1he asslonaLe LoLus uaklnl kurukulla

Cne 8uddhlsL uaklnl orlglnaLlng from Lhe counLry of uddlyana ls Lhe goddess kurukulla 1he name
kurukulla ls LranslaLed lnLo 1lbeLan as 8lg[yedma (rlgbyedma) she who ls Lhe cause knowledge" She
ls assoclaLed wlLh a klng of uddlyana named lndrabhuLl 8uL Lhere were aL leasL Lhree lndrabhuLls and
Lhls ls mosL llkely Lhe second one Moreover Lhere exlsLs a sadhana LexL aLLrlbuLed Lo hlm for Lhe red
kurukulla ln her elghLarmed form 7 8uL wheLher she had elghL arms or four arms she ls generally
known as Lhe uddlyana kurukulla MosL modern scholars belleve Lhls lndlcaLes LhaL kurukulla was
orlglnally a Lrlbal goddess much llke Lhe Plndu goddess uurga had been ln lndla who laLer because of
her popularlLy became assoclaLed wlLh Lhe 8uddhlsL greaL goddess 1ara lor Lhls reason kurukulla ls
ofLen called Lhe 8ed 1ara (sgrolma dmarpo) or 1arodbhava kurukulla Lhe kurukulla who arlses from
1ara"

1he Maglcal luncLlon of LnchanLmenL
kurukulla appears Lo have become popular orlglnally and she remalns so even among Lhe 1lbeLans
Loday because of her assoclaLlon wlLh Lhe maglcal funcLlon of enchanLmenL (dbang gl 'phrlnlas) or Lhe
bewlLchlng of people ln order Lo brlng Lhem under one's power (dbang du bsdud) More Lhan any oLher
flgure ln Lhe 8uddhlsL panLheon kurukulla becomes Lhe 8uddhlsL goddess of love and sex
correspondlng Lo Lhe WesLern gooddesses AphrodlLe and venus She ls deplcLed as a volupLuous and
seducLlve nude slxLeen year old glrl Among Lhe aLLrlbuLes she holds ln her four hands four arms belng
her mosL common manlfesLaLlon are Lhe flowerenLwlned bow and arrow remlnlscenL of Lhe WesLern
Lros and Cupld alLhough as Lhe goddess of wlLchcrafL she ls more akln Lo ulana

lL may appear sLrange and lronlc Lo us LhaL 8uddhlsm orlglnally Lhe rellglon of cellbaLe monks should
glve blrLh Lo Lhls aLLracLlve and seducLlve sex goddess 8uddhlsm as a splrlLual paLh ls ulLlmaLely
concerned wlLh enllghLenmenL and llberaLlon from Samsara 1hls ulLlmaLe goal ls known as Lhe supreme
aLLalnmenL or slddhl (mchog gl dngosgrub) 8uL noL all 8uddhlsL pracLlLloners are cellbaLe monks llvlng
ln semlpermanenL medlLaLlon reLreaL lsolaLed from Lhe world Llke everyone else 8uddhlsLs musL deal
wlLh Lhe pracLlcal clrcumsLances of llfe and socleLy Sadhana or delLy lnvocaLlon ls a medlLaLlon and
rlLual pracLlce where Lhe pracLlLloner ln medlLaLlon assumes Lhe aspecL or form of Lhe delLy who ls
regarded as a manlfesLaLlon of Lhe enllghLened awareness of Lhe 8uddha and Lhen lnvokes Lhe splrlLual
powers and wlsdom and capaclLles of LhaL parLlcular delLy as an ald Lo reallzlng llberaLlon and
enllghLenmenL 1hls uelLy ?oga or assumlng ln one's medlLaLlon Lhe archeLypal form of Lhe delLy ls
consldered a parLlcularly powerful meLhod Lo acceleraLe one's splrlLual evoluLlon 1he medlLaLlon lmage
of Lhe delLy vlsuallzed by Lhe pracLlLloner ln sadhana belng an archeLype or manlfesLaLlon of
enllghLened awareness and Lhls radlanL lmage opens a channel and acLs as a recepLacle for recelvlng
Lhe grace or blesslngs of Lhe 8uddha for a speclflc purpose 1he process of vlsuallzaLlon ln medlLaLlon ls
a meLhod of accesslng and focuslng splrlLual energy llke uslng Lhe lens of a magnlfylng glass Lo focus Lhe
rays of Lhe sun ln order Lo klndle a flre 1he lmage of Lhe delLy ls someLhlng LhaL ls concreLe and
accesslble Lo human consclousness ln hls own naLure as Lhe uharmakaya Lhe 8uddha ls beyond
concepLlon by Lhe flnlLe human mlnd 1he medlLaLlon delLy however makes Lhe unmanlfesL manlfesL
and Lherefore accesslble Lo consclousness ln Lhe same way ChrlsLlans mlghL have vlslons of angels LhaL
mlghL make Lhe grace of Cod manlfesL buL ln 8uddhlsm Lhere are boLh male and female medlLaLlon
delLles and kurukulla ls cerLalnly an example of Lhe laLLer

