The Tibetan Earth Lords II

The following pages contain brief description of some of the major Tibetan Earth Lords. The text has been translated from the Tibetan by David Henning. In some cases, there was no exiting text or description, but only the name of the earth lord.

As for images, those presented here are not traditional images, but simply created to give you some idea of the earth lord in question. Where possible, bits of the actual description are used, while in others the name itself is all we have to go on.

01 King The-Se

Tibetan: (Té-Sé Gyel-Po)

He wears royal clothes, is red-yellow in color and blazing with light. He sits in a grand pose on a golden throne, holding a copper (sometimes said to be iron) garuda.

02 Queen Mother The-Chim

Tibetan: (Gyel-Yum Chen-Mo Té-Khyim)

She is deep red in color, wearing white silk, holding a flask in the right hand and a mirror in the left. She is depicted seated, with the right leg extended.

03Queen Hang-Pen

Tibetan: (Gyel-Pö Tsün-Mo Har-Pen)

She is white in color, holding a golden flask.

04 Prince Te-Se

Tibetan: (Gyel-Pö Sé-Po Té-Sé)

Red in color, holding in his right hand a golden casket and in the left an iron whip. He wears a jacket of fine red silk and has a vest of white silk over his shoulders.

05 Minister Tsang-Kun

Tibetan: (Gyel-Pö Lön-Po Tsang-Kün)

He sits on a multicolored turtle, wearing ministerial costume. He is light red in color, blazing with light and dressed in red silk. In his right hand he holds a crystal staff and in the left a jeweled flask.

06 Astrologer Se-Wa

Tibetan: (Sé-Ba La-Khyen Tsi-Khen)

He is red-yellow in color and in the guise of a priest. On his head is a "hat of existence", in his right hand he holds a silken-arrow adorned with a yellow silk streamer, and in the left a magical mirror.

07 Royal Dog-Keeper Hang-Phen

Tibetan: (Hang-Pen Ser-Po Ja-Ra-Ba)

He is red-yellow in color and blazing with light, dressed in blue silk, holding in his hands a sack of diseases and a lamp (depicted in the right).

08 King's Treasurer Se-Ji

Tibetan: (Gyel-Pö Nor-Sung Sé-Ji)

He is white in color, with a human body, a tiger head and spotted leopard's tail. He carries a mouse-topped victory banner

09 Bodyguard Se-Shar

Tibetan: (Ku-Sung Mi-Sö Sé-Shar)

He is terrifying and dark-red in color. He wears armour and rides a galloping water-buffalo, holding a sword and shield.

10 Royal Mount Se-Wa

Tibetan: (Sé-Ba Rang-Ta Gyel-Pö Chip)

He has the body of a horse and the head of a man, radiant yellow in color, carrying in his hands a golden turquoise ladles.

11 Royal Groom Se-U

Tibetan: (Sa-Dak Sé-'U Ta-Tri)

Yellow in color, he wears armour and rides a horse. He is depicted holding a sword and shield.

12 Timekeeper Se-Ja

Tibetan: (Dü-Dzin Sé-Ja)

Red-yellow in color and blazing with light, he has a human body, a bird's head and wings of copper and iron. Vicious in nature, in his right hand he holds a trumpet and in the left a phurpa (dagger).

13 The Royal Upolsterer

Tibetan: (Sa-Dak Sé-Ba Den-Ding)

Light green in color, he holds in his hands a wooden seat-frame.

14 The Official Kung-Myul

Tibetan: (Kung-Myul)

Red in color and holds a red lance (shown in the right hand) and a banner.

15 The Sweeper Se-Lo

Tibetan: (Sa-Dak Sé-Lo Sa-Chak) Blue in color, he carries a brush.

16 Princess Kar-Sham

Tibetan: (Gyel-Pö Bu-Mo Kar-Sham)

Brilliant white in color and beautiful, dressed in red silk, she holds in her hands a white-silver mirror.

