Himalayan Art Resources

Item: Padmasambhava - Guru Dragpo (meditational form)

པད་མ་འབྱུང་གནས། 莲花生大士
(item no. 55)
Origin Location Tibet
Date Range 1800 - 1899
Lineages Nyingma
Size 78.11x51.44cm (30.75x20.25in)
Material Ground: Cotton
Collection Rubin Museum of Art
Catalogue # acc.# P1994.8.3
Notes about the Central Figure

Classification: Deity

Appearance: Wrathful

Gender: Male

Interpretation / Description

Guru Dragpo, Heruka, wrathful form of Padmasambhava. Fierce in appearance, red in colour, he has three faces and six hands, embracing the consort. Large blue wings unfurl behind as he stands surrounded by the brightly burning flames of pristine awareness.

Completely encircling are all the retinue deities of the mandala. At the top center is the Buddha Amitabha surrounded by six lineage teachers of the Nyingma School. At the bottom center is the worldly protector Daemon Lord with a Lion Face (Tibetan: dud gon seng dong chen) riding a black horse. At the left is Tsi'u Marpo accompanied by two of his brothers, all riding horseback.

Jeff Watt 9-2000

Related Items
Thematic Sets
Collection of Rubin Museum of Art: Painting Gallery 6
Tradition: Nyingma Deity Paintings
Padmasambhava: Meditational Forms
Padmasambhava: Guru Dragpo Main Page
Padmasambhava: Guru Dragpo Heruka