The Vidhyeshvari Vajra Yogini Temple - also known as the Bijeśvarī Vajrayoginī,
Bidjeshwori Bajra Jogini,
Bijayaswar, Bidjeswori, or Visyasvari Temple
- is a
Newar Buddhist temple in the
Kathmandu valley
The Kathmandu Valley ( ne, काठमाडौं उपत्यका; also known as the Nepal Valley or Nepa Valley ( ne, नेपाः उपत्यका, Nepal Bhasa: 𑐣𑐾𑐥𑐵𑑅 𑐐𑐵𑑅, नेपाः गाः)), ...
dedicated to the
Vajrayāna
Vajrayāna ( sa, वज्रयान, "thunderbolt vehicle", "diamond vehicle", or "indestructible vehicle"), along with Mantrayāna, Guhyamantrayāna, Tantrayāna, Secret Mantra, Tantric Buddhism, and Esoteric Buddhism, are names referring t ...
Buddhist deity
Vajrayoginī (or Bajra Jogini in the
Newar language
Newar (), or Newari and known officially in Nepal as Nepal Bhasa, is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken by the Newar people, the indigenous inhabitants of Nepal Mandala, which consists of the Kathmandu Valley and surrounding regions in Nepal. ...
) in her form as Akash Yogini. The temple stands on the west bank of the
Bishnumati river
The Bisnumati River (Nepal Bhasa:, ne , विष्णुमति नदी), flowing in the Kathmandu Valley, originates at Tokha on Shivapuri Mountain, north of Kathmandu. It flows through the western part of old Kathmandu city. It is a ...
next to the ancient religious site of the Ramadoli (Karnadip) cremation ground and is on the main path from
Swayambhunath stupa (to the west) to
Kathmandu
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.
Significance
In the Kathmandu valley of Nepal there are several important Newar temples dedicated to different forms of Vajrayogini. These temples include the
Sankhu Vajrayogini temple, Vidhyeshvari Vajrayogini temple,
Parping Vajrayogini temple, Pulchowk Khagayogini temple and the
Guhyeshwari temple
Guhyeshwari Temple ( ne, गुह्येश्वरी मन्दिर), also spelled ''Guheswari'' or ''Guhjeshwari'', is one of the revered holy temples in Kathmandu, Nepal. This temple is dedicated to Guhyeshwari or Adi Shakti. The templ ...
.
Vīdyādharī, the 'Knowledge Holder', is the presiding deity of this temple.
The Temple is an important pilgrimage place for
Tibetan Buddhists and there is a recently constructed Tibetan Buddhist temple nearby.
Nepali Hindus regard the place as a sacred
Shaktipeeth
The Shakti Pitha or the Shakti Peethas ( sa, शक्ति पीठ, , ''seat of Shakti'') are significant shrines and pilgrimage destinations in Shaktism, the goddess-centric denomination in Hinduism. The shrines are dedicated to various for ...
.
The
Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
devi temple of
Sobha Baghwati
Shobha Bhagawati is a holy shrine devoted to the goddess Bhagawati on the bank of the Bisnumati River in Kathmandu, Nepal. It is considered to be one of the most revered holy places in Kathmandu. There is a statue of the goddess inside the templ ...
stands nearby.
Architecture
The main three storied
Newa
Newar (), or Newari and known officially in Nepal as Nepal Bhasa, is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken by the Newar people, the indigenous inhabitants of Nepal Mandala, which consists of the Kathmandu Valley and surrounding regions in Nepal. ...
pagoda style temple is the NW corner of the
bahal courtyard which has a gateway facing the river.
Images
In the temple the main image (idol) is of Akash Yogini flying through the sky, her right leg bent up at the knee behind her, and her left leg is pulled up against her breasts with her left arm. Her right arm is behind her holding a
vajra above the sole of her right foot. In the crook of her right arm she holds a
khaṭvāṅga staff which rests on her left shoulder. This image is about 18 inches high.
See also
*
Newar Buddhism
*
Vajrayogini
References
Other sources
* - used to find transliteration of Sanskrit names and additional information on Vajrayoginī.
Further reading
*Slusser, Mary Shepherd. ''Nepal Mandala: A Cultural Study of the Kathmandu Valley'' (Two Volumes), Princeton University Press 1982.
*Pruscha, Carl. ''Kathmandu Valley - The Preservation of Physical Environment and Cultural Heritage - A Protective Inventory'', Vol. 2, Wien 1975
*Seemann, Heinrich. ''Nepal 2029'', Stuttgart 1973
External links
Vajrayogini temples
Buddhist temples in Nepal
Nepalese culture
Bahals in Kathmandu
Newar religion
World Heritage Sites in Nepal
Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Nepal
17th-century establishments in Nepal
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