Nine-deity Hevajra Mandala

This mandala of Hevajra is drawn according to the esoteric teachings of the great tantric master (mahasiddha) Virupa, an important teacher of practices in the Sakya tradition. Hevajra is a principal meditational deity of the secret tantric practice especially important in this tradition. At the center of this painting are Hevajra and his consort Nairatma, shown in union in their palace, which is depicted as a mandala, a floorplan-like geometric diagram. Eight goddesses, each in a lotus petal of a different color representing cardinal directions, surround the couple. Teachers of this specific practice sit on clouds at the top register while protector deities of the Sakya tradition occupy the bottom right corner. The back of the painting displays concentric circles composed of protective mantras and sacred syllables.