Item: Vajrapani (Bodhisattva & Buddhist Deity) - Krodha (Wrathful)

Vajrapani, Krodha (English: Wrathful Holder of the Vajra), representing the awesome power of all Buddhas.

Video: HAR #100047 | Sanskrit: Vajrapani

Wrathful Vajrapani with one face and two hands most often holds a vajra scepter in the upraised right hand. The left hand is generally in a wrathful gesture. Two known variations, the 'Kang Tseg' Vajrapani and 'Metar Barwa' Vajrapani, for the left hand has him holding a skullcup.

Another variation of an unknown number of traditions has Vajrapani holding a bell and often decorated, adorned or surrounded by five or more images of different coloured Garuda birds. Sometimes they are arranged like a body mandala vertically aligned on the central axis of the body of Vajrapani.

The Rechungpa tradition of Krodha Vajrapani holds both a vajra and bell. The lineage for this is said to come down from Guhyapati, Acharya Lekyi Dorje, Shinglopa, Tanglopa, Karnapa, Bal Chandra, Rechungpa, Purgom and then to Pagmodrupa (see Taranata Lineage, folio 285). At one time I thought that the lineage came down to Rechungpa from Tipu Pandita and Siddha Rajnyi but I have not found any evidence as to why I had that idea.

The Chig She Kun Drol text of the 9th Karmapa includes two forms of the two armed Krodha Vajrapani:
25. Chanda Vajrapani [sanskr. Canda Vajrapani, tib. phyag rdor gtum po]
26. Arya Vajrapani [sanskr. Vajrapani, tib. 'phags pa phyag na rdo rje]

It is also likely that there are other traditions of Vajrapani holding both a vajra and bell that originate in the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.

Surrounding the large central form of Vajrapani are five smaller retinue figures in a similar appearance, colour and hand attributes. Along the bottom of the composition are five serpent figures with the lower torso that of a snake. The central of the five has nine heads similar to Rahu the Hindu demon of eclipse, however with only two arms rather than the Buddhist protector deity typically depicted with four arms. Each of the other four figures have animal heads such as a makara, and possibly an antelope, jackal and bear. (See a 'Torpar' wood block dough mold for similar images of serpent creatures).

Jeff Watt 2-2001 [updated 12-2025]

(See Taranata Lineage, folio 285).