Bangla under the Chandra and the King Gopichandra who is associated by tradition with a particular from of mysticism, belonged to this dynasty (Picron 2014: 6). As Brahmanical power was increasing in this area, to prove their deity more powerful than the Brahmanical, Buddhist siddhas added some special features to them. And the result is many images of this area depict famous Brahmanical gods are trampled by Buddhist god and goddess. For example, Ganesa is trampled by Maricipicuva (Haque and Gail 2008:131), and a good amount of these images are found from Bengal. On the other hand, the cult of the transcendent Buddha Aksobhya was very strong in Magadha on South Bihar, and according to Gouriswar Bhattacharya he was the most important deity to worship during the Pala period (Bhattacharya 2000: 33). Most probably this is why, Parnashabari is represented as a family member of Aksobhya in those Bihar specimens. According to the present practicing Buddhist from Mainamati, Cumilla and Bandarban, District, Parnasashabari is no more worshiped as a deity of epidemic and disease at Bangladesh. But these extraordinary images from Bengal and Bihar prove her popularity in medieval time of this region. Based on the iconographic details of Parnashabari images, it can be concluded that the social, political and religious circumstances of that time and contradiction between the existing Buddhist cults played a vital role for choosing their Goddess of epidemics from local indigenous tribe. And because of the same reason, Parnashabari images were built in two different style at these two-area, based on two different sdhanas from Sadhanamala. welqms‡ÿc gnvhvb †e․× a‡g© cY©keix GK RbwcÖq Ges ¸iæZ¡c~Y© †`ex| evsjv‡`‡ki †e․× agv©ej¤^xiv GLb Zvi Dcvmbv bv Ki‡jI Pxb, ZxeŸZ, †bcvj cÖf„wZ †`‡k †ivM gyw³i †`ex wn‡m‡e wZwb GLbI mgvb RbwcÖqZvq c~wRZ nb| †e․× kv¯¿xq m~Îvbyhvqx cY©keixi Dcvmbv f³‡`i wewfbœ †ivM Ges gnvgvixi nvZ †_‡K i¶v K‡i| g~wZ©ZË¡kv‡¯¿ cY©keixi ¸iæZ¡c~Y© Ae¯’vb i‡q‡Q, mvabgvjv Ges wb®úbœ‡hvMvejx Dfq MÖ‡š’B cY©keixi GKvwaK D‡jøL cvIqv hvq| wZwb GKRb †`ex, hvi D™¢‡ei †kKo †cÖvw_Z wQj evsjvi GK cvnvoevmx, AiY¨Pvix Avw`evmx †Mvôxi g‡a¨ - hv‡`i bvg kei| GQvov GB •ewPΨc~Y© †`exi gvbexq iƒc Kíbv‡ZI wKQz wfbœZv †`Lv hvq, Zuvi †`n fviZxq bvixi †m․›`‡h©i cÖ_vMZ gvcKvwV‡Z KwíZ nqwb, wZwb myZb~Kv bb, eis c„_yjv! GB •ewPΨgq Ges RbwcÖq †`exi †ek K‡qKwU g~wZ© cvIqv †M‡Q evsjv Ges wenvi †_‡K, hvi me¸‡jvB wLªw÷q 11-12 kZ‡K wbwg©Z| evsjvi g~wZ©¸‡jv cv_‡ii Ges wenv‡ii g~wZ©¸‡jv avZz wbwg©Z| cÖvq mgmvgwqK mg‡q Ges GKB ivR‣bwZK I agx©q †cÖ¶vc‡U wbwg©Z GB g~wZ©¸‡jv `yB A‡j m¤ú~Y© Avjv`v `ywU •ewkó¨‡K †K›`ª K‡i wbwg©Z n‡qwQj| eZ©gvb cÖe‡Ü cY©keix g~wZ©¸‡jvi wkí •kjxi wfbœZvi m¤¢ve¨ KviY AbymÜvb Kiv n‡q‡Q| References Bhattacharya, Gouriswar (2000) Essays on Buddhist, Hindu, Jain Iconography and Epigraphy. Dhaka: International Center for Study of Bengal Art. Bhattacharyya, Benoytosh (1958) The Indian Buddhist Iconography. Calcutta: Firma K.L. Mukhopadyay. Bhattasali, Nalini Kanta (1929) Iconography of Buddhist and Brahmanical Sculptures in the Dacca Museum. Dacca: Dacca Museum. Dasgupta, Sri Shosibhuson (1985) Bharater Sakti Sadhana abong Sakto Sahityo (in Bangla). Kolkata: Shishu Shahitoy Songsod Private Ltd. Getty, Alice (1914) Gods of Northern Buddhism. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 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