053
The Benefactor, Gurgyi Gonpo ("Angry-One-of-the-Tent")
Thangka, painting
Cotton support with opaque mineral pigments in waterbased (collagen) binder
18.5 x 24.25 inches
Kham region
Ca. 17th or 18th century
Indeterminate style
In Tibet, Panjara is an important aspect of Mahakala, more commonly known as Gurgyi Gonpo,"Angry-one-of-the-tent." As all forms of Mahakala, Panjara is the vigorous energy of compassion that urges one to perform meritorious deeds for the benefit of others. The deity's most distinguishing attribute is the club which rests in the crooks of his arms. Remains of the dead, partially devoured by carrion eaters, seen in the lower left quadrant of the painting, indicate that the setting is a charnal field, the place where most angry deities are visualized.
Chaya Chandrasekhar
Museum #: 92.002a
Huntington Archive Image Scan #: T1056