Wrathful in appearance with one face and two hands he holds a curved knife and skullcup to the heart. A 'gandhi' stick rests across the forearms. From this magical emanation stick all other forms of Mahakala emanate. Hair flaming upward like orange fire, bared fangs and staring eyes, he is very fierce with all the wrathful ornaments and attire such as a crown of five dry skulls, necklace of fifty freshly severed heads, tiger skin lower garment and a long snake as a Brahmin cord. The neck is further adorned with an ornate white scarf. In a squat posture on a corpse seat above a sun disc and multi-coloured lotus blossom he stands within a mass of flaming fire of pristine awareness. Emanating from the circle of fire are numerous animals, garudas above, wolves to the side, black dogs and crows. These are the messengers of Mahakala.

At the top starting from the left side are the gurus for the initiation lineage of Mahakala: the primordial buddha Vajradhara, Brahmin Vararuci, Pandita Deva Vajra, Shraddha Karavarma, Lochen Rinchen Zangpo, Drag Tengpa Yontan Tsultrim, Mal Lotsawa Lodro Drag, Sachen Kunga Nyingpo (1092-1158), Sonam Tsemo (1142-1182), Trakpa Gyaltsen (1147-1216), Sakya Pandita (1182-1251) and at the far right is Chogyal Phagpa (1235-1280).

Slightly above Mahakala and to the left is Sahaja Heruka Hevajra, blue, with one face and two hands embracing Vajra Nairatmya. On the right is Sahaja Heruka Cakrasamvara, blue, with one face and two hands embracing the red Vajra Varahi. Below that is Ekajati (Tib.: ral chig ma, Eng.: One Braid) with one face and two hands holding a gold vase, wearing a white upper garment and tiger skin skirt, seated in a relaxed posture on a multi-coloured lotus. Again, below that is Shri Devi (Tib.: pal den lha mo, Eng.: Glorious Goddess), emaciated, light blue in colour, with one face and four hands holding a sword and skullcup in the right and a spear and trident in the left, seated on a human skin atop a mule.

On the left side is Bhutadamara Vajrapani, blue, with one face and four hands, performing the Daemon Subduing mudra (gesture) with the first pair of hands and holding a vajra and lasso in the second. Below that is Kartaridhara Mahakala holding a curved knife aloft and a skullcup to the heart.

On each side of Mahakala are two vertical rows of four worldly deities: Shakra, Yama, Varuna, Yaksha, Agni, Raksha, Vayu and Ishana. They each have one face and two hands and ride a variety of animals. Standing at the sides of the lotus throne are the Four Guardians of the Directions; Vaisravana, Virudhaka, Virupaksha and Dritarashtra;.

In a row along the bottom are the Inner and Outer retinue of Mahakala. For the Inner there are the Five Rakshasa, 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 holding a variety of weapons. For the Outer retinue there are the four types of figures, a man wearing the garb of a warrior carrying a spear and shield, a dark women, a monk and a Mantradharin (Holder of Mantras) holding two 'kilas' (Tib.: phurba, Eng.: [three-sided] peg) dagger.

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

The dark background is detailed with fine gold floral patterns. The style of painting is Nepali influenced indicated by the total use of space, flame patterns, strong use of red colours and the rigid geometric alignment of the figures within square and rectangular fields.

J.Watt 6-98