Guardians of the directions

Dikpala, Cham civilization, Mỹ Sơn,Vietnam 10th century. (l-r) Nairṛta, Agni, Varuna, Indra (front), Kubera and Isan (back row)

The Guardians of the Directions (Sanskrit: दिक्पाल, Dikpāla) are the deities who rule the specific directions of space according to Hinduism and Vajrayāna Buddhism—especially Kālacakra. As a group of eight deities, they are called Aṣṭa-Dikpāla (अष्ट-दिक्पाल), literally meaning guardians of eight directions. They are often augmented with two extra deities for the ten directions (the two extra directions being zenith and nadir), when they are known as the Daśa-dikpāla. In Hinduism it is traditional to represent their images on the walls and ceilings of Hindu temples. In ancient Java the nine guardian gods of directions is called Dewata Nawa Sanga (Nine guardian devata), the diagram of these guardian gods of directions is featured in Surya Majapahit, the emblem of Majapahit empire.

Names and attributes

The names of the Dikpālas vary slightly, but generally include the following:

Name	Direction	Mantra	Weapon	Consort	Graha (Planet)	Guardian Matrika
Kubera	North	Oṃ Shaṃ Kuberāya Namaḥ	Gadā (mace)	Kuberajāyā	Budha (Mercury)	Kumari
Yama	South	Oṃ Maṃ Yamāya Namaḥ	Daṇḍa(staff)	Yami	Maṅgala (Mars)	Varahi
Indra	East	Oṃ Laṃ Indrāya Namaḥ	Vajra (thunderbolt)	Śacī	Sūrya (Sun)	Aindri
Varuṇa	West	Oṃ Vaṃ Varuṇāya Namaḥ	Pāśa (noose)	Nalani	Śani (Saturn)	Varuni
Īśāna	Northeast	Oṃ Haṃ Īśānāya Namaḥ	Triśūla (trident)	Parvati	Brihaspati (Jupiter)	Māheśvarī
Agni	Southeast	Oṃ Raṃ Agnaye Namaḥ	Śakti(Spear)	Svāhā	Śukra (Venus)	Meshavahini
Vāyu	Northwest	Oṃ Yaṃ Vayuve Namaḥ	Aṅkuśa (goad)	Bharati	Chandra (Moon)	Mrigavahini
Nirṛti (sometimes Rakṣasa)	Southwest	Oṃ Kṣaṃ Rakṣasāya Namaḥ	Khaḍga (sword)	Khaḍgī	Rāhu (North Lunar Node)	Khadagadharini
Viṣṇu	Nadir	Oṃ Klim Vishnave Namaḥ	Chakra (discus)	Lakṣmī	Lagna	Vaishnavi
Brahmā	Zenith	Oṃ Hriṃ Brahmaṇe Namaḥ	Padma (lotus)	Sarasvatī	Ketu (South Lunar Node)	Brahmani

Directions in Hindu tradition

Directions in Hindu tradition are called as Diśa, Disha or Dik. There are four primary directions and a total of 10 directions.

English	Sanskrit
East	Pūrva, Prāchi, Prāk
West	Paścima, Pratīchi, Apara
North	Uttara, Udīchi
South	Dakshina, Avāchi
North-East	Īśānya
South-East	Āgneya
North-West	Vāyavya
South-West	Nairṛti
Zenith	Ūrdhva
Nadir	Adho

Lokapālas

Brahma, Lord of the Zenith (center) with (from left) Varuna, Kubera, Yama and Indra.

In Hinduism the Guardians of the four cardinal directions are called the Lokapālas (लोकपाल). They are:

• Kubera (north)
• Yama (south)
• Indra (east)
• Varuṇa (west)

Images of the Lokapālas are usually placed in pairs at the entrance to tombs. As Guardians they can call upon the spirits of the next world to help them protect the tomb if necessary.

References

• Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend (ISBN 0-500-51088-1) by Anna Dallapiccola

• The Gods of the Directions in Ancient India. Origin and Early Development in Art and Literature (until c. 1000 A.D.), Berlin: Dietrich Reimer 2001 (ISBN 3-496-02713-4) by Corinna Wessels-Mevissen

See also

• Four Heavenly Kings
• Lokapala
• Surya Majapahit