Item: Mahakala (Buddhist Protector) - Legden (Excellent One)

Bhagavan Mahakala (T. dor je nag po chen po).

The top register, Lineage Teachers, read from left to right and begins with Vajradhara Buddha. At the top center is Padmasambhava and Yeshe Tsogyal. At the far right is a female figure and most likely Machig Labdron.

Second register, meditational deities, beginning with Manjushri, Lokeshvara, Vajrapani, Hevajra, Chakrasamvara, Vajrabhairava, unidentified, Black Hayagriva, Vajra Vidarana, Sitatapatra, Chemchog Heruka, and Vajrakila.

The third register down contains wisdom protector Deities has Chaturbhuja Mahakala, Shri Devi, Panjara Mahakala, Shri Devi Dudsolma, Vyaghra Vahana Mahakala, and Shri Devi Rangjungma.

The fourth and fifth registers contains the Four Guardian Kings and below those are the ten or twelve worldly gods such as Indra, Vayu, Yama and Ishana.

The registers below contain retinue deities and attendants of Bhagavan Mahakala.

At the bottom right corner are two donor figures wearing monastic attire seated in front of a shrine. Immediately to the left of the shrine is the worldly protector Vaishravana Riding a Lion.

Jeff Watt 10-2015

(Learn more about this painting, Reading the History of a Tibetan Mahakala Painting: The Nyingma Chod Mandala of Legs Ldan Nagpo Aghora in the Royal Ontario Museum, from Sarah Aoife Richardson).