Image title: Goddesses (Shakti-Devi)

English text:

In Hinduism since the seventh-eighth centuries, goddess worship has been popular, and the prevalence of Tantrism and the prosperity of goddess worship have been seen to parallel each other to some extent. In Hinduism, a consort of a deity is called shakti, which means power or sexual energy. That is to say, consorts of Hindu deities were considered the power of respective male deities.

Buddhist Tantrism also was greatly influenced by goddess worship. Each Buddha began to be coupled with a consort. A consort of male Buddhist deities is called prajna, which literally means wisdom. One can see a Buddha or a Bodhisattva appears together with his female partner (consort) in mandalas.

Nepalese text (not proofread)

शक्तिदेवी—सातौं आठौं शताब्दीतिर हिन्दुधर्ममा विभिन्न देवीहरूको पूजा आजामा लोकप्रियता बढे । त्यसैताका तन्त्रको प्रसिद्धि र शक्तिदेवीहरूको पूजा गर्ने प्रचलन पनि केही हदसम्म समान रूपमा अगाडि बढे । हिन्दूधर्ममा देवको अर्धाङ्गीनीलाई शक्तिदेवी भनिन्छ, जसको अर्थ आफ्नो बल वा कामशक्ति हुन्छ । अर्थात् हिन्दू देवताहरूमा अर्धाङ्गीनी नै तिनीहरूको बल वा शक्तिको रूपमा लिइन्छ ।

बौद्धतन्त्रमा पनि देवी पूजाको अधिक प्रभाव रहेको छ । बौद्ध देवताहरू पनि शक्ति साथ रहेको पाइन्छ । बौद्ध देवताका ती शक्तिदेवीलाई प्रज्ञा भनिन्छ, जसको अर्थ ज्ञान हो । मण्डलहरूमा पनि बुद्ध बोधिसत्त्वहरू आ-आफ्ना शक्तिदेवीका साथ विराजमान भएको देख्न सकिन्छ ।

Nepalese to English (automated translation)

Goddess Shakti—Around the 7th and 8th centuries, the worship of various goddesses in Hinduism grew in popularity. At the same time, the popularity of Tantra and the practice of worshiping Shaktidevis also progressed to some extent. In Hinduism, God's ardhangini is called Shaktevi, which means her strength or power. In other words, Ardhangini is considered as their strength or strength in Hindu deities.

Goddess worship also has more influence in Buddhism. Buddhist gods are also found to be with Shakti. The Shakti Devi of Buddhist gods is called Prajna, which means knowledge. Buddha Bodhisattvas can also be seen sitting in the mandalas with their Shakti Devi.

Transcription (with diacritics):

Śaktidevī—sātauṃ āṭhauṃ śatābdītira hindudharmamā vibhinna devīharūko pūjā ājāmā lokapriyatā baḍhe . Tyasaitākā tantrako prasiddhi ra śaktidevīharūko pūjā garne pracalana pani kehī hadasamma samāna rūpamā agāḍi baḍhe . Hindūdharmamā devako ardhāṅgīnīlāī śaktidevī bhanincha, jasako artha āphno bala vā kāmaśakti huncha . Arthāt hindū devatāharūmā ardhāṅgīnī nai tinīharūko bala vā śaktiko rūpamā liincha .

bauddhatantramā pani devī pūjāko adhika prabhāva raheko cha . Bauddha devatāharū pani śakti sātha raheko pāincha . Bauddha devatākā tī śaktidevīlāī prajñā bhanincha, jasako artha jñāna ho . Maṇḍalaharūmā pani buddha bodhisattvaharū ā-āphnā śaktidevīkā sātha virājamāna bhaeko dekhna sakincha .

Transcription (without diacritics):

 shaktidevi—sataum athaum shatabditira hindudharmama vibhinna deviharuko puja ajama lokapriyata badhe . tyasaitaka tantrako prasiddhi ra shaktideviharuko puja garne pracalana pani kehi hadasamma samana rupama agadi badhe . hindudharmama devako ardhanginilai shaktidevi bhanincha, jasako artha aphno bala va kamashakti huncha . arthat hindu devataharuma ardhangini nai tiniharuko bala va shaktiko rupama liincha .

bauddhatantrama pani devi pujako adhika prabhava raheko cha . bauddha devataharu pani shakti satha raheko paincha . bauddha devataka ti shaktidevilai prajna bhanincha, jasako artha jnana ho . mandalaharuma pani buddha bodhisattvaharu a-aphna shaktidevika satha virajamana bhaeko dekhna sakincha .

Gallery information:

The Northern Himalayan region in Nepal offers a wide variety of Buddhist objects such as paintings, scriptures, sculptures, ritualistic objects, etc. Buddhism once entered Tibet from Nepal and has blended in its own way there, resulting in Tibetan Buddhism which is divided into many schools. The items found here are exhibited in the National Museum of Nepal (Rashtriya Museum).