Khara Khoto: Mahakala

CHINA, Inner Mongolia, Alxa; Western Xia period

This woodblock print dates from the early 13th century. The robust Mahakala has bristling hair and wears a crown decorated with skulls. There is a third eye between his eyebrows. Holding a vajra in his raised right hand and forming the karana (warding off evil) mudra with his left, Mahakala stands on Ganesa, an elephant-headed deity. Within the flaming mandorla, there are ten dakinis holding objects including a vajra, a Dharma wheel, bells, a bow, a staff, a sword, a knife, a black stone, and a long whip. At the bottom of the image, five dakinis appear to be dancing. Moving from left the right, the dakinis hold a flower, candle stick, lamp, conch shell, and fruit. Above Mahakala, there is a row of five seated Buddhas forming various mudras. A Sanskrit incantation for evoking Mahakala, with a translation in Chinese below, is written at the top of the picture. Chinese inscriptions praying for the long life of the emperor and peace in the empire are written in the upper corners.