Drashi Lhamo: The Protectress with the Rolled Out Tongue
Palden Lhamo
(by Tsem Rinpoche and Pastor David Lai)
The protectress Palden Lhamo, also known as Shri Devi in Sanskrit, refers to a wide range of female protector deities from within the Tibetan Buddhist pantheon. They all share similar iconographic characteristics and so do their emanations. Within the Gelug tradition, Palden Lhamo refers exclusively to the fierce two-armed Magzor Gyalmo. However, within some Nyingma, Kagyu and Sakya traditions, Palden Lhamo refers to the four-armed Lhamo Dudsolma.
It is commonly accepted that there are 21 main forms of Palden Lhamo. However, the most common forms of the protectress are Magzor Gyalmo, Lhamo Dudsolma and Dorje Rabtenma. The principal scriptural references to Palden Lhamo can be found in the 15th and 25th chapters of the Mahakala Tantras while scriptural references for Magzor Gyalmo can be found in the Dakinyagnijihajvala Tantra.
Magzor Gyalmo
Magzor Gyalmo, the emanation that is most commonly found in the Gelug tradition. Click on image to enlarge.
Magzor Gyalmo literally means the ‘Queen Who Has the Power to Repel Armies’ and she is the wrathful emanation of the enlightened Buddha Saraswati. The lineage of Magzor Gyalmo practice is said to have been passed down by the Indian Mahasiddha Saraha. The practice was later received by the great Padampa Sangye, who introduced it to Tibet along with the lineage of Chöd.
Magzor Gyalmo was initially worshipped by the Zhang, Mu and Sakya family lineages, and it was actually through the works of His Holiness the 2nd Dalai Lama Gedun Gyatso that Magzor Gyalmo officially entered the Gelug tradition. Later in the 17th century, during the time of His Holiness the Great Fifth Dalai Lama Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso, she came to be regarded as the special Protector of the Dalai Lamas and of the Gaden Phodrang Government of a unified Tibet, then newly established by the 5th Dalai Lama himself.
Magzor Gyalmo appears in the form of an old hag who is blue-black in colour and has an extremely wrathful expression. She has one face and two hands. In her upheld right hand she wields a vajra-tipped staff, and in the left she holds a skull cup at her heart. She is adorned with a sun at her navel and a crescent moon in her hair. She rides on a mule that has eyes on its rump, glaring wildly. She is sheltered by a large peacock-feather parasol.
Within the Sakya tradition, she is portrayed with a snake ornament on her right ear and a lion on her left. This is reversed in the Gelug tradition, with the lion ornament on her right and the snake on her left. She carries a bag of diseases as well as divination dice, indicating her strong association with the ritual of divination, either employing the use of dice or even prayer beads.
Lhamo Dudsolma
Lhamo Dudsolma. Click on image to enlarge.
Lhamo Dudsolma is an emanation of the enlightened goddess of abundance known as Pal Lhamo or Sri Lakshmi in Sanskrit. Dudsolma means ‘smoke-clad’ and she appears in an extremely wrathful form with one face and four arms, riding on a white-nosed horse.
She holds a scorpion-handled sword and a skull cup filled with blood in her right hands, and a trident and a dagger with peacock feathers in her left. A snake and lion emerge from her ears, and she grinds a corpse with her teeth.
Dorje Rabtenma
Dorje Rabtenma. Click on image to enlarge.
Dorje Rabtenma is commonly found within the Nyingma tradition as well as sub-sects of the Kagyu tradition such as the Pagdru Kagyu. She can also be found in the Shalupa and Tsarpa sub-sects of the Sakya tradition. She is depicted with a maroon body, with one face, three eyes and two hands. She holds a blazing sword in her right hand and a skull cup filled with blood in her left. She also holds a jewel-spitting mongoose and rides on a mule.
Apart from these main forms of Palden Lhamo, there are also other minor forms such as Drashi Lhamo. Although appearing to be distinct from the other forms of Palden Lhamo and different in terms of iconography, Drashi Lhamo is most likely an emanation of Magzor Gyalmo.
Drashi Lhamo
Drashi Lhamo. Click on image to enlarge.
