BENSAI-TAN INSPIRES EACH OF US TO USE OUR TALENTS WISELY AND TO OUR HIGHEST CAPABILITIES. SHE IS THE PATRONESS OF GEISHAS, DANCERS, AND MUSICIANS. SHE IS USUALLY DEPICTED AS A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN WITH EIGHT ARMS WHO PLAYS A STRINGED INSTRUMENT WHILE RIDING ON A DRAGON. IN HER HANDS, SHE HOLDS A SWORD, A JEWEL, A BOW, AN ARROW, A WHEEL AND A KEY. HER REMAINING TWO HANDS ARE JOINED AS IF IN PRAYER. HER EIGHT ARMS HINT THAT SHE WAS OF HINDU ORIGIN, AND INDEED, MANY SAY SHE WAS SARASWATI.
THERE IS AN OLD TALE WHICH TELLS OF A TIME THAT A DRAGON DEVOURED MANY OF THE CHILDREN OF THE EARTH, AND BENSAI-TAN DESCENDED TO STOP HIS EVIL WORK. BECAUSE OF THIS, SHE IS OFTEN DEPICTED AS A DRAGON IN ART. LEGEND HAS IT THAT SHE WAS PICKED UP AT SEA BY A GROUP OF FISHERMAN AND BROUGHT TO JAPAN IN THE HOPES THAT SHE WOULD BRING GOOD AND SAFE FISHING. HER MESSENGER IS A SNAKE AND JAPANESE WOMEN OFTEN CARRY CHARMS IN HER LIKENESS TO ENCOURAGE BOTH BEAUTY AND ACCOMPLISHMENT.
HER TEMPLES AND SHRINES ARE ALMOST INVARIABLY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF WATER-- THE SEA, A RIVER, OR A POND. HER FESTIVAL IS CELEBRATED AT SUMMER SOLSTICE IN THE MANY OF HER SHRINES WHICH REMAIN STANDING IN JAPAN.
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