Describing Buddhist Deity Vajrayogini in the form of Vajravarahi

Vajrayogini appearing in the form of Vajravarahi is one of the most popular Tantric female deities found in all traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. In this guise, she actually has either a single boar’s face, or two faces or heads, two or more hands, and legs, red, yellow, or black in color, standing in a dancing posture, or both legs down.

Vajravarahi Vajrayogini is accompanied by 24 Dakinis, Sahaja Chakrasamvara above, and two monastic figures below. Vajravarahi, along with numerous variations in appearance such as Vajrayogini and the Fierce Black One.

In this section, we are going to learn about the life of Vajravarahi Vajrayogini, after that, the short etymological description of the word Vajravarahi Vajrayogini itself.

Vajravarahi Vajrayogini remains one of the most popular and special tutelary deity practices arising from the Chakrasamvara cycle of tantras belonging to the wisdom class of Anuttarayoga Tantra. These various forms are practiced in all the Sarma Schools, Sakya, Kagyu, and the like.

Vajravarahi, Vajrayogini is known as dor je phag mo, dor je nal jor ma in Tibet.

Iconography of Vajrayogini in the form of Vajravarahi

In the iconography of Vajravarahi Vajrayogini, we are going to learn about her body posture, hand and leg gesture, and different representations of Vajravarahi Vajrayogini in thangka and statue.

Vajravarahi Vajrayogini is red in color. She is slightly peaceful and slightly wrathful in appearance. She has one face and two hands.

She gazes forward with three eyes. The face of Vajravarahi Vajrayogini is a brown female boar that protrudes from her right side behind the ear. The right hand of Vajravarahi Vajrayogini holds a curved knife.

The left hand of Vajravarahi Vajrayogini holds a skullcup. The bend of the elbow cradles a vajra katvanga staff. She wears crowned with a tiara of five skulls the black hair of the head flows downward behind.

She is adorned with gold earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and a girdle with decorative tassels. she wears a garland of fifty fresh heads. She is draped across the shoulders is a long scarf of yellow and green. The right leg of Vajravarahi Vajrayogini is raised in a dancing posture.

The left leg of Vajravarahi Vajrayogini presses upon a small red sun disc atop a prone yellow figure. She is surrounded by a large red sphere of tightly swirling flames of pristine awareness fire.

Depicting Buddhist Teity Vajravarahi Vajrayogini Thangka

The thangka of Buddhist deity Vajravarahi Vajrayogini is from Western Tibet. It is made between 1400 to 1499 AD.  Vajravarahi Vajrayogini is from Sakya and Karma (Kagyu) lineages. The size of the painting is 44.45×42.55cm. The base of the painting is ground mineral pigment on cotton. Currently, this thangka is in the Rubin museum of art.

By depicting this thangka, we are going to learn about the presentation of Vajravarahi Vajrayogini with Attendant Dakinis and Heruka.

Attendant Dakinis

Attendant Dakinis is presented within the sphere of the thangka. Attendant Dakinis such as yellow Rupini, red Khandaroha, green Lama, and blue Dakini are presented.  Each has one face and four hands. They are Wearing the same ornaments and standing firmly with both legs.  Each of them is surrounded by a circle of fire.

Heruka

Heruka is presented at the top center of the thangka.  Heruka is in the form of Sahaja Chakrasamvara. Heruka is blue in color.

Heruka has one face and two hands holding a vajra and bell embracing the consort.

Vajravarahi Vajrayogini with Red Khandaroha Thangka

The thangka of Buddhist deity Vajravarahi Vajrayogini with Red Khandaroha is from Eastern Tibet. It is made between 1700 to 1799 AD.  Vajravarahi Vajrayogini is from Karma (Kagyu) lineage. The size of the painting is 37.47×27.31cm. The base of the painting is ground mineral pigment on cotton. Currently, this thangka is in the Rubin museum of art.

By depicting this thangka, we are going to learn about the presentation of Vajravarahi Vajrayogini with Yellow Rupini, green Lama, Dakini, and Dudul Dorje, etc.

Red Khandaroha is presented at the top right of the thangka.  red Khandaroha means something in Buddhism, pali, Hinduism, and Sanskrit.

Yellow Rupini

Yellow Rupini is presented to the left of the thangka.

Green Lama

Green Lama is presented at the bottom right of the thangka. Green Lama is a fictional pulp magazine hero of the 1940s. He is commonly portrayed as a powerful Buddhist Lama.

Dakini

Dakini is presented to the left of the thangka. Dakini is dark blue in color. Dakini is adorned with an offering display of wishing jewels, red coral, white conch, and gold ingots.

Dudul Dorje

Dudul Dorje is presented at the top center of the thangka. Dudul Dorje is known as the 13th Karmapa. The right hand of Dudul Dorje is in the mudra of generosity.

The left hand of Dudul Dorje is at the heart holding the stem of a lotus flower. Dudul Dorje is wearing the orange and red robes of a monk. The lower body of Dudul Dorje is wrapped with a yellow meditation cloak.

The top of the head of Dudul Dorje is adorned with a black vajra crown. Dudul Dorje is enveloped in spheres of light and ascending rainbow streams. He sits on a cushioned seat indicating his earthly status.

In this article, we learned about the life of Vajravarahi Vajrayogini, the iconography of Vajravarahi Vajrayogini, depicting Buddhist deity Vajravarahi Vajrayogini thangka, and the representation of Vajravarahi Vajrayogini with Red Khandaroha thangka.