8uL also assoclaLed wlLh many sadhanas are karmayogas or acLlon pracLlces almed aL achlevlng more
worldly goals AL Lhe popular level Lhls greaLly added Lo Lhe appeal of 8uddhlsm 1he psychlc powers
developed Lhrough sadhana pracLlce are known as ordlnary aLLalnmenLs or slddhls (Lhunmong gl dngos
grub) alLhough Lo us WesLerners wlLh our hlsLorlcal condlLlonlng psychlc powers hardly seem very
ordlnary 8uL ln CaLhollc counLrles one ls qulLe famlllar wlLh such pracLlces as llghLlng candles whlle
praylng Lo Lhe Poly vlrgln or Lhe SalnLs for help wlLh worldly maLLers and noL [usL Lhe salvaLlon of one's
soul afLer deaLh Cenerally Lhese karmayogas or acLlon pracLlces are classlfled lnLo Lhe four maglcal
acLlons ('phrlnlas bzhl) 1o our WesLern consclousness such acLlons appear mlraculous even
supernaLural buL ln Lhe 8uddhlsL vlew psychlc manlfesLaLlons are parL of Lhe naLural order 1here ls
noLhlng supernaLural abouL Lhem lL ls [usL LhaL our modern vlew as Lo whaL consLlLuLes Lhe naLure of
reallLy ls Loo llmlLed

Sadhana LexLs speak of Lhe four maglcal acLlons or maglcs

1 WhlLe maglc or ShanLlkakarma (zhlba'l 'phrlnlas) has Lhe funcLlon of calmlng and paclfylng
condlLlons and heallng WhlLe 1ara ls an example of a delLy LhaL speclflcally has Lhls whlLe funcLlon

2 ?ellow Maglc or aushLlkakarma (rgyaspa'l phrlnlas) has Lhe funcLlon of lncreaslng wealLh
prosperlLy abundance merlL knowledge and so on vasundahara and !ambhala are examples of delLles
wlLh Lhese funcLlons Pence Lhey are yellow ln color

3 8ed Maglc or vashyakarma (dbang gl phrlnlas) has Lhe funcLlon of brlnglng people under one's
power of enchanLlng bewlLchlng aLLracLlng sub[ugaLlng magneLlzlng Lhem 1hls ls Lhe prlmary
funcLlon of kurukulla and hence her red color

4 8lack Maglc or 8audrakarma (dragpo'l phrlnlas) has Lhe funcLlon of desLroylng evll and obsLrucLlons
Lo Lhe splrlLual paLh 1hls ls Lhe speclflc funcLlon of many wraLhful manlfesLaLlons such as Lhe uaklnl
Slmhamukha who ls dark blue ln color

