Himalayan Art Resources

Buddhist Deity: Yamari, Krishna (Three Faces: Sarma Tradition)

Krishna Yamari (Three Faces: Sarma Tradition) | Krishna Yamari Main Page | Krishna Yamari Outline Page

Yamari is a male wrathful meditational deity (yidam, ishtadevata) of the Anuttayoga Class of Tantric literature. There are three divisions or sections of literature and deity forms: Rakta Yamari, Krishna Yamari and Vajrabhairava. The Krishna Yamari has a number of different forms as well as numerous lineages of practice descending from those forms. The three faced, six armed, Krishna Yamari is one of the more common of the types. There are various configurations of the mandala depending on the tradition that is followed. The Thirteen Deity Mandala is the most common to be found in murals or portable paintings.

Jeff Watt 1-2013