Yamantaka Ekavira – The Solitary Hero

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Yamantaka is also known as Vajrabhairava, and this form of Yamantaka has associations with the Hindu deity Mahabhairava, himself the special form of Shiva, who destroys the universe at the end of the eon. The Buddhist Yamantaka tantras combine aspects of both deities (Yama and Siva) into the one cult of Vajrabhairava – Yamantaka, which developed great importance in Tibetan Buddhism.

There are many forms of Yamantaka. The present painting is of Yamantaka Ekavira meaning 'solitary hero', the only form which does not embrace a consort. The deity is also called Vajrabhairava Ekavira. The complexion of his body is blue. He has nine faces, three on each side of the main head and one above it, each with three eyes. The main head is that of a fierce buffalo with horns. The topmost head is of Manjushri wearing a crown of jewels. The eight other heads are wearing skull crowns, and their hair rises upward, signifying the deity's enlightenment. He has thirty-four arms. The two main arms hold a cranium and vajra marked chopper. His remaining hands hold tantric symbols. He has sixteen legs, eight on each side. Lying face down under his bent right legs are one human male and six animals that are, in turn, stepping on four devas. Under his outstretched left legs, eight birds are also stepping on four devas. Yamantaka wears an elephant skin cloak, garland of freshly cut human heads, and bone ornaments. The figure is unclothed except for his adornment. His erect phallus has red tip. There is a flame aureole behind him.

On the top, two yogins are seated in clouds in both the corners. At the bottom, Yama Antarasiddhi is perhaps standing on a being in the left corner, while Dharmaraja Yama in the right corner. Below the throne of Yamantaka are wrathful and peaceful offerings. The composition and color-combination of the painting is brilliant. The thangka is very suitable for sadhana and rituals etc.

Select Bibliography

A. Getty, The Gods of Northern Buddhism, Tokyo, 1961

B. Bhattacharyya, The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Calcutta, 1968

Marylin M. Rhie & Robert A.F. Thurman, Worlds of Transformation: Tibetan Art of Wisdom and Compassion, New York, 1999

B. Meulenbeld, Buddhist Symbolism in Tibetan Thangkas, Holland, 2001

J.C. Huntington & Dina Bangdel, The Circle of Bliss: Buddhist Meditation Art, Ohio, 2004

This description is by Dr. Shailendra K. Verma, whose Doctorate thesis is on "Emergence and Evolution of the Buddha Image (From its inception to 8th century A.D.)".

Click Here to View the Thangka Painting along with its Brocade

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Unveiling the Divine Art: Journey into the Making of Thangkas

A Thangka is a traditional Tibetan Buddhist painting that usually depicts a Buddhist Deity (Buddha or Bodhisattva), a scene, or a mandala. These paintings are considered important paraphernalia in Buddhist rituals. They are used to teach the life of the Buddha, various lamas, and Bodhisattvas to the monastic students, and are also useful in visualizing the deity while meditating. One of the most important subjects of thangkas is the Bhavacakra (the wheel of life) which depicts the Art of Enlightenment. It is believed that Thangka paintings were developed over the centuries from the murals, of which only a few can be seen in the Ajanta caves in India and the Mogao caves in Gansu Province, Tibet. Thangkas are painted on cotton or silk applique and are usually small in size. The artist of these paintings is highly trained and has a proper understanding of Buddhist philosophy, knowledge, and background to create a realistic and bona fide painting.

The process of making a thangka begins with stitching a loosely woven cotton fabric onto a wooden frame. Traditionally, the canvas was prepared by coating it with gesso, chalk, and base pigment.

After this, the outline of the form of the deity is sketched with a pencil or charcoal onto the canvas using iconographic grids. The drawing process is followed in accordance with strict guidelines laid out in Buddhist scriptures. The systematic grid helps the artist to make a geometrical and professional painting. When the drawing of the figures is finalized and adjusted, it is then outlined with black ink.

Earlier, a special paint of different colors was made by mixing powdered forms of organic (vegetable) and mineral pigments in a water-soluble adhesive. Nowadays, artists use acrylic paints instead. The colors are now applied to the sketch using the wet and dry brush techniques. One of the characteristic features of a thangka is the use of vibrant colors such as red, blue, black, green, yellow, etc.

In the final step, pure gold is coated over some parts of the thangka to increase its beauty. Due to this beautification, thangkas are much more expensive and also stand out from other ordinary paintings.

Thangka paintings are generally kept unrolled when not on display on the wall. They also come with a frame, a silken cover in front, and a textile backing to protect the painting from getting damaged. Because Thangkas are delicate in nature, they are recommended to be kept in places with no excess moisture and where there is not much exposure to sunlight. This makes them last a long time without their colors fading away. Painting a thangka is an elaborate and complex process and requires excellent skills. A skilled artist can take up to 6 months to complete a detailed thangka painting. In earlier times, thangka painters were lamas that spent many years on Buddhist studies before they painted.