1hese four funcLlons are alloLLed Lo Lhe four gaLes of Lhe mandala palace namely Lhe whlLe or paclfylng
funcLlon ln Lhe easL Lhe yellow or lncreaslng funcLlon ln Lhe souLh Lhe red or enchanLlng funcLlon ln Lhe
wesL and Lhe black or desLroylng funcLlon ln Lhe norLh WlLh each of Lhese four maglcal funcLlons Lhere
exlsLs an elaboraLe sysLem of correspondences 8uL generally ln Lhe WesL Lhere ls a pre[udlce agalnsL
maglc especlally ln roLesLanL ChrlsLlan culLures whlch makes lL dlfflculL for people Lo undersLand Lhe
anclenL lndlan and Lhe 1lbeLan approach Lo Lhese maLLers 1hls ls compounded as well by our four
hundred years of Lhe sclenLlflc worldvlew whlch admlLs mechanlsLlc causallLy as Lhe only posslble
naLural cause of evenLs Maglc prlnclpally relaLes Lo our dlmenslon of energy and Lhls energy accordlng
Lo Lhe LradlLlonal way of Lhlnklng ls lnLermedlaLe beLween Lhe menLal and Lhe physlcal [usL as Lhe soul
ls lnLermedlaLe beLween Lhe splrlL and Lhe flesh 8lLual ls slmply one way Lo access and dlrecL energy
AlLhough mlnd or splrlL ls prlmary Lhe oLher dlmenslons of energy or soul and body are lmporLanL

WesLern LradlLlon speaks only of Lwo klnds of maglc whlLe and black 1he former comes from Cod and
hls angels and Lhe laLLer from Lhe uevll and hls mlnlons 8uL Lhe 8uddhlsL dlsLlncLlon beLween whlLe and
black ls accordlng Lo funcLlon and noL lnLenLlon Lhe lnLenLlon of Lhe 8uddhlsL pracLlLloner ln pracLlclng
maglc ls always compasslonaLe and alms aL prevenLlng evll acLs Lo help oLhers and allevlaLe sufferlng
whereas Lhe WesLern undersLandlng of black maglc lnvolves Lhe dellberaLed aLLempL Lo harm and ln[ure
1herefore ln 8uddhlsL Lerms Lhe moLlvaLlon ln Lhese four maglcal acLlons ls always whlLe WlLhouL Lhe
presence of Lhe 8odhlchlLLa Lhe LhoughL of compasslon no acLlon or rlLual ls consldered Lo be genulnely
8uddhlsL

8uL where we flnd sadhana or Lheurgy LhaL ls hlgh maglc we also flnd low maglc or goeLla LhaL ls
common wlLchcrafL ln Lhe 1lbeLan vlew Lhese pracLlces are noL necessarlly black no more slnlsLer Lhan
flndlng lucky numbers for beLLlng on Lhe horses or maklng love poLlons or amuleLs for proLecLlon and
so on lor Lhese common pracLlces of folk maglc lL ls noL even necessary Lo enLer lnLo medlLaLlon and
Lransform oneself lnLo Lhe delLy neverLheless kurukulla ls also Lhe paLron of such acLlvlLles She ls pre
emlnenLly Lhe 8uddhlsL Coddess of WlLchcrafL and LnchanLmenL ln a real sense she represenLs Lhe
empowermenL of Lhe femlnlne ln a paLrlarchal mllleu Agaln one mlghL lnvoke kurukulla Lo wln over Lhe
hearL of one's boss for a ralse or a cllenL for a new sales conLracL or convlnce Lhe personnel
represenLaLlve Lo hlre one for a [ob ln general 1lbeLans Lake a very cleareyed and pracLlcal vlew of llfe
wlLhouL senLlmenLallzlng splrlLuallLy as we Lend Lo do ln Lhe WesL 1hey do noL rlgldly separaLe Lhls
world wlLh lLs pracLlcal concerns from Lhe world of Lhe splrlL

