Dorje Tragtsen (English: Vajra Violent Daemon) and retinue: one of the eight Yama attendants from the entourage of the enlightened protector Yama Dharmaraja (Tibetan: shin je cho gyal).

Tibetan: Shin je cho gyal Tibetan: Dor je trag tsen

Wildly fierce in appearance, blue in colour, he has one face and two hands, three round eyes, a gaping mouth with bared fangs and yellow hair flowing upward. The right hand holds upraised a red stick with half-vajras at both ends, in the left outstretched a snake lasso, adorned with a crown of five dry skulls, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, a long snake necklace and a garland of fifty freshly severed heads. Wearing a human skin across the shoulders and a tiger skin below, he rides atop a great writhing green snake, surrounded by brightly burning orange licks of flame.

At the top center is the great abbot Khenchen Dawa Zangpo with the right hand performing the mudra of explication and the left placed in the lap holding a folio book. Wearing the robes of a monk and a yellow pandita hat, he sits on a cushion seat with the head framed by a pink areola. At the left is the tutelary deity, in solitary heruka form, Vajra Bhairava, blue, with one buffalo face and two hands placed at the heart holding a curved knife and skullcup. Attired in all the wrathful vestments, he stands on the back of a grey buffalo and human figure surrounded by the flames of pristine awareness. At the right is the wrathful protector Yama Dharmaraja, special to the Vajra Bhairava teachings. Blue in colour with a buffalo face and two hands, he holds outstretched in the right a fused spine and skull stick and in the left a lasso. Standing atop a buffalo seat he is surrounded by wisdom flames.

At the bottom left is the Father Ralpa Tsar Gu, blue, with one face and two hands holding a razor aloft with the right and a skullcup in the left. Adorned with a single skull headdress the bright orange hair falls in plaits to the sides. Wearing a human skin as an upper garment and tiger skin below he rides on the back of a blue-grey buffalo. At the right side is the Mother Srinmo Sothar, maroon in colour, with one face and two hands holding in the right a long curved knife and a skullcup in the left. Adorned and attired similar to the Father she wears variously coloured brocade garments below and rides on the back of a tiger, snarling with a gaping mouth. At the center is Dong Tsen, red, with one face and two hands holding upraised a sword and a treasure vase held against the hip with the left. Elaborately adorned with ornaments, a golden cane riding hat and variously coloured brocade garments and boots, he rides on a light brown horse - the favorite mount of 'tsen' daemons.

Rocky outcroppings and wild landscapes frame the sides. Small figures of humans and animals are interspersed throughout. From a larger set which would have included Yama Dharmaraja, each of the eight main Yama attendants would be figured separately and surrounded by minor attendants. Although rich with colour the style of painting is 'nag thang,' - Black Scroll.

Jeff Watt 5-99