Painting Set: Chaturbhuja Mahakala & Retinue (Drugu Chogyal)

Chaturbhuja Mahakala

These two painting belong to a set of over thirty-four paintings depicting individually all of the principal and retinue figures of the large Chaturbhuja Mahakala mandala according to the tradition of Tsami Lotsawa Mondrub Sherab.

Video: Mahakala: HAR #22

The artist was Drugu Chogyal Kunga Gyatso (born 1638). He founded the Drugu Monastery in Lhadrak Dah and the Drugu Retreat Center in 1676. He was both a great religious teacher and a renowned artist. Several of his paintings were saved from the destruction of the Cultural Revolution. This painting has been identified and attributed to the 2nd Chogyal Rinpoche by the current 8th Drugu Chogyal Rinpoche Yonten Gyatso (born 1946). There are possibly five or six paintings from this set known to exist.

(See a related composition HAR #2187).

Jeff Watt 2004

Mahakala (Buddhist Protector)
Danda (Stick)

Mahakala (Buddhist Protector)
Legden (Excellent One)

Mahakala (Buddhist Protector)
Panjarnata (Lord of the Pavilion)