!usL as 1ara ln her usual green form may be called upon by 8uddhlsLs Lo proLecL Lhem from varlous
dangers and LhreaLs ln parLlcular Lhe elghL greaL Lerrors and Lhe slxLeen fears so ln her red form as
kurukulla she may be called upon Lo exerclse her powers of enchanLmenL and bewlLchmenL Lo brlng
under her power (dbang du bsdud) Lhose evll splrlLs demons and humans who work agalnsL Lhe welfare
of humanlLy and lLs splrlLual evoluLlon Powever ln Lerms of pracLlcal maglc she can brlng under Lhe
pracLlLloner's power a personal enemy a boss a pollLlclan a pollceman or a recalclLranL lover male or
female ln 1lbeL kurukulla was also called upon when commenclng Lhe bulldlng of a new monasLery
when underLaklng a new buslness or enLerprlse when golng lnLo courL ln order Lo wln a law case and
oLher such acLlvlLles because she can subdue and sub[ugaLe Lhe demonlc and Lhe human forces LhaL
sLand ln one's way She LogeLher wlLh Man[ushrl and SarasvaLl mlghL even be called upon when a
sLudenL faces a dlfflculL examlnaLlon ln school

A LexL llke Lhe Arya 1ara kurukulla kalpa conLalns many rlLual pracLlces of lower maglc Lo accompllsh
speclflc goals for example

1 amuleLs for enchanLlng and brlnglng oLhers under one's power

2 spells Lo frlghLen away polsonous snakes

3 meLhods for a dlssaLlsfled wlfe Lo sub[ugaLe her husband

4 amuleLs for proLecLlon from evll splrlLs and bad luck

3 spells for acqulrlng wealLh and galnlng power

6 Lhe use of cowrle shells ln dlvlnaLlon and rlLual

7 dlvlnaLlons Lo flnd a Lreasure

8 meLhods for walklng on waLer

9 meLhods Lo avold geLLlng gray halr

10 cures for frlgldlLy and lmpoLence

ln one kurukulla Sadhana found ln Lhe Sadhanamala(no 72) Lhere occurs a llsL of elghL greaL slddhls or
maglcal powers acqulred Lhrough her pracLlce

1 khadgaslddhl (ralgrl) Lhe power Lo be lnvlnclble ln baLLle wlLh a sword (khadga)

2 An[anaslddhl (mlgrLsl) Lhe power Lo remove ordlnary lack of slghL by uslng a maglcal olnLmenL LhaL
enables Lhe user Lo see uevas nagas and oLher splrlLs

3 adalepaslddhl (rkangpa'l byugpa) Lhe power Lo be swlfL of fooL by uslng a maglcal olnLmenL LhaL
when applled Lo Lhe feeL allows Lhe user Lo run wlLh lncredlble swlfLness

4 AnLardhanaslddhl (ml snangbar 'gyurba) Lhe power Lo become lnvlslble

3 8asayanaslddhl (bcudlen) Lhe power of re[uvenaLlon and long llfe Lhrough obLalnlng Lhe ellxlr of llfe
by way of an alchemlcal process

6 khecharaslddhl (mkha'spyod) Lhe power Lo levlLaLe or Lo fly Lhrough Lhe sky

7 8hucharaslddhl (zhlngspyod) Lhe power Lo move freely Lhrough Lhe earLh mounLalns and solld
walls and

8 aLalaslddhl (sa'og) Lhe power Lo have command over Lhe splrlLs of Lhe underworld (paLala)

1he above were noL Lhe usual concerns of monks And Lhese reclples are very remlnlscenL Lo folk maglc
pracLlces for example ln AfroAmerlcan LradlLlons llke voodoo Poudou and SanLerla !usL as a
pracLlLloner of SanLerla would flrsL lnvoke Allegua or Lshu before engaglng ln a maglcal rlLe here Lhe
1lbeLan pracLlLloner would lnvoke kurukulla Powever Lhe 8uddhlsL Coddess of WlLchcrafL ls noL our
famlllar sLereoLype of Lhe wlLch as an old crone ln a polnLed haL and a warL on her hooked nose buL she
ls a beauLlful naked slxLeen year old glrl


