Szilágyi András (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 14. (Budapest, 1994)

KELÉNYI Béla: Panydzsara Mahákála. Egy tibeti Tekercskép a Delmár-gyűjteményből

khtonic deity, a funereal deity which helped break open the prison of the body wherein unconsciousness is preserved. One of the earliest known depictions of Pan j ara Mahäkäla is a statue

9 fashioned at the end of the thirteenth century. In accordance with the Sakya tradition, this depicts him together with four attendants: to the right of him are two male deities, Bhütadämara Vajrapäni (Tib.: Phyag rdor 'byung po 'did byed) and Bhagavat Mahäkäla (Tib.: mGon po legs Idan), and to the left two female ones, Ekajad (Tib.: Rai gcig ma) and Kämadhätvisvara (Tib.: dPal Idan lha mo 'dod khams dbang phyug ma). This five-figure group also appears in later, fifteenth-century to seventeenth-century depictions, which reflect mainly Nepalese influence.

1

" In later pictures depicting the Panjara Mahäkäla, Bhagavat Mahäkäla is generally replaced by Brahmanarupa Mahäkäla (Tib.: mGon po bram ze'i gzugs can),

11 as in the picture currently under discussion. The system of figures depicted in the eighteenth-century thangka from the Delmár Collection is as follows: 14 16 9 10 12 13 I 3 6 15 17 1 I 20 19 The eight-figure group already mentioned is put together with the main figure, Panjara Mahäkäla (1) and the seven attendants surrounding him (2-8). In addition to them, on his right are two deities, Bhütadämara Vajrapäni (9) and Brähmanarüpa Mahäkäla (10); on his left are the already-mentioned Ekajati (2) and Sarvabuddhadäkinf (Tib.: Na ro mKha'spyod ma) (11). Above is the Vajradhara (Tib.: rDo rje 'chang) (12) proclaiming the tantric tradition of the Panjara Mahäkäla; below is the figure of a yogi receiving mystic instruction from him (13) and a row of Sakya lamas (14-17). Below and to the right can be seen Citipati, „Lord of the Cemetery, Brother and Sister" (Tib.: Dur khrod bdag po learn drat) (18), often accompanying Mahäkälas; underneath them is the Sridevi (Tib.: dPal Idan lha mo) (19): on the left-hand side is another dharmapäla, one form of appearance of Vaisravana (Tib.: rNam thos sras) (20) This group-of-eight form of appearance for Panjara Mahäkäla was described by Tucci in connection with the depiction at the Dregun monastery in the village of Samada (Gyantse),'

2 and later, on the basis of a Tibetan text,

13 by Nebesky Wojkowitz.

14 This form of the Mahäkäla is known as bsTan srung kun gyi sde dpon rdo rje gur, or as rDo rje nag po chen po.

15 The Mahäkäla, above his defeated enemies and surrounded by the fire tongues of Wisdom, lives actually in the middle of a great cemetery. Following the order in the Tibetan text,

16 the colour of the deity introducing leading in the eight-figure grouping is dark blue (in the text it is said to be black), in his hands are the Mahäkäla's usual symbols: in his right hand there is a hatchet and in his left hand a skull cup filled with blood. In his crossed arms is his characteristic attribute, the magic staff, or gandi (Tib.: 'phrul gyi gandi), which was originally used to indicate the time in the monasteries and in which the Mahäkäla's secret army (Tib.: ru 'dren sde bzhi) is concealed.'

7 The yellow hair of the Panjara Mahäkäla stands on end and his fangs gleam; his three eyes refer to knowledge of the past, the present and the future. His attire is a tiger-skin loincloth and a black silk cloak, and he is ornamented with the characteristic embellishments of fierce deities: a crown of five skulls, a garland of fifty blood-dripping heads, six kinds of bone ornaments, and a snake necklace. Above his head, on his right side, flies