The wrathful goddess Drashi Lhamo is considered one of the minor forms of Palden Lhamo. She is worshipped mainly at Drashi Gon Temple in Lhasa, Tibet. This ancient shrine sits midway between the massive Sera Monastery and the Barkor circuit of central Lhasa. The Barkor is the large circumambulation circuit surrounding the Jokhang Cathedral, where the great Jowo Shakyamuni statue is enshrined.
Aside from Drashi Gon Temple, Sera Monastery also has a small protector chapel or gonkhang in the Barkor circuit. Another vibrant clay statue of Drashi Lhamo is enshrined in this chapel, alongside other protectors of the monastery.
The name ‘Drashi Gon‘ reflects the number of resident monks at the Temple, who were handpicked from the nearby Sera Monastery. ‘Drashi’ literally means ‘Four Monks’ as there were always four monks stationed at the temple at all times.
A shrine to Drashi Lhamo (right) and other protectors at Sera Barkor Gonkhang in Lhasa, Tibet. Click on image to enlarge.
The ancient shrine to Drashi Lhamo was built in the latter half of the 18th century by the Regent of Tibet, Pholane. Its proximity to the Chinese embassy of that era reflects its original purpose — the main function of the temple and its monks was originally to offer up prayers for the well-being of the Qianlong Emperor (1711-1799) of the Imperial Qing Dynasty of China. Thus, Drashi Lhamo or the ‘Goddess of the Four Monks‘ gained her name from the name of the temple itself.
Drashi Lhamo
According to local lore, the four monks who resided at the temple all had visions of this protectress flying in the sky towards China, coming from the direction of India. Through their earnest requests, they were successful in inviting the goddess to descend to the temple. From then on, they made daily offerings to her and she is said to have remained at the temple to this day.
The female protectress Drashi Lhamo has a fierce, wrathful expression. She has dark blue skin, one face and two hands. She has three bulging bloodshot eyes glaring at the enemies of the Buddhist teachings. She exposes her four canine teeth and extends her long red tongue out and downwards. Her rolled out tongue is remarkably similar to the famous Hindu mother goddess, Kali.
Drashi Lhamo stands straight on her two legs and her feet are said to be the shape of bird-like claws. She wears a gold crown of five skulls, similar to that worn by the various state oracles of Tibet. She also wears a round silver breastplate mirror emblazoned with the seed syllable “JO”. This further identifies her as Palden Lhamo, since this seed syllable is a major part of Palden Lhamo’s mantra.
Palden Lhamo’s mantra:
JO RAMO JO RAMO JO JO RAMO
TUNJO KALA RACHENMO
RAMO AJA DAJA TUNJO
RULU RULU HUNG JO HUNG
Being a protector deity, traditional offerings made to Drashi Lhamo include Tibetan beer and various other types of alcohol. At the main shrine, alcohol is offered to her respectfully in two-tiered serkym vessels. Due to her reputation of fulfilling people’s wishes, she is popularly worshipped by truck drivers, travellers, merchants and traders, whom she is believed to favour. Divination based on her practice is said to be highly accurate and the resident monks of the monastery perform divination rituals invoking upon her powers of prophecy.
Interestingly, Drashi Lhamo’s popularity has continued to enjoy tremendous growth since the rise of the Dorje Shugden controversy, who is also popularly worshipped by traders and merchants.
Gyalchen Karma Trinley
A statue of Gyalchen Karma Trinley. Click on image to enlarge.
In the same shrine in Sera Monastery’s protector chapel in Lhasa, another protector deity known as Gyalchen Karma Trinley is enshrined on the other side of Magzor Gyalmo. He is a worldly deity within the retinue of Hayagriva, the ‘Horse-Necked One’.
Gyalchen Karma Trinley is also known as Nyangdren Gyalchen as he is the local protector of the Nyangdren area of Tibet. He is also a protector of Sera Monastery but unfortunately, there are very few written records about this deity. Before becoming a protector, he was originally a monk belonging to Hadong Khangtsen (fraternity house) of Sera Jey Monastery. When he became a protector, he was also established as a protector of that same khangtsen.
