Vajrabhairava / Yamantaka Thangka

Exquisite Handpainted Thangka of Yamantaka (Slayer of Yama, the Lord of Death); Vajrabhairava and Padmasmbhav on top in Gold and Vegetable Color.

Regardless which manifestation of Vajrabhairava you are looking at, he is always depicted as fear-inducing, scary, and intimidating. Not only is he terrifying to look at – but according to the Vajrabhairava Tantra – he also has conquered all evil spirits, including the Lord of Death, Yama. That’s why he is also called “Yamantaka”, the Slayer of Death.

Vajrabhairava personifies the victory of spiritual wisdom over death. Ferocious and commanding, this buffalo-headed Buddhist deity subjugates gods, demons, birds, and animals that stand for evil and suffering. A garland of severed heads, symbolizing the conquest of the ego, hangs from his neck.