Figure 229 - Hindu Gods: Gaṇapatihṛdayā

Fig. 229: Gaṇapatihṛdayā
(Courtesy: W. Y. Ewans-Wentz)

It is not a fact that Hindu gods [viz., Gaṇapatihṛdayā] were unknown in the Buddhist pantheon or that the Buddhist pantheon wholly consisted of Buddhist gods. [...] A perusal of the Niṣpannayogāvalī and especially the Dharmadhātuvāgīśvara-maṇḍala will show what a large number of Hindu deities was incorporated in the Mandala, and how this large number was tackled intelligently and fitted into the scheme of the Buddhist Maṇḍalas. [...] Amongst the Hindu deities incorporated into the Buddhist pantheon, three deities appear to be of great importance. These are Mahākāla the prototype of Śiva Mahādeva with the Triśūla as the recognition symbol, Gaṇapati the elephant-faced god, and Sarasvatī the Goddess of Learning with her characteristic Vīṇā. Separate Sādhanas are assigned to all of them, and even independent shrines for them are not wanting in the Buddhist countries of the North.

Two-armed Gaṇapatihṛdayā:

Āsana: dancing;
Arms: two;
Mudrās: abhaya and varada.

Like Gaṇapati himself Gaṇapatihṛdayā who is in all probability is his Śakti or female counterpart, cannot be easily assigned to any particular Dhyāni Buddha. Her form is described in the Dharmakośasaṃgraha of Amṛtānanda in the following words: “Gaṇapatihṛdayā is one-faced, two-armed, exhibits in her two hands the Varada and Abhaya poses, and shows the dancing attitude”.

Fig. 229 illustrates a miniature in the possession of Dr. W. Y. Evans-Wentz.