Buddhist Protector: Mahakala - Twelve Iconographic Forms

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Mahakala Iconography

Twelve Iconographic Forms:
- One Face, Two Hands
- One Face, Four Hands
- One Face, Six Hands

- Three Faces, Six Hands
- Three Faces, Eight Hands
- Three Faces, Ten Hands

- Four Faces, Four Hands
- Four Faces, Eight Hands
- Four Faces, Twelve Hands
- Four Faces, Fourteen Hands
- Four Faces, Sixteen Hands

- Multiple Faces, Multiple Hands
- Others...

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One Face, Two Hands:
- Bernagchen (Black Cloak)
- Bhagavan (Excellent One)
- Brahmanarupa (Brahmin Form)
- Danda (Stick)
- Kakamukha (Raven-faced)
- Kartaridhara (Knife Holder)
- Maning (Genderless)
- Panjarnata (Two-hands)
- Raudrantika (Killer of Rudra)
- Shanglon (Minister, from the Yutog Nyingtig)
- Vyaghra-vahana (Riding a Tiger)
- (Twenty-five Chapter Tantra)
- (Fifty-Chapter Mahakala Tantra)
- Others...

One Face, Four Hands:
- Chaturbhuja (Four-hands)
- Chaturbhuja (Four-hands, consort)
- (Twenty-five Chapter Tantra)
- Fifty-Chapter Mahakala Tantra

One Face, Six Hands:
- Shadbhuja (Six-hands)
- (Twenty-five Chapter Tantra)

One Face, Eight Hands: HAR #11156
- (Source Unknown)

Three Faces, Six Hands:
- Fifty-Chapter Mahakala Tantra
- 'Jangter' Mahakala

Three Faces, Eight Hands:
- Fifty-Chapter Mahakala Tantra

Three Faces, Ten Hands:
- Fifty-Chapter Mahakala Tantra (no image)

Four Faces, Four Hands:
- Chaturmukha (Four-faces)

Four Faces, Eight Hands:
- Sadhanamala Text (no image)

Four Faces, Twelve Hands:
- Fifty-Chapter Mahakala Tantra

Four Faces, Fourteen Hands:
- Fifty-Chapter Mahakala Tantra (no image)

Four Faces, Sixteen Hands:
- Fifty-Chapter Mahakala Tantra

Multiple Faces, Multiple Hands:
- Eight Faces, Sixteen Hands (Sadhanamala Text, no image)
- Multiple Faces & Hands (Lhakang Chenmo, Sakya)

Jeff Watt 3-2015