Vaishravana (Tibetan: Namthöse; Chinese: Duowen Tianwang) is the guardian king of the north and the leader of the Four Guardian Kings, who in Buddhist cosmology protect the four directions of the world. In Tibetan Buddhism he has two sides: a warrior who protects the teachings, and a deity of wealth. His Chinese name, "the king who hears much", is traditionally explained by his having heard many of the Buddha's teachings.
How he is shown
- Golden yellow, in the gold armour, crown and boots of a warrior king, with a stern face and wide, staring eyes.
- Riding a white snow lion, seated at ease with one leg extended.
- His right hand holds a victory banner of coloured silks, a sign of the victory of the teachings.
- His left hand holds a mongoose spitting jewels. The jewels stand for generosity. The mongoose, the enemy of snakes, is often explained as his power over the nagas, the serpent spirits said to guard the treasures of the earth.
- Eight horsemen, the "lords of the horses", often surround him in larger paintings, each in his own colour and each holding a mongoose.
- Jewels and treasures are often heaped before him.
Guardian of the north
In Buddhist cosmology the Four Guardian Kings live on the slopes of Mount Meru, the mountain at the centre of the world, each watching over one direction. They are said to have vowed before the Buddha to protect his teachings, and their images often flank the entrances of Buddhist temples. Vaishravana, king of the north and lord of the yakshas (powerful nature spirits), leads the four. In Tibet the Indian master Atisha spread his practice in the 11th century, and it is now shared by all schools: practitioners pray to him both for protection and for prosperity.
Vaishravana, Jambhala and Kubera
Vaishravana is often confused with Jambhala, and both are often labelled Kubera, after the Hindu god of wealth. In Buddhist texts the names Vaishravana and Kubera are used for the same king of the north, but Jambhala is usually treated as a separate wealth deity with his own practice. The difference is easy to see: Jambhala is plump, sits on a lotus and holds a citron fruit, while Vaishravana wears armour, rides a lion and holds a banner. Both hold the jewel-spitting mongoose.
In China, and in Japan, where he is called Bishamonten, he is usually shown standing in armour and holding a small pagoda.
In a painting
Look for a commanding but calm face; armour, jewellery and the lion's mane painted in fine detail; silks in the banner that seem to move; and a lively mongoose with each jewel clearly drawn. Where the eight horsemen appear, each rider and horse should be distinct. To recognise him at a glance: a yellow, armoured king on a white snow lion, holding a banner and a mongoose. Some of our paintings place him in an open landscape, with jewels and elephant tusks heaped on a lotus below him; others add Buddhas in the clouds above.
