28 Fierce & Powerful Flesh-Eating Goddesses
Tib., dBang phyug-ma, dBang-phyug nyer-brgyad;
Wangchugma: Fierce and Powerful Yoginis
Tib., Sha-za mKha-'gro
Shashkhadroma: Flesh-Eating Dakinis
A group of twenty-eight goddesses known by two different names and classified equally as
yoginis and as dakinis.
All appear nude, with a distinctive skin color and the head of an animal. They can further be
identified by the symbolic weapon or tool each holds
in her hands.
Often, say are said to belong to the retinue of the goddess
Peldan Lhamo and appear on the 12th day of the
bardo. At each of the four cardinal directions, a group of six
deities appears, adding up to 24.
Once in place, they are joined by the Four Vajra's, guardians deities of these four
directions each of who bears the name Vajra, completing the ranks to 28 in number.
East
- smoke-black skinned yak-headed Raksasi with a dorje
- orange skinned serpent-headed Brahmani (Brahmi) with a lotus
- dark-green skinned leopard-headed Mahadevi with a trident
- blue skinned mongoose-headed Vaisnavi (Lobha) with a dharma wheel
- red skinned snow-bear-headed Kumari with a short spear
- white skinned bear-headed Indrani (also a G'na) with a noose made from entrails
- white skinned cuckoo-headed Vajra with an iron hook
South
- yellow skinned sow-headed Vajri
with a kartrika (flaying knife)
- red skinned water dragon-headed Santi with a vase (water of life)
- red skinned scorpion-headed Amrita with a lotus
- white skinned falcon- or hawk-headed Candra
with a dorje
- green-black skinned fox-headed Danda
with a danda (staff)
- yellow-black skinned tiger-headed Raksasi with an
asrikkapala (blood-filled skull cup)
- yellow skinned goat- or antelope-headed Vajra
with a noose
West
- dark-green skinned vulture-headed Bhaksini (Za ba)
with a club
- red skinned horse-headed Rati (d'Ga'-ba) with the trunk of a corpse
- white skinned garuda-headed Mahabali with a club
- red skinned dog-headed Raksasi with a kartrika
- red skinned hoopoe-headed Abhilasi with
bow and arrow
- dark-green skinned stag-headed Vasuraksa (Nor-srung) with a vase
- red skinned lion-headed Vajra with an iron chain
North
- blue skinned wolf-headed Vajudevi with a banner
- red skinned buffalo-headed Nari with a stake
- black skinned sow-headed Varahi (phag mo)
with a noose made of teeth
- red skinned crow-headed Vajri with a child's skin
- dark-green skinned elephant-headed Mahahastini (sNa-chen)
with a large corpse
- blue skinned serpent-headed Varuni with a
nagapasha (noose of snakes)
- green skinned serpent-headed Vajra with a
ghanta
