Dorje Drollo and The Pregnant Tigress: An Insightful Account

Dharma Treasure Dorje Drollo “The wrathful manifestation of Guru Rinpoche”

Dorje Drolo, “The Wild Wrathful Vajra,” with his mount, the pregnant tigress, is one of the Eight Manifestations of Rinpoche Guru. He took on this manifestation in Paro Taktsang (Tiger's Nest Monastery) in Bhutan to conquer the local deities who were opposed to Buddhism, and meditation in sacred places controlled by them mostly in ancient sites along the Himalayas as well as to protect dharma and terma treasures. This blog explores iconography and spiritual significance mainly on the transformative story of Dorje Drollo and his mount, The Dakini Tigress.

 

 

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Dorje Drollo Common Symbols in Dorje Drollo Iconography

Symbol	Meaning
Garuda on top of his halo	Wisdom and Awareness
Halo	Holiness
Three Eyes	Knowledge of the past, present, and future
Vajra on Right-hand	Strength and power to cut through ignorance
Ritual dagger (phurba) and Scorpion on left	Ability to control the "eight classes of spirits," particularly the plague-causing demons that manifest as black scorpions
Gold and bone ornaments	Accomplishments of discipline, meditation, and wisdom
Male Demon	Transformation of negative energies
Naked Female Demon	Essence of primordial wisdom
Pregnant Tigress	Power and Protection
Sun disc	Divinity, royalty

                                                     

Dorje Drollo’s Postures (Mudras):

Dorje Drollo wrathful deity index finger of one hand is raised in the threatening Tarjani Mudra, unleashing a black iron scorpion from the tip of this finger which depicts the ability to control the “eight classes of spirits” particularly the plague-causing demons that manifest as black scorpions. His mastery over these evil forces showcases his role as a protector who can defeat even the most dangerous spirits to ensure the safety of practitioners. 

Pratyalidha Mudra is revealed when he leans towards the right as he dances upon the back of a fierce pregnant tigress which shows fearlessness and protection, just like a protective mother tigress who fiercely guards her cubs, allowing no other creature to come near them.

Taktsang, the Tiger’s lair “Place where guru drolo was manifested”

Wrathful Deity Dorje Drollo manifested in one of the most famous spiritual Himalayan Bhutan tiger nests known from early Tibetan Buddhist lore Taksang Goemba. The original Bhutan monastery complex from the late seventeenth century before the fire in 1998 A.D. was built on a massive cliff along an old pilgrimage and trade route connecting Tibet and India.

The cliffside caves are believed to be where the terma (treasures), were hidden in the ninth century.       

Photograph ©John A. Ardussi, 1995

Tashi Chidron's metamorphosis: from Goddess Dakini to Pregnant Tigress (Consort/Mount)

Is Tashi Chidron a Dakini or the Pregnant Tigress? The most mysterious aspect of Dorje Drollo’s iconography is his mount Dakini Devi's “A Pregnant Tigress” depicting Power and Protection. In Buddhism, Dakini is an enlightened female navigator and Devotees to enlightenment. The tigress’s pregnancy signifies potential and the capacity for growth and transformation.

King Hamray is often said to be the ruler of the mountainous Mon country (present-day Sikkim and Bhutan) and had a daughter named Khidren, it is believed that Khidren was the incarnation of Samaya Tara. Later, Yeshe Tsogyal gave her the new name Tashi Chidron, motivated by a dream prophecy from a dakini. She traveled to Lho-drag in southern Tibet in response to this prophecy, where she met Yeshe Tsogyal and received initiations and profound teachings.

Moreover, Tashi Chidron met Guru Rinpoche, who gave her additional teachings and soon afterward, siddhis, or great spiritual achievements. When Guru Rinpoche saw her extraordinary potential, he adopted her as his "karmic consort." They joined in the practice of Vajrakila sadhana at the revered Tiger's Lair cave site of Paro Taktsang in Bhutan.

When Precious Master manifested as Dorje Drollo, Tashi Chidron transformed into a fierce tigress to serve as his mount, bringing the wicked spirits under his control to protect dharma, which benefits sentient beings and terma treasures.

People also tend to believe that Padmasambhava “Second Buddha / The lotus born” flew to Taktsang riding on the back of a pregnant tigress defeating the enemies of the Buddhist dharma. In this formidable form, they bound numerous powerful non-human spirits from Tibet and Bhutan through their oath-binding actions. 

Profound Significance of the Pregnant Tigress:

One of the most famous stories involves the male demon who appears in the form of a blue gyalpo demon or spirit-king, who is believed to be an important lama or minister who had broken his vows. Therefore, the tigress rips out the blood-dripping hearts and life veins of two obstructive male (spirit-king) and female demons with its claws. He is shown thrown down upon his back, wearing a monk's robes and golden riding hat, with his feet pinned down by the tigress's front left paw.

The naked female demon is said to be Mara’s daughter very much known for the illusion and temptation who seduces or might distract practitioners from their path of enlightenment has also been cast down upon her back, with her head pinned down by the tigress's rear left paw. Both demonic enemies lie prone upon Dorje Drolo's golden sun disc depicting divinity and royalty, which rests above a multicolored lotus and a triangular vajra-rock formation. 

Relation Between Padmasambhava and Pregnant Tigress:

 

 

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Why did Rinpoche Guru Manifested in Dorje Drollo? He manifested in this “the terrifying wrathful form of crazy wisdom", at thirteen different Himalayan locations known as 'Tiger's Lair,' such as Senge Dzong, Pemako, and Paro Taktsang in Bhutan. He did so to subdue the most wicked and arrogant spirits that inhabited these regions with the transformed aspect of his consort, Tashi Chidron. At many of these locations, it is believed that Guru Rinpoche left impressions of his feet in the rocks. Rinpoche Guru manifested in binding worldly spirits under oath to protect the terma treasures and serve the Dharma.