1he Symbollc lnLerpreLaLlon of Per lconography
Accordlng Lo Lhe LexLs kurukulla ls slxLeen years old because slxLeen ls Lhe ldeal number LhaL slgnlfles
perfecLlon four Llmes four Per face ls beauLlful and her body volupLuous and allurlng as well as belng
red ln color because of her maglcal funcLlon of enchanLmenL and magneLlsm She has a slngle face
because she embodles nondual wlsdom beyond convenLlonal dlsLlncLlons of good and evll She ls naked
because she ls uncondlLloned by dlscurslve LhoughLs She has four arms because of Lhe four
lmmeasurable sLaLes of mlnd namely love compasslon [oy and equanlmlLy She holds Lhe bow and
arrow enLwlned wlLh flowers because she can glve rlse Lo LhoughLs of deslre ln Lhe mlnds of oLhers ln
her oLher Lwo hands she holds Lhe hook LhaL aLLracLs and summons Lhem lnLo her presence and Lhe
noose by whlch she blnds Lhem Lo her wlll 1he ornamenLs of human bone she wears slgnlfy Lhe flve
perfecLlons whereas she herself embodles Lhe slxLh perfecLlon LhaL of wlsdom She wears a necklace of
flfLy freshly severed human heads drlpplng blood because she vanqulshes Lhe flfLy negaLlve emoLlons
She ls danclng because she ls acLlve and energeLlc her compasslonaLe acLlvlLy manlfesLlng ln boLh
Samsara and nlrvana She dances Lreadlng upon a male human corpse because she enchanLs and
sub[ugaLes Lhe demon of ego She sLands upon a red sun dlsc because her naLure ls hoL and enflamed
wlLh passlon and upon a red loLus blossom because she ls a pure vlslon of enllghLened awareness ln Lhe
pracLlLloner's medlLaLlon such ls Lhe recollecLlon of Lhe purlLy (dag dran) of Lhe vlslon of Lhe goddess
kurukulla ln Lhe nylngmapa 1radlLlon

1he pracLlce of kurukulla ls found ln all four 8uddhlsL schools especlally ln rlLuals assoclaLed wlLh Lhe
enchanLlng or sub[ugaLlng maglcal funcLlon lndeed ln Lhe 1angyur Lhere are found a number of
sadhana LexLs for kurukulla besldes LhaL composed by klng lndrabhuLl ln Lhem her name ls usually noL
LranslaLed lnLo 1lbeLan buL glven ln Lhe varlanL form kurukulle Powever Lhe chlef canonlcal source
for Lhe goddess found ln Lhe 1anLra secLlon (rgyud) of Lhe kangyur ls Lhe Arya 1ara kurukulla kalpa
('hagsma sgrolma kurukulle'l rLogpa) 1he Maglcal 8lLuals for Lhe noble 1ara kurukulla" 1hls LexL
was LranslaLed lnLo 1lbeLan by 1sulLrlm Cyewa a 1lbeLan dlsclple of Lhe greaL lndlan masLer ALlsha (982
1034) 1he laLLer was largely responslble for lnLroduclng Lhe culL of Lhe goddess 1ara lnLo 1lbeL ln Lhe
11Lh cenLury

ln Lhe nylngmapa 1erma LradlLlon she occurs ln her Lwo or fourarmed form ln Lhe 1erma cycle of
Chogyur Llngpa (18291870) she appears ln her convenLlonal fourarmed form ln Lhe 1erma of Apong
1ulku one of Lhe sons of Lhe famous 19Lh cenLury 1erLon uud[om Llngpa she occurs ln a Lwoarmed
form slLLlng aL ease appearlng much llke Lhe more usual form of Creen 1ara She holds ln her rlghL hand
a vase fllled wlLh amrlLa necLar and ln her lefL hand before her hearL Lhe sLem of a loLus and on Lhe
blossom lLself by her ear ls a mlnlaLure bow and arrow ln Lhls gulse she ls speclflcally called 8ed 1ara
(sgrolma dmarmo) ln Lhe 1erma cycle of uud[om Llngpa (18331904) kurukulla represenLs Lhe lnner
aspecL of uechen Cyalmo Lhe yoglnl form of ?eshe 1sgyal Lhe consorL of Curu admasambhava
Moreover lL ls lnLeresLlng LhaL ln many nylngmapa 1erma LexLs lncludlng Chogyur Llngpa and uud[om
Llngpa Lhe Plndu god Mahadeva (or Shlva) and hls consorL uma are closely assoclaLed wlLh kurukulla as
guardlan delLles (srungma) wlLh Lhe maglcal funcLlon of enchanLmenL Mahadeva and uma are offered
a red Lorma cake and charged Lo fulflll Lhe Lask of brlnglng oLhers under one's power

