Item: Mandala of Deity - (Multiple Deities)

Nairatmya Two-armed, Nairatmya Four-armed, Kurukulla and Vajra Tara Mandalas.

"Vajra Nairatma, [with] a body black in colour, one face and two hands. The right [hand] holds aloft a curved knife and the left a skullcup to the heart, and carrying a katvanga [in the bend of] the elbow. Having three eyes and bared fangs. Yellow hair bristling upwards. A crown of five dry human skulls and a necklace of fifty. Adorned with the five ornaments of bone. Wearing a lower garment of tiger skin. Standing on a corpse seat in a dancing manner with the left leg extended in a half [vajrasana] posture." (Konchog Lhundrub, 1497-1557).

"...the Goddess Kurukulla, with a body red in colour, one face and four arms. The first two hands hold an utpala bow and arrow drawn to the ear. The lower right holds a hook that subdues the Three Worlds, the lower left an utpala noose; with short fangs, the face is slightly smiling and slightly angry, with three eyes and adorned with two beautiful breasts, having the youthful form of sixteen years, with brown hair flowing upwards, adorned with five skulls having the nature of the Five Families as a crown, a necklace of fifty fresh heads and five ornaments of bone, wearing a tiger skin as a lower garment, standing on a human corpse with the head turned to the left, with the left leg extended. The toes of the right are placed on the thigh, as in a half vajra [posture] dancing manner, dwelling in the midst of a beautiful circle of sun rays, visible, but not solid, like the form of illusion." (Ngorchen Konchog Lhundrub (1497-1557). sGrub Thabs Kun bTus, vol.8, folios 528-555).

"Vajra Tara: Vajra Tara arising from the [Vajra] Panjara [tantra]. Vajra Tara, with four faces and eight hands. The main face is yellow, the right black, the left red, and behind white. Each face has three eyes. The four right hands hold, a vajra, arrow, conch and [gesture of] supreme generosity. The four left, an utpala, bow, hook and wrathful [gesture] together with a lasso. ... Having three eyes [and the faces both] smiling and fierce. Having jewel ornaments and garments of silk. Seated in the vajrasana [posture]." (Extracted from the text 'A Lamp Removing Obscurations' by Ngorchen Konchog Lhundrub, 1497-1557. Based on the Bari Gyatsa #58).

Jeff Watt, 6-2006