Item: Teacher (Lama) - Sonam Tsemo

Sonam Tsemo, Lobpon (1142-1182): accompanied by the Saroruhavajra Hevajra Lineage.

"Accomplished from limitless merit,
Greatly increasing omniscient wisdom,
Becoming the supreme kinsman of beings;
To Sonam Tsemo I bow." (Chogyal Pagpa).

Lower Register Figures from the Bari Gyatsa:
67. Dhvajagrakeyura
68. Aparajita
69. Arya Vajra Gandhari
7O. Shri Mahakala
71. Vajra Shringkhala
73. Arya Sitatapatra
76. Vajra Nairatmya
77. Vajravarahi

[67] Dhvajagrakeyura.
Dhvajagrakeyura, [with] three faces and four hands. The body and main face are black, the right red and the left green. Having bared fangs and three eyes. The two right hands hold, a sword and a lasso. The two left, a katvanga and chakra. Yellow hair bristling upwards. Adorned with a garland of skulls and wearing a lower garment of tiger skin and an inner garment of yellow cloth. [With] the belly hanging down [and] standing with the left [leg] extended.

[68] Aparajita.
[Above] a lotus and sun and the tip of the trunk of Ganapati, ...Arya Aparajita, with a body yellow in colour. The right [hand] is held aloft with the palm extended. The left, a wrathful [gesture] together with a lasso, held at the heart. Having three eyes and bared fangs. Having jewel ornaments and garments of silk. Standing in a manner with the left leg extended. Surrounded by Brahma and the like, and a collection of gods holding umbrellas.

[69] Arya Vajra Gandhari.
Vajra Gandhari, with a body black in colour, six faces and twelve hands. The main face is black, the right white, the left red, behind green, and yellow and blue faces are stacked above. The [six] right hands hold, a vajra, bell, sword, trident, arrow and a chakra. The [six] left, a katvanga, hook, bow, staff, lasso and a wrathful [gesture] pointing to the heart. Each face has three eyes and bared fangs. Adorned with various ornaments and standing in a manner with the left [leg] extended.

[70] Shri Mahakala.
Shri Vajra Mahakala with one face and two hands. The right [hand] holds a curved knife. The left holds a skullcup at the heart. Having bared fangs and three eyes. A crown of five dry human skulls and a necklace of fifty fresh [heads]. Adorned with the six bone ornaments and snakes. Wearing a lower garment of tiger skin. [and having] a very charismatic, short and stocky body. Standing in the middle of a flaming mountain of fire.

[71] Vajra Shringkhala.
Vajra Shringkhala, green with three faces and six hands. The main face is green, the right white and the left red. Each face has three eyes and bared fangs. The three right [hands] hold, a vajra, vajra chain and an arrow. The three left, a wrathful [gesture], lasso and a bow. Adorned with all ornaments and standing with the left leg extended.

[73] Arya Sitatapatra.
Arya Sitatapatra, white [with] three faces and six hands. The main face is white, the right blue and the left red. The first two [hands] hold a vajra and chakra. The middle two, an arrow and bow. The lower two, a hook and a wrathful [gesture] together with a lasso. Having bared fangs and three eyes. Having jewel ornaments and silk garments. Standing in a manner with the left leg extended.

[76] Vajra Nairatma.
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.

[77] Vajra Varahi.
Vajra Varahi, with a body red in colour, one face and two hands. The right [hand] holds, in a manner held aloft, a vajra curved knife. The left holds to the heart a blood filled skullcup and carrying a katvanga [in the bend of] the elbow. Having three eyes and bared fangs. Having a crown of five dry human skulls and a necklace of fifty fresh. Adorned with a garland of flowers. Wearing a lower garment of tiger skin. Standing in a dancing manner with the left leg extended in a half [vajrasana] posture.

Jeff Watt 1-2013