Manifestation of Mantra-shakti

Not a regular or established deity-form of Hindu pantheon, the winged deity seems to manifest the power of ‘Mantra’ – the nucleus of Tantrism. As a bird agitates with wings high and low winds, so the ‘Mantra’ charges them on all levels. Having mastered wind, the source of life in all regions, the ‘Mantra’ controls all nine planets, which the nine-petalled lotus portrayed under the winged deity symbolises. The ‘Mantra’ is the cosmic word receiving direct from cosmos its energy which it passes to the ‘sadhaka’ and through him further to others, something which the painting portrays graphically. What the divine image is receiving from above, is being passed to others, and further on through them. The icons receiving the power of ‘Mantra’ and passing it to others are decapitated heads, which besides symbolising sadhaka’s mortality suggest that those who dare self-decapitation, that is, who are capable of conquering themselves, alone can be the vehicle of cosmic energy of ‘Mantra’.