Sakya Protectors

The three principal protectors are the Panjarnata Mahakala, Brahmanarupa Mahakala and Shri Devi Dudsolma. They can appear as a group in the lower composition of a painting or appear separately as a single protector or paired with a worldly protector.

In painted compositions protector deities can be central figures or arranged as secondary figures in the composition. With early painting using a register composition style, as secondary figures the protectors will be located in the lowest or bottom register of the painting. The figures can be located centrally or placed at the far left or right side and often arranged as a group rather than separated. Floating figure composition follows the same general arrangement except with more distance between the three protector figures

Jeff Watt 10-2020

(The images below are only a selection of examples).

Teacher (Lama)
Sangye Sengge

Manjushri (Bodhisattva & Buddhist Deity)

Hevajra (Buddhist Deity)

Vajrayogini (Buddhist Deity)
(Naropa Tradition)

Indian Adept (siddha)
Virupa

Vajrabhairava (Buddhist Deity)
Solitary (Ekavira)

Teacher (Lama)
Sonam Lhundrup

Hevajra (Buddhist Deity)
(Hevajra Tantra)

Indian Adept (siddha)
Virupa

Vajradhara Buddha

Vairochana Buddha
Sarvavid (Sarvadurgati Tantra)

Teacher (Lama)
(unidentified, male, monastic)