Shambamahadroshana in Yab Yum

I was kind of looking sideways at the word ''Shambamahadroshana'' as I do not recognise it from anywhere. And the image is more Blue Tara or a dakini in Vajrayogini mode to my initial understanding, so I was wondering who it represented. Plus Yab Yum is not a solo deity, but rather an image of consorts, such as Samantabhadra with his consort.

Started off with the Shambha part, and could find nothing. Shambho is a name for Shiva, I knew, but nothing coming up. So I wondered if maybe this was a misrepresentation of some other word. Maha I know means ''great'', droshana gave nothing but then Mahadroshana together conjured up out of the googlesphere the deity Chandamaharoshana. Also known as Achala.

So I looked into it to see if the deity is generally conveyed as blue, And sure enough he is, and in an unusual pose with his knee bent in a peculiar way.

Image result for chandamaharoshana

I'm not exactly sure at all who the dakini in the post is, I go for a form of Blue Tara, who is quite rare in image form. I saw a beautiful Blue Tara once in the meditation room of a Professor of Theology in Strasbourg, who had brought back the thangka from Tibet.

It is said that Chandamaharoshana's purpose on earth is to subdue evildoers, but especially those who are disrespectful to women, who he dispatches with his sword.

See here how he looks so lovingly at his lady....ready to protect her from rascals!

Image result for chandamaharoshana

There is a lovely verse from the tantra attributed to Chandamaharoshana, of special interest to women. He addresses his consort - ''The Supreme Lady'' and asks her what is her form; she replies...

'All female forms in the sky and above and below the earth,
All high or low births, are my forms.
All invisible female beings are my forms:
All goddesses and demi-goddesses,
All titanesses and demonesses,
All serpent beings, nature goddesses and ghost maidens,
All lotus eaters and female devils,
And all human girls too,
All female animals and hungry ghosts,
All priestesses and high born ladies,
All trading women and working women,
All those born as writers and queens,
Teachers and scholars,
Tax collectors and gardeners,
Prostitutes and dyers,
Potters and huntresses,
Outcastes, musicians and toilet cleaners,
Washerwomen, barmaids and sweet-makers,
Blacksmiths' women, courtesans and dancers,
Bronzesmiths' and goldsmiths' women,
Fisherwomen and butchers' women,
Butter churners and flower-women,
Ascetics and conch-shell artisans,
Cane-splitters and poetesses,
Cow-herds and arrow-makers,
Stone-masons' women,
Wood gathers and jewellers:
I come in the form of women of all classes and trades,
And I am mother, sister and wife,
Aunt and niece,
Great-aunt and mother-in-law,
And every other kind of female relation.
And I am every tantric practitioner and yogini,
And widow and ascetic.
I take the forms of all these women
Who now live to serve all sentient beings.

(from Keith Dowman's translation of the Chandamaharoshanatantra)

Nice :)

Replies

Moon May 31, 2017 at 1:56pm

I was kind of looking sideways at the word ''Shambamahadroshana'' as I do not recognise it from anywhere. And the image is more Blue Tara or a dakini in Vajrayogini mode to my initial understanding, so I was wondering who it represented. Plus Yab Yum is not a solo deity, but rather an image of consorts, such as Samantabhadra with his consort.

Started off with the Shambha part, and could find nothing. Shambho is a name for Shiva, I knew, but nothing coming up. So I wondered if maybe this was a misrepresentation of some other word. Maha I know means ''great'', droshana gave nothing but then Mahadroshana together conjured up out of the googlesphere the deity Chandamaharoshana. Also known as Achala.

So I looked into it to see if the deity is generally conveyed as blue, And sure enough he is, and in an unusual pose with his knee bent in a peculiar way.

I'm not exactly sure at all who the dakini in the post is, I go for a form of Blue Tara, who is quite rare in image form. I saw a beautiful Blue Tara once in the meditation room of a Professor of Theology in Strasbourg, who had brought back the thangka from Tibet.

It is said that Chandamaharoshana's purpose on earth is to subdue evildoers, but especially those who are disrespectful to women, who he dispatches with his sword.

See here how he looks so lovingly at his lady....ready to protect her from rascals!

There is a lovely verse from the tantra attributed to Chandamaharoshana, of special interest to women. He addresses his consort - ''The Supreme Lady'' and asks her what is her form; she replies...

'All female forms in the sky and above and below the earth,
All high or low births, are my forms.
All invisible female beings are my forms:
All goddesses and demi-goddesses,
All titanesses and demonesses,
All serpent beings, nature goddesses and ghost maidens,
All lotus eaters and female devils,
And all human girls too,
All female animals and hungry ghosts,
All priestesses and high born ladies,
All trading women and working women,
All those born as writers and queens,
Teachers and scholars,
Tax collectors and gardeners,
Prostitutes and dyers,
Potters and huntresses,
Outcastes, musicians and toilet cleaners,
Washerwomen, barmaids and sweet-makers,
Blacksmiths' women, courtesans and dancers,
Bronzesmiths' and goldsmiths' women,
Fisherwomen and butchers' women,
Butter churners and flower-women,
Ascetics and conch-shell artisans,
Cane-splitters and poetesses,
Cow-herds and arrow-makers,
Stone-masons' women,
Wood gathers and jewellers:
I come in the form of women of all classes and trades,
And I am mother, sister and wife,
Aunt and niece,
Great-aunt and mother-in-law,
And every other kind of female relation.
And I am every tantric practitioner and yogini,
And widow and ascetic.
I take the forms of all these women
Who now live to serve all sentient beings.

(from Keith Dowman's translation of the Chandamaharoshanatantra)

Nice :)

This reply was deleted.

Yoga and Tantra

Shambamahadroshana in Yab Yum

Shambamahadroshana in Yab Yum | yinyangzhilun | Pinterest | The o ...

Yab Yum - Labium - YouTube

Replies