The Three Tsen Deities: A Confusion in Appearance
The three worldly tsen spirits, Tsi'u Marpo, Dorje Setrab and Dragtsen all look quite similar in appearance. They are red in colour riding red horses, wearing armor, surrounded by smoke and flame. In the right hand they hold either a spear or a staff. In the left hand they hold either a heart or a lasso. They can be very difficult to recognize and require the assistance of surrounding contextual information in order to come to an accurate identification. The Bon deity, Dragtsen, the protector of the Kings of Mustang, was worshiped as a mountain god since ancient times. It is very likely that the relatively late Buddhist deity Tsi'u Marpo originated from the Bon Dragtsen.