Two stories reveal his origins. In one account, he is said to have been an evil king in a previous life. His subjects murdered him by throwing him into the Lhasa River. Later, he arose as a powerful spirit and was enthroned as a worldly protector.
In the second account which took place approximately two centuries ago, a monk from Hadong Khangtsen took a boat across a river on his journey towards eastern Tibet. However, when it was time to pay his fare, he realised he did not have enough money. As he rummaged for coins, the boatman thought he was going to be cheated and had the monk beaten to death, and his body thrown into the river. Just before he took his last breath, the monk prayed to liberate people from the fear of drowning and to alleviate their sufferings. The spirit of the monk later manifested in the area and so, the local people of that area in Kham built a temple to his wandering spirit. Soon after, he was worshipped as a water deity or chugyu genyen.
A depiction of Gyalchen Karma Trinley. Click on image to enlarge.
Later, Gyalchen Karma Trinley possessed a local shaman-medium who lived near Sera Monastery. One day, Reting Rinpoche Lobsang Yeshe Tenpa Rabgye had a vision of the protector Gyalchen Karma Trinley while he was engaged in meditation near Sera Monastery. The protector manifested and requested Reting Rinpoche to enthrone him as a Dharma Protector and to build him a chapel. Reting Rinpoche agreed to grant his request and made him the protector of Nyangdren, where he had first manifested. Reting Rinpoche even personally selected an oracle and trained him to take trance of Gyalchen Karma Trinley. He also selected the public location where trances should take place and organised an annual ritual ceremony for the protector. The oracular tradition of Gyalchen Karma Trinley continues to this day.
Gyalchen Karma Trinley appears in three forms — two are wrathful and one is peaceful. The peaceful form is known as Chugyu Gyalchen. His face is dark red and he wears a ritual hat of the Gelug tradition, which sits tilted on his head. The tilted hat indicates that he is wrathful and eccentric in nature.
In the book Oracles and Demons of Tibet by René de Nebesky-Wojkowitz, it is said that he appears slightly wrathful in mood and wears the robes of a fully ordained monk along with human bone ornaments. In his right hand, he brandishes a cane-stick and holds a crystal rosary in his left. He rides on a donkey.
In another thangka, he is also depicted wearing the robes of a fully ordained monk. He holds a sword in his right hand and a noose tied to two obstacle-causing beings in his left. He wears his ritual hat tilted and stands with his left leg outstretched. Under his left leg is a prone human form, while under his right leg is what appears to be an animal, most likely a horse or a donkey.
Conclusion
Both Drashi Lhamo and Gyalchen Karma Trinley are part of the tradition of Dharma protector practices stemming from Sera Monastery. Their histories reflect how these deities were once part of the folk tradition of a certain local temple or area, but have since risen to the level of monastic tradition due to the patronage of high lamas.
In the Tibetan tradition, high lamas are believed to be able to perceive the nature and special abilities of these protectors and other beings. Hence, their approval is a pre-requisite for such fascinating protector practices to gain widespread acceptance. But, even more than that, for high lamas to have been associated with these protectors shows that they must indeed be powerful and beneficial in our lives in one way or another.
For more interesting information:
- Sacred Yamdrok Yumtso Lake: The Abode of Goddess Dorje Geg Kyi Tso
- Shangmo Dorje Putri – The Bamo of Sakya
- Niguma: Mistress of Illusion
- Apology to the Naga Realm
- Gemu Goddess of Mosuo
- The Sakya Lineage & Dorje Shugden
- 700 Meet a Buddha
- The 14th Dalai Lama’s Prayer to Dorje Shugden
- Who is Kache Marpo?
