Himalayan Art Resources

Item: Mahakala (Buddhist Protector) - Shadbhuja (Shangpa)

མ་ཧཱ་ཀཱ་ལ། ནག་པོ་ཆེན་པོ། 玛哈嘎拉
(item no. 69914)
Origin Location Tibet
Date Range 1700 - 1799
Lineages Shangpa Kagyu and Buddhist
Material Ground Mineral Pigment on Cotton
Collection Private
Notes about the Central Figure

Classification: Deity

Appearance: Wrathful

Gender: Male

Interpretation / Description

Shadbhuja Mahakala (Tibetan: gon po chag drug pa. English: the Lord with Six Hands): Wrathful Emanation of Avalokiteshvara. This form of Mahakala is red and embraces a consort. His special function is the acquisition of power.

At the top left is Amitabha Buddha, red in colour. At the right side is Nagaraja Buddha with a white face and a blue body. At the bottom center is White Shadbhuja Mahakala with five attendant goddesses: yellow, white, blue, green and red. The special function of this form of White Mahakala is the acquisition of wealth.

Indian Lineage: Buddha Vajradhara, Jnana Dakini, Mahasiddha Shavaripa, Maitripa, Rahulagupta, Kedrup Khyungpo Naljor (11th century), etc.

Jeff Watt 6-04

Secondary Images
Related Items
Thematic Sets
Mahakala: Shadbhuja, Six-armed (All Traditions) Main Page
Mahakala: Shadbhuja [Shangpa] Iconography
Collection: Private 5
Buddhist Protector: Shadbhuja Miscellaneous (Shangpa Kagyu)
Mahakala: Red Colour (All Forms)
Buddhist Deity: Avalokiteshvara (Non-standard Forms)
Painting Style: Tashi Lhunpo Monastery
Mahakala: Shadbhuja (Painting Masterworks)
Collection: Christie's, Painting (Sept, 2000; NY)
Buddhist Deity: Red Wrathful Appearance (Male)