Ushnisha Vijaya | namgyalma literally means the 'victorious crown protrusion.' She is an emanation of Vairochana Buddha, and along with the White Tara and Amitabha, one of the three deities of longevity in the Buddhist pantheon. Her practice is believed to be especially beneficial for eliminating hindrances to the attainment of a long and healthy life. She also purifies the negative results which are motivated by the spiritually harmful actions of our own selves. She is described in her practice as follows: She has a white colored body, three faces and eight arms.The central face is white, the right yellow; the left is blueand slightly wrathful. Each face has three eyes. The first right hand holds a crossed vajra at the heart.The second holds a lotus on top of which sits Amitabha. The third holds an arrow. The fourth is in the gesture of granting generosity. The first left hand holds a noose, the second grasps a bow. The third grants the gesture of reassurance. The last left hand makes the dhyana mudra, or the mudra of meditation. This is exactly how she has been visualized in this thangka. Her practice concludes with hymns of prayer and praise: I prostrate at the feet of Ushnisha Vijaya, Glorious Goddess the color of the autumn moon, having an extremely beautiful and peaceful body with three faces and eight arms, And who bestows boundless wisdom and the best of lives.At her feet are shown lying a pair of cymbals and the auspicious mirror used in her worship.
