Marichi: Goddess of Dawn Pulled by a Chariot of Seven Pigs

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Marichi is a female meditational deity who belongs to the Kriya Tantra. Her name means, ray of light, is often referred to as goddess of dawn. Marichi is invoked by the Lamas of Tibet about the time of sun-rise, which shows her connection with the sun. She too, like the Hindu Sun-god, has a chariot and her chariot is drawn by seven pigs, while that of the Sun-god drawn by seven horses. In China she is called "Queen of the Heaven". According to tradition Marichi is a protector who removes obstacles and brings great pleasure. Both a ritual prayer to her and her mantra, Om Marichi Mum Swaha, is recited every morning at dawn. In this prayer and recitation, a practitioner visualizes rays in the shape of Marichi that emerge from her to purify all beings. The rays return to the practitioner bringing good qualities, such as compassion and wisdom. The rays also reach all evil spirits, blind them, and take away their desire to do harm to the practitioner and his or her loved ones and friends. To complete the prayer, the wish is expressed that the merit gained from the ritual will brings all beings into enlightenment.

The cult of Marichi is popular in Tibet, Mongolia and China. There are several shrines dedicated to her in Tibet. In Japan she is believed to reside in one of the seven stars forming the constellation of the Great bear. The images of Marichi have also been discovered from different parts of eastern India which shows her popularly. Here the thangka shows one form of Marichi with three heads, and eight arms. Her all the faces have peaceful expression with three eyes. Her heads wear crown with gemstone. A lotus is attached to the crown of her front face. Her hair is partly upswept in a knot with a decoration on it and partly falls on her shoulders. Her main right hand holds a vajra, her upper right hand holds vajra axe, her second right hand holds an arrow and her lower right hand is in charity mudra with a needle. Her main left hand is holding a branch of Ashoka tree, her upper left hand holds a noose with tarjani mudra, and her lower left hand holds a thread. She is seated in lalitasana on a chariot drawn by seven pigs. She is adorned with hoop earrings, necklaces with flower motifs, armlets, bracelets, anklets with gemstone, flowing silk scarves and dhoti.

The background is decorated with clouds and stylized designs, while middle ground and foreground depict a bit mountainous landscape of Tibetan style. Lower left and right corners are filled with auspicious offerings and roses, respectively. The thangka is suitable for the sadhana and ritual of Marichi to remove obstacles and which finally bring dawn and happiness one's life.

Select Bibliography

A. Getty, The Gods of Northern Buddhism, Tokyo, 1962

B. Bhattacharyya, The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Calcutta, 1968

L.A. Waddell, Buddhism & Lamaism of Tibet, 1895, Delhi, 1979 (reprint)

This description is by Dr. Shailendra K. Verma, whose Doctorate thesis is on "Emergence and Evolution of the Buddha Image (From its inception to 8th century A.D.)".

Click Here to View the Thangka Painting along with its Brocade

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