At the center of the mandala, the lifted hand of Mayadevi grasps a tree, entwined around the branch in a manner identical to that of the tree goddesses and female tree-spirits (yakshis) of yore, who denoted fertility in early Indian art. Here, not only does her posture provide a powerful statement presenting her as fertility incarnate, but as the mother of the Buddha-to-Be, she is also the generative source of the enlightenment process.
Present at the time of birth was the Hindu god Brahma. Normally in those ancient circumstances, everything connected with death, birth, excrement, and blood would have been considered unclean. The presence of this important deity of the Hindu pantheon has significance over and above political interpretations. It indicates that the birth in question was non-defiling one, graced by Brahma's auspicious presence. In this painting, Brahma is easily recognized by his four heads (three visible and fourth invisible at the back), blessing the new-born baby.
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