kurukulla ln Lhe Sakyapa 1radlLlon
8uL kurukulla ls also very popular among Lhe newer 1anLrlc schools ln parLlcular she ls counLed as one
among Lhe 1hree 8ed Cnes" (dmarpo skor gsum) of Lhe Sakyapa school and she ls lncluded among Lhe
1hlrLeen Colden uharmas whlch Lhe Sakyapas had recelved from lndla and nepal 1hese Leachlngs are
called Colden uharmas (gser chos) noL only because Lhey represenL very preclous Leachlngs buL
because ln Lhose days (11Lh cenLury) 1lbeLan sLudenLs had Lo pay a loL of gold for Lhe Leachlngs
obLalned from lndlan masLers 1lbeL was famous for lLs rlch gold deposlLs Moreover ln Lhe large
Sakyapa collecLlon of sadhanas known as Lhe sCrubLhabs kunbLus are found flve sadhanas for
kurukulla ln Lhe Sakyapa LradlLlon 8uL for Lhe Sakyapas Lhe source par excellence for Lhe pracLlce of
kurukulla ls ln Lhe Shrl Peva[ra MahaLanLrara[a accordlng Lo Lhe LradlLlon of LallLava[ra and comlng Lo
Lhem from Lhe Mahaslddha vlrupa and Lhe 1lbeLan LranslaLor urogml ('8rogml yeshes 9931030) She
ls known as Peva[rakrama kurukulla and appears ln Lhe usual fourarmed form

As lL says ln Lhls 1anLra (arL l chapLer 11 vv 1213) now l shall explaln Lhe sadhana for kurukulla by
means of whlch all belngs may be broughL lnLo sub[ugaLlon revlously Lhls had been explalned
exLenslvely ln Lhe Lwelve parLs (of Lhe larger verslon of Lhe 1anLra) buL here lL ls condensed ln brlef 1he
Coddess orlglnaLes from Lhe syllable P8lP She ls red ln color and has four arms Per hands hold Lhe bow
and arrow as well as Lhe uLpala flower (whose sLem ls a noose) and Lhe lron hook 8y merely medlLaLlng
upon her one brlngs Lhe Lhree worlds under one's power WlLh one hundred Lhousand reclLaLlons of her
manLra one brlngs klngs (under one's power) wlLh Len Lhousand reclLaLlons Lhe masses of ordlnary
people of Lhe world wlLh Len mllllon reclLaLlons caLLle and Lhe ?akshas (earLh splrlLs) wlLh seven
hundred Lhousand reclLaLlons Lhe Asuras wlLh Lwo hundred Lhousand reclLaLlons Lhe uevas and wlLh
one hundred reclLaLlons oLher ManLra pracLlLloners"

She ls menLloned ln Lwo oLher places ln Lhe second chapLer of arL l (v 19 and v 26) and here her
manLra ls glven LogeLher wlLh Lhe acLlon manLras LhaL may be appended Lo lL for speclflc maglcal
purposes

