Chapter 4: Japanese Buddhist Iconography (a Comparative Study)

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having one head, two arms and three eyes. He is riding
gracefully on a white elephant. (Pl.XVII,Fig.4. ).
Śakrāni or Indrāṇi/Taishaku-Nyo
The concept of Taishaku-ten! $ consort is not un-
known in Japanese or Chinese iconography. In Japan the
consort of Sakra-Indra is called Taishaku-Nyo.
In India the text Visnudharmottara provides descrip-
tions of Śakra-Indra's consort, who is mentioned in the text
as Sachī. She is portrayed as seated on the left of Indra,
She has four arms. She is also called Indrāṇī.
Although we have not so far come across sculptural
representations of Śakrāṇī or Taishaku-Nyo, she is, however,
adequately represented in the Mandaras as is evident from
the Chinese Tripitaka. One such representation as contained
in the Tripitaka is to be found in the Dai-taizo-dai-mandara
(Mahakarunā garbha-mandala).
In the above mandara, Śakrāṇī or Taishaku-Nyo is
depicted as seated ■ in a semi cross-legged position on a
round pedestal. She holds the stalk of a lotus bud in her
right hand. Her left hand, which is held near her navel,
exhibits a mudrā by pointing the fore-finger towards earth.
Her partly folded thumb is held upward while her middle
finger touches the thumb. The fingers of Śakrāṇi and Brahmani
are placed side by side in this mandara.