Gur Mahakala

This wrathful deity is a protector of Buddhist monasteries and is known as 'Great Lord of the Pavilion.'  As a Protector, he presents a terrifying appearance: grinning wildly, with fiery eyes, standing upon a corpse. He holds a skull cup and chopper in his two hands, and the crook of his elbows supports  an ornamental stick. A similar staff is used in Buddhist monasteries to discipline unruly young monks and onlookers during assemblies. On his head there is a crown of five skulls, each of which symbolizes the conquest of a particular type of obstruction of enlightenment. Mahakala takes a frightening form and conquers the most horrible realms of existence. As a fierce manifestation of Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, Mahakala helps beings overcome all negative elements, especially spiritual ones, personified and symbolized by the panoply of fearsome creatures over which he becomes lord.

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