Praise of Six-Arm Lord Mahakala

HUM Quick-acting Avalokita, homage to you!

Wearing anklets, you trample Ganesha. Mahakala,
you wear a tiger skin loincloth.
Fully adorned with snake ornaments on your six arms,
The first right holds a drigu, the middle a mala,
The last plays violently a damaru;
The left hands hold a skullcup and a three-pronged lance,
And, likewise, a noose, which serves for tying up.

Your wrathful mouth completely bares its fangs.
Your three eyes are fierce. The hair of your head blazes upward.
Your forehead is properly anointed with sindura.
On your crown, Akshobhya’s royal presence is fixed.
You wear a great necklace of fifty human heads, dripping blood.

On your crown you are adorned with five dry, jeweled skulls.
You come from your tree and accept our torma offering,
Glorious six-arm one, homage and praise to you!
Sternly protect the doctrine of the Buddha!

Sternly praise the height of power of the jewels!
For us – teachers, disciples, and entourage –
Please quell all bad conditions and obstructions, And
grant us quickly whatever siddhis we wish!

To the lama, indivisible from the protector,
I respectfully go for refuge.
May I completely eliminate
The delusions of all sentient beings.

To the protector, indivisible from the lama,
I respectfully go for refuge.
May the obstacles of myself and all sentient beings
Be completely eliminated. (these two verses 3x)

Due to this merit, in all my lifetimes,
May I uphold the entire teaching of the Conqueror.
Guru-Protector, never abandon us; eliminate all obstacles to the teachings;
And always accomplish conducive conditions.

Source

This prayer was composed by the great yogi Drubchen Shawari who wrote it during a vision of Mahakala which appeared to him gradually from the feet upwards. Translated by Martin Willson, DHATU. © Martin Willson.