In Buddhism, Vaishravana is the guardian king (lokapala) of the north, one of the four guardian kings who are often found at the entrances to temples. Vaishravana is also sometimes worshiped as a wealth deity and at times as a martial deity. Depending on the emphasis, he is depicted as an armored warrior, often mounted on a lion, carrying a mongoose or holding a stupa/pagoda.

Published November 10, 2022

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