The Pancharaksha is a Vajrayana Buddhist text that provides five dharani spells for protection against worldly harm. These five dharanis are also personified as five goddesses who are worshiped as guardian deities. The Pancharaksha text and deities are most popular in Nepal, where many households keep copies of this text and images of the goddesses. They were also employed in Tibetan, Tangut, and Chinese contexts to protect the state, prevent suffering, diseases, and drought.

Published November 10, 2022

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