17 The King's Dog, Black Hal-Chi

Tibetan: (Hel-Khyi Nak-Po)

A black dog, panting. He has a human body with a dog's head and the tail of a snake. Black in color, he has iron wings and holds a flag-lance.

18 Her Husband, Bal-Te

Tibetan: (Dé-Yi Mak-Pa Bel-Té)

He is a young man, light yellow in color, blazing with light. Dressed in blue silk, his right hand reaches for a golden arrow, and his left raises a silver bow.

19 Red General Wang-Ging

Tibetan: (Mak-Gi Wang-Ging)

Dressed in armour, he holds a bow and arrow. His anger blazes like fire, and he is accompanied by his retinue of planets and earth-lords.

20 General Tsang Kun

Tibetan: (Mak-Pön Tsang-Kün Ja-Ba)

Red in color, he is dressed in armor and helmet and holds a red lance and a banner.

21 Assistant

Tibetan: (Tsang-Kün Ché-Bo)

Deep blue in color, he is depicted naked except for a tiger skin.

22 Dog-Headed Tsang-Kun

Tibetan: (Tsang-Kün Khyi-Go)

He is black, the color of eye-medicine, has a human body with a dog's head and carries a jewel.

23 The Advisor Phe-U

Tibetan: (La-Khyen Peu)

No description of him is given in VKP, but he is depicted as human and dancing.

24 Black Earth-Lord Zin-Phung

Tibetan: (Sa-Dak Zin-Pung Nak-Po)

He rides a bull, has a scorpion head, and hold a sword in his right hand and a noose in the left.

25 Pi-Ling

Tibetan: (Pi-Ling)

He is depicted naked, with a tail, riding a horse, and carrying a black pennanted lance. He is said to be extremely fierce, although only the size of a thumb, with his horse the size of a mouse.

Some say he is like the yearly Earth-king (lo yi sa rgyal). Other description: Human body, goat head, blue in color, with the right hand holding a hook and the left a trident.

26 The Eleven Ministers of the Earth-King

Tibetan: (Sa-Gyel Jé-Lön Chu-Chik)

Said to be riding horses and carrying weapons.

27 Ten-ma, Goddess of the Earth

Tibetan: (Ten-Ma)

Yellow in color, holds a flask at her heart.

28 Da-ngeu

Tibetan: (Da-Ngö)

Human body with the head of a pig, grey in color. Holds mace in the right hand a life-giving food (? tshe mdzod) in the lefy

29 Grey earth-dog

Tibetan: (Sa-Khyi Dü-Kha) Male. Very little info.

Numbers 29-34: The six obscure blacks, "sribs kyi nag drug":

30 Female Black Earth-Dog

Tibetan: (Sa-Khyi Nak-Mo)

Numbers 29-34: The six obscure blacks, "sribs kyi nag drug".

FEMALE Very little info.

31 Blue Dragon

Tibetan: (Druk-Ngön)

Numbers 29-34: The six obscure blacks, "sribs kyi nag drug".

32 Leopard Skin Earth-Lord

Tibetan: (Sa-Dak Zik-Lok)

Numbers 29-34: The six obscure blacks, "sribs kyi nag drug".

33 Awesome Boar-Headed

Tibetan: (Ngam-Pa Pak-Go)

Numbers 29-34: The six obscure blacks, "sribs kyi nag drug".

34Three headed

Ke-tsek

Tibetan: (Ké-Tsek)

Numbers 29-34: The six obscure blacks, "sribs kyi nag drug".

35 Be-na Lag-chen

Tibetan: (Bé-Na Lak-Chen)

Human body with the head of a calf, holds a hammer in the hands (is drawn seated).

36 Central Dragon Deity Ga-Pa

Tibetan: (Wü-Kyi Druk-Lha Ga-Pa)

Human body with a dragon head, deep blue (or golden) in color, wears blue silk clothing, and holds an iron pan.

37 Earth-King of the Moon/Month

Tibetan: (Da-Bé Sa-Gyel)

Human body with the head of a snake, dark blue in color, riding a turquoise blue dragon, holding a snake noose in the hands.

