Vasundhara Paubha
Vasundhara Paubha is handpainted in Kathmandu Nepal by Newari Thangka artist on cotton canvas using vegetable pigments and colors.
Vasudhara, whose name means “stream of gems” in Sanskrit, is the Buddhist bodhisattva of wealth, prosperity, and abundance. She is popular in many Buddhist countries and is a subject in Buddhist legends and art. Originally an Indian bodhisattva, her popularity has spread to southern Buddhist countries.
Her popularity, however, peaks in Nepal where she has a strong following among the Buddhist Newars of the Kathmandu Valley and is thus a central figure in Newar Buddhism.
She is named Shiskar Apa in Lahul and Spiti. She is related to Hindu great goddess Lakshmi, and her Sanskrit name Vasundhara indicates she is the source of the eight “bountiful Vasus.”
Therefore, according to the epic Mahabharat, she is the bounty that is the waters of the river Ganges—the goddess, Ganga whose origin is the snows of the Himalayas.
Power of Vasundhara Thangka Painting
Vasundhara is one of the important and popular feminine deities in Nepalese Buddhist society.
Keeping the Vasundhara Thangka in a home is to honor this deity.
She is believed to be the bestower of wealth and prosperity similar to Laxmi Devi in Hinduism.
It is said that if you have thangka of this devotee in your office or home you will accumulate seven kinds of prosperity i.e. wealth, quality, offspring, long life, happiness, praise, and wisdom.
Mantra of Vasundhara
Her short mantra is Om Vasudhare svaha.
Her mantra is “Om Shri Vasudhara Ratna Nidhana Kashetri Soha”, when one takes up Vasudhara practice, 800 mantras (8 rounds of a mala) should be recited on the first day, then 300 mantras (3 rounds of a mala) on every day afterwards, one mala’s worth of mantras in the morning, when time permits before work, another mala’s worth of mantras when time permits in the late afternoon/evening, perhaps after work, the final mala’s worth of mantras before sleeping, or 3 malas all at once any time of the day. It is said that devotees will accumulate 7 kinds of prosperity – wealth, quality, offspring, long life, happiness, praise, and wisdom, enabling her devotees to be better equipped to practice generosity, in itself a cause for wealth, as well as having enough resources to be able to engage in spiritual practices. It also believed her practice leads to Enlightenment.
Iconography of Vasundhara
Vasudhara or Vasundhara, the ‘treasure holder’, is a popular Newar goddess of fertility and prosperity, and a consort of the wealth-god Jambhala.
She sits in the posture of ‘royal ease’ on a moon disc and a pink lotus, with her left leg drawn up and her extended right foot resting (similar posture to Green Tara – showing her willingness to “come down from her lotus throne” to help those who call upon her) upon a white conch shell (symbolising having conquered/having perfect control of speech) and a golden treasure-vase (wealth/prosperity).
She is beautiful and attractive, as youthful as a sixteen-year-old, and her golden body scintillates with radiant light. Her three beautiful and smiling faces are colored red (right – red being the color of controlling), golden (center, golden being the color of increasing), and red (left), representing perfect compassion, wisdom understanding, awareness and insight into the past, present and future, she is adorned with the five divine silks and the eight jeweled ornaments.
Her first right-hand makes the gesture of generosity, while her other two right hands hold the ‘Three Jewels’ of the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, – symbolizing the necessity of maintaining the commitments of refuge to the three jewels, and a golden rosary, symbolizing continuous practice and self-examination, vital to enlightenment.
With her three left hands, she holds a small treasure-vase, for long life and initiation, an ear of grain, for abundant harvests and earthly benefits, and a sacred text to grant wisdom. In her hands, Vasudhara holds a variety of objects attributed to her. Most representations show her holding a sheaf of corn in her left hand, symbolizing an abundant harvest.
She may also be holding a gem or small treasure, a symbol of wealth. Representations with more arms, such as the six-armed Nepali representation, also depict her holding a full vase and the Book of Wisdom. With her free hands, Vasudhara performs mudras. A commonly seen mudra in paintings and figurines featuring Vasudhara is the varada mudra, also known as the charity mudra, which symbolizes the “pouring forth of divine blessings.”
In her 2 armed one faced form, she has a golden body, representing the earth element, Ratnasambhava in her crown, sometimes 2 eyes or 3 eyes, if with 3 eyes – representing perfect awareness, understanding, compassion, wisdom and insight into the past, present and future.
Her 2 hands holding a sheaf or corn for agricultural prosperity and to “sew the seeds” of enlightenment, and either a single wish-fulfilling jewel or a bowl of wish-fulfilling jewels for wealth and wish fulfillment. Vasudhara is the subject of numerous bronzes and paintings. She is predominantly the central figure of bronze sculptures or painted mandalas. She may also, however, appear alongside her consort, Vaiśravaṇa(Jambhala) the Buddhist God of Riches.
