Vajrayogini- “the female ascetic on the path of Vajra or supreme wisdom”, is the embodiment of the unbounded nature of pure wisdom. Often equated with goddess Kali, a Hindu mother goddess who assumes a similar, awe-inspiring form, a Vajrayogini is the protector and guide of the followers of Dhamma, annihilating any negativity of their path and filling their hearts with a fearlessness beyond words.
This stunning gilded copper statue from Nepal represents the mighty Vajrayogini in an animated Alisha pose as if lunging toward the horizon, symbolizing her ability to travel vast distances by flying in the sky, because of which she is also known as “Akash Yogini” (sky yogini). With a finesse only possible in Nepalese statues, the Vajrayogini has been sculpted, with a lively face and heavenly body. She wears a crown with skull emblems and, a jeweled necklace that forms a floral pattern on her torso, contrasted by the skull garland and an ornate girdle.
The form of Vajrayogini is a manifestation of the popular and occult principles of Buddhism. Her naked body symbolizes the bareness of truth, skulls in her ornamentation and the skull cup from which she drinks blood (in her left hand), are markers of an acceptance and celebration of death as only a step in the journey to true wisdom. The Vajra in her right hand is the supreme symbol of Buddhist wisdom, which Vajrayogini readily bestows upon those willing to give up their attachments to the world.
To break the veil of worldliness, Vajrayogini carries three heads on her Khatvanga, symbolizing life, death, and decay, asking the viewer to accept the impermanence of life before calling upon Vajrayogini. Under her feet, She tramples Nirrti, or the goddess of death, described in ancient texts. Around this dynamic and divine image of Vajrayogini are stylized flames, symbolizing supreme wisdom that burns the boundaries of human existence, allowing the devotee to reach the wisdom of the Yogini.
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