Tibetan Buddhism Set of Rahula Ekajati Lakpa Copper Gold Plated Statue Figure Nepal

Rahula - The Protector of the Teachings

Rahula is a wrathful Buddhist deity known as a Dharma Defender. Also called the Protector of the Teachings, he fiercely protects the Buddha Dharma and those who have vowed to practice it. Despite Rahula's terrifying appearance, he is a Bodhisattva, an embodiment of compassion who acts for the benefit of sentient beings. His function is to avert the inner and outer obstacles that prevent practitioners from attaining spiritual realizations, as well as to foster the necessary conditions for their pratice. It is believed that in some cases the powers arrayed against the Dharma are so strong that a Bodhisattva must appear in wrathful form in order be of assistance. Rahula is the most fearsome and omnipotent of such warrior-defenders.

Dorje Drolo – The Wrathful Emanation of Guru Rinpoche

Dorje Drolo is one of the eight manifestations of Guru Padmasambhava with extremely wrathful expression. However, Dorje Drolo rides a tiger side saddle surrounded by the flames of pristine awareness. Additionally, he has the expression of a fierce deity with three glaring eyes. The three eyes symbolize his knowledge of the past, present and future. He wields the Vajra in his right hand which symbolizes the union of mundane knowledge and the ultimate wisdom. Furthermore, he wears the vulture feather on top of his cap similar to Guru Rinpoche and he ultimate wisdom. Guru Padmasambhava manifested in this form in order to subdue the negative and evil forces at the thirteen different places in Himalayan region. 

Ekajati Dakini – The Dharma Protector

The name Ekajati literally means “one whose hair is arranged in single chignon.” Ekajati is most often portrayed as a ferocious goddess, her awesomeness being emphasized by the pronounced and only eye in the center of the forehead. Ekajati is also known as Ugra – Tara, ‘Ugra,’ meaning wrathful in Sanskrit. Ekajati is believed to be the most powerful goddess in the Vajrayana pantheon, and merely listening to the chants of her mantra destroys all obstacles, brings good luck and intense religious enjoyment. Dark and menacing, flame – inhaled, and nearly naked, Ekajati’s face contorts with fury. From her ugly mouth, a single fang protrudes. Ekajati has only one drooping breast hanging down chest, and her hips are covered with a tiger – skin. A long necklace of severed human heads adorns her body. In her right hand Ekajati waves an impaled and upright human corpse. With her left hand Ekajati dispatches a female wolf messenger. Ekajati stands in the ‘Pratyalidha’ or warrior pose.