- Inviting Lord Setrap to One’s Abode
- Articles on Dorje Shugden
- Articles on Vajrayogini
- His Holiness Zong Rinpoche’s Commentary on Guhyasamaja
- Palden Lhamo
- The Puja of Following an Enlightened Being’s Advice
- Buddha Statue’s Iconography
- Invocation to Namkar Barzin
Please support us so that we can continue to bring you more Dharma:
If you are in the United States, please note that your offerings and contributions are tax deductible. ~ the tsemrinpoche.com blog team
Dear Tsem Rinpoche… I refer to the Icon of Palden Lhamo (Magyar Gyalmo). Do you have any information as to the legend identifying the five figures that appear at the bottom of the Icon? My belief is that these five figures represent the Five Dākinīs, specifically related to the Inner Circle of the ChakraSamvara Heruka & Vajra Varahi Dakini Mandala, namely:- Blue Dakini of the east; Yellow Ruffini Dakini from the south; Red Khadaroha Dakini from the west and Green Lama Karma Dakini from the North. If you have any information, please contact me at victorgareau@yahoo.ca Thank you Victor from Montreal Canada
Dear Victor,
I’m not sure if you are aware but H.E. Tsem Rinpoche passed into Parinirvana on the 4th September 2019. His incarnation has returned and was enthroned in Kechara Forest Retreat last year. You can read more about Tsem Rinpoche’s Parinirvana here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/me/the-parinirvana-of-kyabje-tsem-rinpoche.html
In regards to the Magzor Gyalmo thangka, the five goddesses at the bottom of the thangka are actually the Five Tseringma Sisters.
Tashi Tseringma (the central white figure of the five) and her sister goddesses are mountain spirits who dwell in the border regions of Tibet and Nepal. They are believed to have been subdued by Guru Rinpoche in the 8th Century and have since been entrusted with protecting Buddhism. It is said that they travelled into India and received teachings at the ‘Dark Noisy’ charnel ground from the Tibetan master, Lopon Chogyi Gocha and the Indian Mahasiddha Krishnacarya.
Then in the 11th Century, the sister goddesses manifested apparitions to distract Milarepa in order to test his resolve. However, they could not cause any harm due to their oaths to Guru Rinpoche and they appeared before the yogi three days later and reconfirmed their vows to protect the Dharma. It is said that they requested teachings, which Milarepa gave them including those on generating Bodhicitta, teachings on the Hevajra Tantra and others. The sisters consist of Tashi Tseringma, Thingi Zhalsangma, Miyo Losangma, Chodpen Drisangma and Telkar Drosangma.
They are closely connected with the practice of Magzor Gyalmo and appear in her extended retinue. I hope this helps. Thanks.
There are Dharma Protectors of Tibetan Buddhism. Drashi Lhamo is one of the many Protectors. Drashi Lhamo is an emanation of the enlightened goddess of abundance who appears in an extremely wrathful form. The wrathful protector Drashi resides in the Drashi Gon temple in Lhasa, Tibet. The wrathfulness is intended to depict their willingness to defend and protect practitioners from dangers and enemies and also to avert the inner and outer obstacles. Interesting read of all these Protectors.
Thank you Rinpoche and Pastor David this sharing.
In Buddhism, female deities are quite popular and powerful. Apart from Palden Lhamo, there are also other female deities who are as powerful, for examples, Saraswati, Ekajati, Vajrayogini, etc. In terms of spirituality and the potential to become a Buddha, there is no difference between men and women. If we practise the Dharma diligently, we will become a better human being.
“Interestingly, Drashi Lhamo’s popularity has continued to enjoy tremendous growth since the rise of the Dorje Shugden controversy, who is also popularly worshipped by traders and merchants.” I’m curious for this. Why her fame grow with the controversy of Dorje Shugden ban? The only reason that I could think of is because previously people rely on Dorje Shugden’s prophecy and help. However, due to the ban, they have resorted seeking Drashi Lhamo’s divination for its accuracy. It’s also an evidence that not all believe in Nechung’s prophecy only. After all Nechung is not the ultimate and there are many highly reliable deities too. Thank you Rinpoche and Pastor David in explaining the other deities to us. In this article I learnt that there are 21 main forms of Palden Lhamo and some of their emanation’s details.
Interesting there is so many dharma protectors and protectress in Tibetan Buddhism, same as other faiths where they have many deities as well as protectors. Magzor Gyalmo, Lhamo Dudsolma and Dorje Rabtenma are considered the most common forms of the protectress Palden Lhamo. Different tradition in the Tibetan Buddhism refer differently but all of them share similar iconographic characteristics. Well all these protectress or deities were once part of the folk tradition of a certain local temples originated from Sera Monastery. The Dharma protector has benefited many over the years.
