With one face and two hands he holds a curved knife and skullcup to the heart with a 'gandhi' stick resting across the forearms. From this magical emanation stick all other forms of Mahakala emanate. His hair flames up like fire as he glares with round eyes and a gaping mouth. Very fierce with all the customary wrathful ornaments and attire such as the necklace of fifty freshly severed heads, tiger skin lower garment and a long snake as a Brahmin cord he also wears an ornate white scarf around the neck. In a squat posture he stands atop a corpse above a sun disc surrounded by a mass of flaming fire of pristine awareness. Emanating above, from the circle of fire are three garudas and to the sides - wolves, black dogs, crows and a black man in front. These five types of beings are the messengers of Mahakala.

At the top center are three lamas, wearing monastic robes and red pandita hats, seated. The central figure portrays the iconographic form of Sakya Pandita (1182-1251) and the figure on the left that of Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo (1382-1456) the founder of the Ngor sub-school of Sakya. To the left is the tutelary deity Hevajra with eight faces and sixteen hands embracing the consort vajra Nairatmya. To the right is the tutelary deity Cakrasamvara, of the Kanha lineage, with four faces and twelve hands embracing the consort Vajra Yogini.

At the right side is Ekajati (Tib.: ral chig ma, Eng.: One Braid) with one face and two hands holding a vase to the heart, seated in a relaxed posture. Below that is Shri Devi (Tib.: pal den lha mo, Eng.: Glorious Goddess) with one face and four hands holding a sword and skullcup in the right and a spear and 'kila' in the left; riding a mule.

At the left side is Bhutadamara Vajrapani with one face and four hands standing atop a white daemon with four hands and the head of an elephant. This form of Bhutadamara standing atop an elephant is from the Vajramala Collection of Pandita Abhayakara. Below that Kartaridhara Mahakala holds a curved knife aloft with the right hand and a skullcup to the heart with the left.

Directly below Mahakala is a row of five wrathful figures. These are the main attendants to Mahakala, a father and mother, Kala Rakshasa and Kali Rakshasi and their three offspring, Putra, Bhatra and Ekajati Rakshasi. They all have one face and two hands, and hold a variety of weapons. These eight deities, Mahakala, Ekajati, Shri Devi and the Five Rakshasa, form the famous 'Eight Deity Mahakala' of Sakya.

At the bottom right is a group of four standing figures, (1) a man wearing the garb of a warrior holding a spear and shield, (2) a dark woman, (3) a monk and (4) a Mantradharin (Holder of Mantras) wearing a round black hat and holding a 'kila' (Tib.: phurba, Eng.: [three-sided] peg) dagger. These four represent the outer retinue of Mahakala. At the left corner is a lama wearing monastic robes, seated, attended upon by a standing monk, before a table of offerings. This most likely is the patron who commissioned the painting.

Panjaranatha Mahakala is the protector for the Hevajra cycle of Tantras. The iconography and rituals are found in the 18th chapter of the Vajra Panjara Tantra (canopy, or pavilion), an exclusive 'explanatory tantra' to the Hevajra Tantra itself.

Lineage: Vajradhara, Vajrapanjara Dakini, Brahmin Vararuci, Pandita Deva Vajra, Shraddha Karavarma, Lochen Rinchen Zangpo, Drag Tengpa Yontan Tsultrim, Mal Lotsawa Lodro Drag, Sachen Kunga Nyingpo (1092-1158), etc.

The far background is black with lighter shades of detailed floral vine patterns. The near background on which the figures are contrasted is red with intense flame swirls similar to the floral patterns. The gold fill with which all the wrathful figures have been painted is most likely real gold powder mixed with yellow earth pigments and applied as an offering meant for the deity Mahakala. The method of painting is called 'nag thang,' (black scroll) gold outline on black, and in this case red (vermilion), background. The style of painting is Nepali indicated by the tight background patterns, strong use of red colouring and the rigid geometric alignment of the figures.

J.Watt 6-98