Item: Shri Devi (Buddhist Protector) - Dudsolma
| Origin Location | Tibet |
|---|---|
| Date Range | 1700 - 1799 |
| Lineages | Kagyu and Buddhist |
| Material | Ground Mineral Pigment on Cotton |
| Collection | Private |
Classification: Deity
Appearance: Wrathful
Gender: Female
Shri Devi (Tibetan: pal dan lha mo): wrathful with one face and four hands holding upraised a sword, a skullcup to the heart, a peg dagger and a trident, riding atop a mule. At the top center is the Heruka form of Shri Hevajra and Vajra Nairatmya.
Shri Devi is a category of Tantric Buddhist deity. Her primary function is as a protector (Dharmapala) and specifically the primary female Wisdom Protector of Himalayan and Tibetan Buddhism. There are dozens of different variations and forms of Shri Devi. She is typically in wrathful appearance following the Indian model of a Rakshasi demon. In most occurrences and uses of Shri Devi, but not all, she is paired with a specific form of Mahakala. Aside from the individual Anuttarayoga Tantras that teach various forms of Shri Devi, the principal texts are the Twenty-five and Fifty Chapter Mahakala Tantras. The textual source for Magzor Gyalmo is the Dakinyagnijihajvala Tantra, Dege Kanjur, volume 98, pp.223-253. It is found in the Nyingma Tantra section, vol.3. TBRC w22084.
Shri Devi is not one entity or personality. Depending on the form of Shri Devi she could be a wrathful emanation of a number of different deities such as Shri Devi Magzor Gyalmo is the wrathful form of Sarasvati. Some forms of Shri Devi with four arms such as Dudusolma are the wrathful form of Shri Lakshmi (Pal Lhamo).
Jeff Watt 8-2014
Iconography: Buddhist Iconography Main Page
Thematic Sets
Subject: Masterworks (Female Deity, 女性尊神, ལྷ་མོའི་ཚོགས།)
Buddhist Protector: Shri Devi (Kagyu)
Subject: Wrathful Appearance Page
Buddhist Protector: Shri Devi (Masterworks)
Subject: Female Deities List
Subject: Protector Deities (Traditions)
Buddhist Protector: Shri Devi Religious Context
Protectors: General Divisions & Classes
Collection: Private 1
Buddhist Protector: Shri Devi, Dudsol Dokam Wangchugma
Subject: Protector Deities Main Page (All Traditions)
Tradition: Kagyu Protectors (Taglung, Drigung & Drugpa)
Collection: SRG Photo Archive
Buddhist Protector: Shri Devi Earrings
Buddhist Protectors, Wisdom Deities (Dharmapala)