Thank you Pastor David for this interesting sharing.
All enlightened beings are worthy of homage and worship. They are the best beings to take refuge in and we should offer them our prayers as we can put our full confidence in them. Of all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, I personally find that Manjushri is extremely important. This is because what keeps us in samsara (cyclic rebirth) is our total ignorance and misunderstanding of the reality of existence. What is necessary to penetrate this deep ignorance that keeps us bound in a perpetual state of reincarnation is wisdom. We need many types of wisdom which can be acquired by relying on Manjushri as our yidam (meditational deity). By focusing on his meditation, practice, mantra and path we can gain wisdom in order to have the tool to penetrate the reality of existence. Therefore, Manjushri is an extremely important Buddha for us to focus on and take refuge in.
Tsem Rinpoche
(Photograph: this is the beautiful outdoor Manjushri statue who is in a teaching pose. He is floating above a koi fish pond nestled among lush greenery in Kechara Forest Retreat, Malaysia)
每一位觉者都能成为我们朝拜、膜拜的对象。他们是我们至高、至好的皈依，我们应该向他们做祈请，并且对他们生起全然的信念。在众佛菩萨之中，我个人认为文殊菩萨极为重要。这是因为使我们身陷娑婆（轮回）的是我们自身的无明，以及对实相的曲解。智慧是一种必要，它能穿透我们深不见底的无明，那个使我们受困于无止境投生的无明。我们需要多种智慧，而依止文殊菩萨作为我们的本尊，即能使我们成就多种智慧。透过文殊菩萨的观想、修持法门、心咒及修行道路，我们能成就智慧，拥有了知实相的“器具”。故此，专注于文殊菩萨的修持法门、皈依他，对我们而言都极为重要。
詹杜固仁波切
（相片：这尊户外文殊菩萨像呈转法轮姿。他被茂密的草木环绕，安坐在马来西亚克切拉禅修林的鱼池之上。）
8 pictures of the Sakya Monastery to share, where Protector temple Mug Chung is located. This is the monastery where Dorje Shugden was enthroned first as a Dharma protector in Tibet over 400 years ago by the highest Sakya throneholders and masters. Since then when people are doing Dorje Shugden prayers and pujas, they invoke his holy wisdom presence from Mug Chung Protector Chapel in Sakya Monastery in Tibet.
Medicine Buddha puja encourages healing of all levels – physical, mental and emotional healing for those in need.
High resolution file of this thangka is available for download for all dharma practitioners around the world and for those who just want sacred images in their environment. Enjoy, be blessed and share this with others.
Here is the link to free download of this image and many other images: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/downloads/buddha-images.html?nggpage=7
Nice short video of a new LED signage reminding us of who we can go to for blessings in case of need: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBwrkaKUoH0
Listening to the chanting of sacred words, melodies, mantras, sutras and prayers has a very powerful healing effect on our outer and inner environments. It clears the chakras, spiritual toxins, the paths where our ‘chi’ travels within our bodies for health as well as for clearing the mind. It is soothing and relaxing but at the same time invigorates us with positive energy. The sacred sounds invite positive beings to inhabit our environment, expels negative beings and brings the sound of growth to the land, animals, water and plants. Sacred chants bless all living beings on our land as well as inanimate objects. Do download and play while in traffic to relax, when you are about to sleep, during meditation, during stress or just anytime. Great to play for animals and children. Share with friends the blessing of a full Dorje Shugden puja performed at Kechara Forest Retreat by our puja department for the benefit of others. Tsem Rinpoche
Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbzgskLKxT8&t=5821s
Here we see a Bhutanese woman confirming that His Holiness the 4th Zhabdrung Rinpoche wrote prayers to Dorje Shugden. At first people did not believe that Zhabdrung Rinpoche actually composed the prayers, but people went to check with their monastic authorities, and they confirmed that the prayers were real. Before this, she had vehemently said that there were no such prayers and that she would go to check and then prove that the prayers were false. She must have gone to check and ask about Zhabdrung Rinpoche’s prayers to Dorje Shugden. As we said, the prayers are real but she still cannot accept the fact, even with all the proof.