38 Leopard Tail

Tibetan: (Zik-Juk)

39 Hearth-God Se-shar

Tibetan: (Tap-Lha Sé-Shar)

A red man holding a snake noose in the hands. Depicted standing.

40 Da-Lung

Tibetan: (Da-Lung)

Human body with head of a horse, dark red in color wearing a rainbow as garment, holds an arrow in the right hand and a turquoise casket in the left.

41 Life Control

Tibetan: (Tsé-Wang)

43 Hang-Bu

Tibetan: (Hang-Bu)

44 Sky Treasury

Tibetan: (Nam-Dzö)

45 Earth-Lord Dom-Chi

Tibetan: (Sa-Dak Dom-Khyi)

46 Great God

Tibetan: (Lha-Chen)

47 Crystal House

Tibetan: (Shel-Khang)

48 White Tiger

Tibetan: (Tak-Kar)

49 Sky-Hen Gung-gyal

Tibetan: (Nam-Gyi Ja-Ma Gung-Gyel)

50 Earth Medicine

Tibetan: (Sa-Men)

She is blue in color, human body, snake head, rides a snake, holding a snake-noose.

51 Well-Listened

Tibetan: (Nam-Tö)

52 Companion Deities

Tibetan: (Dren-Lha)

53 Nine-Hound Head

Tibetan: (Par-Ba Go-Gu)

Human body, brown in color, with nine hound heads, long locks of hair, in the right a hook and the left a m?ra tally stick, wearing blue silk.

54 Gold Control

Tibetan: (Ser-Wang)

55 Tent God

Tibetan: (Dra-Lha)

56 Earth Soldier

Tibetan: (Sa-Mak)

Human body, tiger head, yellow, holding a lance and sword, rides a striped tigress.

57 World Destroyer

Tibetan: (Si-Shé)

Human body with the head of a wolf, grey in color, in the hand holds a baby that he is eating.

58 Earth Ji-Lam

Tibetan: (Sa-Yi Ji-Lam)

60 Diviner of the Month

Tibetan: (Da-Bé La-Khyen)

Human body, pig head, blue in color, holds in the hands a hoe and a mace, dark red in color wearing a large cloak.

62 Red Earth-Lord Nga-Zor

Tibetan: (Sa-Dak Nga-Zor Mar-Po)

Radiant and dark-red in color, human body with an ox head, in the right a sickle and in the left a black noose.

63 Blue Ji-Lam

Tibetan: ([[[Ji-Lam]] Ngön-Mo]])

Blue woman riding a mouse, carrying a sack of diseases, and wearing white silk clothing.

64 Pi-Ling Par-Ma

Tibetan: (Pi-Ling Par-Ma)

Human body, goat head, blue in color, with the right hand holding a hook and the left a trident. Stands with the right leg extended and the left bent.

65 Sky Destroyer

Tibetan: (Nam-Shé)

66 Castle

Tibetan: (Sé-Khang)

The dark yellow plumb-lines (gnam thig ser nag)

67 Corpse Eater

Tibetan: (Ka-La Ro-Zen)

68 Stealer of Yama's Food

Tibetan: (Shin-Jé Zé-Trok)

69 The Weapon-Bearing King

Tibetan: (Gyel-Po Tsön-Tok)

70 Persian

Tibetan: (Tak-Zik)

71 Black Spinster

Tibetan: (Nak-Mo Khyo-Mé)

72 Child Horse of Mara)]

Tibetan: (Bü-Pa Ta-Dü)

73 Illness Mara.

Tibetan: (Né-Dü)

74 Burying Executioner

Tibetan: (Shé-Po Dur-Dep)

75 Five Component Element Deities)]

Tibetan: (Sil-Mé Gok-Ku)

This is a Chinese expression, the meaning of which is unclear.) These, and the next group are explained under the monthly cycles.

76 Naked Cripple

(armless).

