Item: Mandala of Vajrabhairava (Buddhist Deity) - Solitary (Ekavira)

Vajrabhairava Ekavira Mandala (Tibetan: dor je jig je, pa wo chig pa. English: The Solitary Hero Vajra Terror) a wrathful form of Manjushri.

The ferocious Vajrabhairava is black in colour with nine faces, thirty-four hands and sixteen legs. The main face is that of a buffalo, with a red face above and the slightly angry yellow face of Manjushri placed on top. Flames entwine the two horns and shoot fire from the tips. The three right faces, stacked one above the other, are blue, red and yellow and the three left are white, smoky coloured and black. Each face has three large round eyes, bared fangs and each conveys a different emotional expression; yellow hair flows upward like rising flames. The first pair of hands hold a curved knife and skullcup at the heart. The remaining hands hold a multitude of weapons with the last set also holding the fresh outstretched hide of an elephant. Each face is adorned with a crown of five skulls and bone earrings. He wears a snake necklace and a garland of fifty heads. The right legs are bent pressing down on a variety of creatures and gods. The left legs are extended straight and press upon eight birds and various gods. Above a sun disc and multi-coloured lotus blossom he stands in the middle of a mass of orange flames of pristine awareness.

The top register has a row of lineage teachers which begin at the top left side.

In the bottom register starting on the left side is : donor figure, Yellow Jambhala, Vaishravana Riding a Lion, Black Jambhala, Yellow Vasudhara, Panjaranata Mahakala, Shri Devi, Sadhu/Bhagavan Mahakala, Chaturbhuja (standing) Mahakala, Shadbhuja Mahakala, and Chaturbhuja Mahakala (seated).

Jeff Watt 3-2020