Some Bhutanese feel like they cannot openly acknowledge that the article on Zhabdrung Rinpoche’s composition of prayers to Dorje Shugden is true, because it would mean that the Je Khenpo and Bhutanese sold and betrayed their own lineage. So even though they now admit that they prayers are real, they keep saying that he is just a minor deity and in any case, the Je Khenpo banned the practice. But if Dorje Shugden was just a minor deity, why would both Zhabdrung Rinpoche and Drubwang Tenzin Zangpo have composed such extensive prayers to Dorje Shugden? If Bhutan’s founding fathers like Zhabdrung Rinpoche promoted the practice of Dorje Shugden, why is someone like the Je Khenpo, whose position was originally created by the 1st Zhabdrung Rinpoche, banning the practice? Why do they want to go against what Zhabdrung Rinpoche did? If they do that, why do not they ban the entire country of Bhutan, because he founded that too.
They also claim that thangkas of Zhabdrung Rinpoche with Dorje Shugden are fake. However, there is no such thing as a fake thangka, because when someone has faith, they commission it, place it on their shrine and accept it. How can a thangka be fake when it has been individually commissioned? There is no rule or guideline what someone can or cannot put on a thangka. It is up to a person’s personal choice. That means there is no such thing as a fake thangka.
This woman came back on social media and confessed that the prayers are real. Even though she was still shocked, angry and dismayed, she told the truth. She could have kept quiet but she did not. Through all her debates and denials, she still had the honesty to leave a comment and admit that the prayers were real. When people can accept something, even though it may make them uncomfortable or angry, it means that they are practicing the Dharma. Dorje Shugden was practiced by the 4th Zhabdrung, and even though it may be an uncomfortable thought to some, it is clear and proven to be the case.
The 4th Zhabdrung Rinpoche of Bhutan and Dorje Shugden
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/the-4th-zhabdrung-rinpoche-of-bhutan-and-dorje-shugden.html
不丹国第四世夏仲仁波切与多杰雄登
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/dorje-shugden/the-4th-zhabdrung-rinpoche-of-bhutan-and-dorje-shugden-chinese.html
འབྲུག་གི་ཞབས་དྲུང་བཞི་པ་རིན་པོ་ཆེ་དང་རྡོ་རྗེ་ཤུགས་ལྡན།
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/the-4th-zhabdrung-rinpoche-of-bhutan-and-dorje-shugden-tibetan.html
Antique Pelden Lhamo thangka with sacred Dorje Shugden at the bottom right. Can see Tsongkapa and Guru Rinpoche on the top also. Beautiful and holy.
I have always been fasinated by dharma Protectors. Their warthful faces remind us of humanity and also scare you off any ignorance and ego. I remember seeing the thangkha of Palden Lhamo in a young age and thought that it was kind of scary. But with Rinpoche’s teaching and explaination i then start to understand the goodness of having protectors in our lives.
They can help us eliminate obstacles so that we can concentrate learning dharma smoothly in our life time.
Thank u for sharing the Dharma Protectors. Drashi Lhamo with the tongue sticking out is really nice. Wish to be able to get a statue of her. 🙂
I have always loved stories and explainations about Dharma protector and protectress. This is another interesting write up about Drashi Lhamo. And also her lovely mantra that sings with a rhyme. Thank you Rinpoche and Pastor David for another great write up!????
Protectors appear wrathful and scary most of the time. However, I have often heard people especially children seem attracted to their images. How is it so?
Reading this article made me realise that however wrathful and fierce protectors appear, their main purpose is to protect and guide us. I suppose with such a noble motivation, children in their purity see beyond the appearance to the compassion within the hearts.
Understanding the iconography of Drashi Lhamo depicts the powerful of this protectress and how she would help us.
The wrathfulness of protectors too indicate that in order to tame our unruly mind, wrathful and compassionate methods are often deployed to help us through our spiritual path.
Thank you Rinpoche and Pastor David for this very educational article.
??? thank you Rinpoche and Pastor David for sharing.
This is very interesting and do enjoy it.
Got attracted with wrathful looks and both Drashi Lhamo and Gyalchen Karma Trinley are Dharma protector Sera Monastery.