Material: Cloth. Embroidery. Scroll. (Wrathful Phase of Hayagriva)

Size: Approximately 122 x 83 cm

Description:

This thangka depicts Hayagriva (རྟ་མགོ་ལྷ།, transliterated as Tamora), an extremely important wrathful deity and guardian deity in Tibetan Buddhism.

 

Identification of the deity’s characteristics:

Horse head appearance: The most obvious feature is that he has a horse head on his head (in this picture, the horse head and the human body are combined into one, a typical Hayagriva image). The horse head symbolizes might and swiftness.

 

Wrathful phase: His face is angry and his body is golden, symbolizing fierce power and the ability to destroy troubles and obstacles.

 

Holding instruments: He holds various instruments, such as a trident or a vajra, representing the subjugation of all demonic obstacles.

 

Trampling demons: Under his feet, he tramples on images that symbolize troubles and demons, indicating that he has conquered evil.

 

Four attendant consorts: There are four dynamic consorts around the four corners, usually in wrathful images, which are common attendant gods in the structure of Hayagriva mandala.

 

The meaning and origin of Hayagriva:

The wrathful deity of Tantric Buddhism originated from the Indian tantric tradition.

 

He is regarded as the wrathful incarnation of Avalokitesvara (there is a saying in Tibetan Buddhism that Hayagriva is the wrathful form of Avalokitesvara).

 

The main merits are to conquer obstacles, break demons, cure diseases, and especially to treat plague and evil spirits.

 

Common in the Nyingma and Sakya traditions, and also widely worshipped by other sects.