Figure 209 - Musical Instruments Deities: Vīṇā

Fig. 209: Vīṇā
(Peiping)

There is a further group of goddesses representing the four musical instruments and are often mentioned in the Sādhanas and Maṇḍalas as companions of important deities. When everything else is deified there is no reason why these musical instruments should not also be deified. These four Musical Instruments are named as Vaṃśā (flute) Vīṇā (violin), Mukundā (kettle-drum) and Murajā (drum) and we find them all deified with human form, colour, faces, hands and symbols. In the Vajraḍāka-maṇḍala they are collectively described as nude, violent in appearance, wearing garlands of skulls and severed heads and dancing in Pratyālīḍha. They display the different instruments as their special symbols. They [viz., Vīṇā] are described below in the same order in which they appear in the Pañcaḍāka-maṇḍala.

2. Vīṇā:

Colour: yellow;
Arms: two;
Symbol: Vīṇā instrument.

The second goddess representing musical instruments is called Vīṇā, and her form is described in the following words: “Vīṇā is yellow in colour. With her two hands she plays on the musical instrument, the Vīṇā”. In the Chinese collection she is represented as goddess Vīṇādharā which is the same as Vīṇā. This Chinese statuette is illustrated in Fig. 209.