Tibetan: (Cher-Bu Lak-Dum)

Human body with head of a snake, riding a dragon. Deep blue in color, terrifying, holding a snake noose.

77 Mulit-Colored Nyen

Tibetan: (Nyen-Tra)

78 The Crawling Earth-Lord of The Perimeter

Tibetan: (Dram-Gyi Sa-Dak Ché-Bo) Yellow human with head of a mouse.

79 Entomber Earth-Lord

Tibetan: (Dram-Gyi Sa-Dak Ché-Bo) Human body with the head of a frog.

80 Butcher

Tibetan: (Sehn-Pa)

81 Palace Diviner

Tibetan: (Mé-Ba La-Khyen)

Palace refers to the nine palaces, numbers

82 Wild Planet

Tibetan: (Za-Gö)

83 Armor-Wearing Illuminator

Tibetan: (Nang-Sel Trap-Gyön)

Rides a yellow human, weards armour (perhaps a coat of mail), holds in the hands a sword and lance.

84 Yellow Flag

Tibetan: (Ba-Den Ser-Po)

Black human carrying a tally-stick in his hand

85 Earth-Lord Se-Ddu

Tibetan: (Sa-Dak Sé-Dü)

86 Geriatric Earth-Lord

Tibetan: (Shel-Gyi Gying-Khar)

Dark yellow in color, human body, head of a mouse, holds in the hands a cane (? shal gyi 'gying 'khar) and wears a great cloak.

88 Reptile Earth-Lord

Tibetan: (Sa-Dak To-Ché)

Form as usual: Upper body human, lower that of a snake; snake hoods around the head, wearing a cloak of snake skin.

The right hand holds a treasure flask of jewels, and the left is openning the lid.

Deep blue in color.

Another form has a human body and head of an ox, with the right horn golden, the left turquoise,

yellow in color with turquoise hair and tongues of fire, tail of a snake, lying on the left side of the belly.

His bodily parts are described in the inner set 12 squares of the diagrams.

89 Ji-Lam

Tibetan: (Ji-Lam)

90 The-Se Drum-Bu

Tibetan: (The-se Drum-bu)

Human body with the head of a bird, grey in color (also said to be yellow in color with a snake head), holding an axe, wearing blue silk.

92 Queen of Spring

Tibetan: (Chi-Kyi Gyel-Mo)

White.

She leads swirling black wind. These four are all blue women, holding mirrors in the right hands. Their clothing is uncertain.

93 Queen of Summer

Tibetan: (Yar-Gyi Gyel-Mo)

Blue.

She leads lightning and hail. These four are all blue women, holding mirrors in the right hands. Their clothing is uncertain.

94 Queen of Autumn

Tibetan: (Tön-Gyi Gyel-Mo)

Yellow.

She gathers the essence of flowers and fruit.

These four are all blue women, holding mirrors in the right hands. Their clothing is uncertain.

95 Queen of Winter

Tibetan: (Gün-Gyi Gyel-Mo) Black. She leads snow blizzards. These four are all blue women, holding mirrors in the right hands. Their clothing is uncertain.

96 Monthly Angles

Tibetan: ({Tsang- Tsé)

97 Monthly Lord

Tibetan: (Gan-gön)

98 Domestic

Tibetan: (Khyim-Lha)

Literally: inside the house.

Yellow Turtle

Tibetan: (Rü-Bel Ser-Po)

(The Fanged Earth-Lord)

Tibetan: (Sa-Dak Ché-Ba Chen)

Ugly with large canines, also called Unchanging ('gyur ba med pa).

(Wealthy) Multicolored Nyen

Tibetan: (Chuk-Po)

He-Ton

Tibetan: (Hé-Tön)

Ji-Dur

Tibetan: (Ji-Dur)

Death-Crow

Tibetan: (Shin-Gyi Po-Rok)

Human body with a raven head, wearing clothes of Buddhist and Bon.

Green Nyen

Tibetan: (Nyen-Jang)

The Earth Lords Tibetan Astrology And Geomancy By Michael Erlewine.