1aranaLha (b 1373) ln hls collecLlon Lhe 8lnbyung brgyarLsa glves a sample kurukulla sadhana from
Lhe Sakyapa LradlLlon lrom ouL of Lhe sLaLe of empLlness arlse Lhe elghL cremaLlon grounds ln Lhelr
mldsL from Lhe syllable AM appears a red loLus blossom AL lLs cenLer from Lhe syllable 8AM appears
a solar dlsc on whlch arlses Lhe red syllable P8lM wlLh a long vowel mark and vlsarga lrom Lhls syllable
emanaLe rays of llghL llke hooks and nooses whlch make offerlngs Lo all Lhe LxalLed Cnes Lhereby
esLabllshlng all senLlenL belngs ln Lhe sLaLe of Cur Poly Lady 1hereafLer Lhey reLurn and are dlssolved
lnLo Lhe syllable P8lM whereupon l Lransform lnLo Shrl kurukulla She ls red ln color wlLh a slngle face
and four arms Cne palr draw a bow enLwlned wlLh flowers and an uLpalaLlpped arrow aL her ear Per
oLher rlghL hand holds an lron hook LhaL summons and her oLher lefL hand holds Lhe sLem of an uLpala
flower LhaL forms a noose She dlsplays her fangs she has Lhree eyes and round breasLs belng llke a
malden slxLeen years of age Per Lawny halr sLreams upward She ls adorned wlLh flve drled skulls (as
her Llara) she has a long necklace of flfLy freshly severed heads She ls adorned wlLh ornamenLs of
human bone and has a Llger skln across her Lhlghs She sLands ln ardhaparyanka dance poslLlon wlLh her
lefL leg exLended upon a human corpse whose face shows Lo her lefL amldsL red rays of llghL and
blazlng masses of flre AL her crown ls Lhe syllable CM aL her LhroaL ls Lhe syllable AP and aL her hearL
ls Lhe syllable PuM ln Lhe cenLer of her hearL upon a red uLpala blossom and a solar dlsc ls Lhe red
syllable P8lM"

CLher lorms of kurukulla
As we have sald Lhls form of red kurukulla wlLh four arms ls also known as uddlyana kurukulla or
uddlyanodbhava Lhe kurukulla who comes from uddlyana And agaln she ls known as 1arodbhava
kurukulla she who arlses from 1ara 8uL Lhere exlsL also Lwoarmed and elghLarmed forms of kurukulla
1he AshLabhu[a kurukulla wlLh elghL arms appears ln a sadhana aLLrlbuLed Lo klng lndrabhuLl ln Lhe
1angyur and ln a sadhana ln Lhe Sadhanamala collecLlon (no 174) Per flrsL Lwo hands make Lhe gesLure
of 1rallokyavl[ayamudra or vlcLory over Lhe Lhree worlds" whlle her oLher rlghL hands hold Lhe lron
hook an arrow and make Lhe gesLure of supreme generoslLy varadamudra Per oLher lefL hands hold
Lhe noose Lhe bow and Lhe red loLus Per Lwo legs are ln va[rasana poslLlon Moreover she ls
surrounded by a reLlnue of elghL goddesses resembllng herself buL wlLh four arms ln Lhe easL rassana
1ara ln Lhe souLh nlshpanna 1ara ln Lhe wesL !aya 1ara ln Lhe norLh karna 1ara ln Lhe souLheasL
Apara[lLa ln Lhe souLhwesL radlpa 1ara ln Lhe norLhwesL Caurl 1ara and ln Lhe norLheasL Chunda

1here ls also a Lwoarmed whlLe form of kurukulla known as Shukla kurukulla ln Lhe Sadhanamala
(no183) She has a slngle face LhaL ls calm and beauLlful and Lhe 8uddha AmlLabha adorns her crown
Per Lwo hands hold a mala or rosary and a bowl full of loLus flowers Per Lwo legs are ln va[rasana
poslLlon She adorns her body wlLh serpenLs who are Lhe greaL naga klngs AnanLa ls her halr rlbbon
vasukl ls her necklace 1akshaka ls her ear rlngs karkoLaka ls her sacred Lhread adma ls her glrdle
Mahapadma ls her ankleL and so on

kurukulla wlll also appear aL Llmes ln Lhe reLlnues of oLher delLles 1wo examples are glven by nebesky
Wo[kowlLz ln Lhe mandala of Lhe wealLh god Lhe red !ambhala she appears ln her usual fourarmed
form and ln Lhe mandala of Lhe fourarmed Mahakala (?eshes mgonpo phyagbzhlpa) accordlng Lo Lhe
sysLem of ShanLlgupLa she appears ln Lhe souLhwesL ln a red Lwoarmed form

She was also Laken lnLo Plndulsm for her name ls found among Lhe one Lhousand eplLheLs of Mahadevl
ln Lhe LallLasahasranamah She ls represenLed as a danclng beauLlful malden or kumarl