return to Home Page
or move on to Goddess Concordia, next chronologically,
or use Her Cyclopedia Index
Kishimo-Jin, Goddess-Mother-of-Demons.
KY$YMOJYN
[to Whom the twenty-first day of August, day 233, is dedicated]
Geography/Culture: Japanese, from China, originally from Buddhist Hindustani. She was established in China in the 7th century, and introduced to Japan by the Shinto sect.
Description: Originally a Demon-Goddess; Stealer and devourer of children; Ravager of towns.
She became Life fosterering Goddess of conception and childbirth; Protectress of childhood, children and women; Healer of sick children; She Who protects all who are true to the book of the "Lotus of the Good Law", from danger.
To Whom Sacred: flower (of happiness); pomegranate (symbol of maternal fecundity); children; tiny bells attached to the clothing of babies (which insure Her permanent protection by keeping evil influences from them).
Iconography: She stands with an infant at Her breast, holding the flower of happiness, or the pomegranate, in Her other hand; or She is seated, Western fashion, surrounded by children.
Male Associate: She was converted from Her Demoness ways by the Buddha Sakyamuni, ----.
Geography/Culture: Japanese.
Linguistic Note: I think this name is a transliteration into the western alphabet of the Japanese pronunciation of the Hindustani Hariti.
Geography/Culture: Japanese < India.
Linguistic Note: This appears to be a variant transliteration of Kishimo-Jin, Goddess-Mother-of-Demons, or the transliteration of a variant pronunciation, or possibly even a scholar's typo.
Description: Goddess of fertility; Protectress of young children.
Geography/Culture: Japanese. There is a statue of Her in Joruri-ji Temple, Kyoto.
Description: Goddess of luck.
To Whom Sacred: gem.
Iconography: Standing She holds a sacred gem in her left hand. {Could it be that the gem is a misreading for Kishimojin's pomegranate?}.
Male Associate: Brother: Bishamon, Guardian king of the north, one of the seven gods of luck, and of Budhist origin.