Dharani of Goddess Parnasavari
One of the most efficacious healing deities is Lhamo Loma Gyonma. Her name means ‘The goddess of Mountain Mendicant Wearing Leaves’ and the forest is her home. She has mastered the mysteries of the forest which she taps into to pacify and subjugate all illnesses, the causes of illnesses, destroy harmful spirits and enrich life and good health. Such is Lhamo Loma Gyonma’s tremendous ability that she is known to be able to cure the most severe of diseases through her ritual.
Lhamo Loma Gyonma’s Sanskrit name is Parnasavari which means the mountain hermitess who is able to lift the veil of ignorance and prevent illnesses that arise from it, especially those of the contagious kind. The word ‘savari‘ in her Sanskrit name is in reference to the ancient Savara tribe who are known to wear skirts made of grass and peacock feathers and hunt with bows and arrows. Due to the nature-based culture of the Savaras and familiarity with their forest habitat, they were attributed with knowledge of the medicinal and miraculous healing properties of herbs and plants.
Lhamo Loma Gyonma is also regarded as an emanation of Tara. In the ‘Praise to The Twenty One Taras‘, Lhamo Loma Gyonma is regarded as the 20th Tara, Lhamo Rithrodma (the Mendicant Tara) who averts all diseases. In the praise to Lhamo Rithrodma, it states that her right eye emits blazing rays that burn all the lords of diseases and epidemics.
What is unique about Lhamo Loma Gyonma is that although the list of illnesses and diseases she can purify is comprehensive, she is regarded as a “specialist” in curing epidemics and wide-spread contagious diseases like SARS, AIDS, H1N1and such like dangerous diseases. In Tibetan Buddhist philosophy, the universe contains tremendous healing powers and a healer who knows how to harness this universal force can cure just about any disease. The ultimate meaning is that if a healer can attain transcendent wisdom, then even the most dangerous afflictions, their causes and fruitions can be cured.
Lhamo Loma Gyonma’s presence in Buddhism is pervasive and she is mentioned in both the Sutras and Tantras. While she belongs to the Kriya Tantras, she also appears in all four classes of Tantra. In the system of the Five Dhyani Buddhas, she belongs to the Karma Action Family and is viewed as the wisdom of Amogasiddhi emphasizing the swift performance of the enlightened activities of the Buddha. Lhamo Loma Gyonma therefore is an emanation of the Buddha with the special characteristic of healing contagious diseases.
VISUALIZATION
(This contains a description of Lhamo Loma Gyonma’s appearance, as well as her symbolism)
Visualize in front of you Lhamo Loma Gyonma, with three faces and six arms. The main face is yellow, with an expression of wrath and elegance. The right face is white, with a peaceful expression. The left face is red, with an expression of desire. Each face has three eyes.
The first right hand holds an upright vajra, the second as ax, the third an arrow. The first left hand holds a vajra lasso wrapped around the fingers in a threatening gesture, the second holds a branch with flowers, fruits and leaves, and the third holds a bow. She stands on a moon disc supported by a huge lotus flower. Her right knee presses down on her seat with the right heel underneath as support, and her left leg is raised up in what is traditionally known as the lunging posture — denoting her readiness to strike. She is in a posture of half-standing, and half-sitting, elegantly.
She is adorned with gold and jeweled crown and ornaments and sometimes she is depicted wearing a long snake necklace as well as a crown of leaves. Her upper body is clad with a red silk scarf and her lower body is covered with a thatch skirt of leaves tied with a yellow silk ribbon. Her hair is tied in a topknot, with a snake.
Lhamo Loma Gyonma’s implements describe her function and intention. The vajra-tipped noose with a threatening hand gesture signal her imminent intention to rope disease-causing demons and harmful spirits. After catching them, she uses her ax to chop away their harmfulness or her bow and arrow to pierce their hearts, rendering them harmless. Her vajra indicates her indestructibility and her adamantine insight into the true nature of all phenomena, including diseases. Because of this insight, she sees the ultimate insubstantiality of diseases and thereby the possibility of removing even the most potent ones.
As she is seated among blazing light, visualize golden rays (blessings) in front of you. The rays come forward, hitting the various parts of the body that are diseased or need healing. Strongly think that the disease is expelled from the our body and our body is filled with blessings, which is her enlightened energy. Also, visualize this for all beings that are going through so much. That will cultivate compassion as well….
(After this visualization, follow with the prayers and mantra recitation)