THE BODY MANDALA

The Body Mandala forms the ground-level basis of the 5-storey mandala. In elaborate visualizations, it comes on the center of a huge lotus which is on top of Mount Meru, which in turn is placed on a series of huge elemental disks. Around the mandala is also a very large 'Vajra Tent'.

Unlike most other mandalas, the Kalachakra mandala is not placed over a large double vajra.

The Body Mandala contains a total of 536 deities, of which 108 are located in the 'cemetery grounds' outside the walls; the 88 Elemental Spirits and 10 deity couples in the Cemeteries.

 

360 DEITIES OF THE DAYS

On the ledge inside the walls, we find 360 deities located on lotuses covering twelve animals, symbolizing the 360 days of the year fitted into 12 months.

These 360 deities also correspond to the development of the embryo during the 8th month and the 360 bones and joints of the human body.

From the book 'Kalachakra' by Tibet Domani:

'Bull (eleventh month) to the left of the northern door, on the back of the bull, is a red twenty-eight-petalled lotus, in the center of which is seated white Rudra (Wrathful one) with one face and four arms. In his right hands he holds a trident and an arrow. In his left hands he holds a khatvanga encoiled by a snake and a bow. He is embraced by red Gauri with one face and four arms. In her right ands she holds a staff and a sword. In her left hands she holds a chain and a noose. Standing on the petals are twenty-eight white female deities, each with one face and four arms. In their right hands they hold a trident and an arrow. In their left hands they hold a khatvanga encoiled by a snake and a bow.'

Month	Month Name	Animal	Location	Central Deity	Consort	Lotus Petal Deities (clockwise)	Western Zodiac Sign
1	Caitra	Hungry Ghost	ESE	Yaksha	Yakshi	Nya-Vajri, Nyi-Vajri etc.	Aries
2	Vaishakha	Deer	SE	Vayudeva	Prachandi	Cha-ajri, Chi-Vajri etc.	Taurus
3	Jyeshtha	Sheep	SSW	Agni	Varuni	Na-Vajri, Ni-Vajri etc.	Gemini
4	Purvashadha	Peacock	SW	Skandhakumara	Shri	Ta-Vajri, Ti-Vajri etc.	Cancer
5	(Shr)Avana	Sea Monster	NNE	Varuna	Varahi	Ma-Vajri, Mi-Vajri etc.	Leo
6	(Purva)Bhadrapada	Mouse	NE	Ganapati	Kumari	Pa-Vajri, Pi-Vajri etc.	Virgo
7	Ashvini	Elephant	WSW	Indra	Vayudevi	Na-Vajri, Ni-Vajri etc.	Libra
8	Kartika	Goose	NW	Brahma	Vidyuti	Ta-Vajri, Ti-Vajri etc.	Scorpio
9	Mrigashira	Bull	NNW	Rudra	Gauri	Ksha-Vajri, Kshi-Vajri etc.	Sagittarius
10	Tishya (Pusha)	Elephant	WNW	Kuvera	Lakshmi (Dhanendira)	Sa-Vajri, Si-Vajri etc.	Capricorn
11	Magha	Garuda	ENE	Vishnu	Shri	Nga-Vajri, Ngi-Vajri etc.	Aquarius
12	Phalguna	Water Buffalo	SSE	Yama	Yami	Ka-Vajri, Ki-Vajri etc.	Pisces

 

PROTECTORS OF THE BODY MANDALA

Inside the entrance gates, located on chariots pulled by seven animals each, are a total of 4 pairs of Protector deites, and also above and below the mandala are protectors.

Location	Protector	Consort	Chariot pulled by
Eastern Gate	Niladanda	Prabhavati	7 boars
Southern Gate	Takkiraja	Chunda	7 horses
Northern Gate	Achala	Bhrikuti	7 (snow) lions
Western Gate	Mahabala	Vajrashrinkali	7 elephants
Above Mandala	Ushnishacakravarti	Atishnila	(7?) garuda(s)
Below Mandala	Sumbharaja	Rohini	(7?) (snow) lion(s)

The total of 32 Protector deities (probably: 8 in entrance gates, 20 in the cemeteries, 2 above and 2 below) correspond to the 32 channels at the secret cakra.

 

OFFERING GODDESSES

On the white ledge just outside the walls are 36 Detachment (Offering) Goddesses, usually represented by Sanskrit seed syllables.
The combined Offering Goddesses of the Body, Speech and Mind mandala correspond to the 10th and last month in the development of an embryo.

 

ELEMENTAL DEITIES

The same outer white ledge contains shapes representing the elements (yellow squares for earth, white circles for water, red triangles for fire, black crescents for air, green circle for space and blue circle for mind), on which a total of 20 Elemental Deities are located.

The White Outer Ledge further holds lamps in the corners behind the gates, shaped like a white moon crescent and a double vajra on top.

 

WHEEL DEITIES

The 10 wheels in the cemetery area each contain a deity pair: a fierce female deity (Prachanda), embraced by a naga-king in the center:

Location	Name of cemetery	Animal (often not shown in Mandala)	Central Deity	Consort
E	Shikharavindhya	Rhino	Svamukhi	Takshaka
SE	Avasheshabhogsa	Berunda	Kakamukhi	Mahapadma
S	Vetajvala	Bear	Shukaramukhi	Kulika
SW	Asahayuda	Crane	Gridhramukhi	Ananta
N	Rulbcas (Tib.)	female yak	Vyaghramukhi	Vasuki
NE	Balamrtyu	Hyena	Ulukamukhi	Shankhapala
W	Puyagandha	Lion	Jambukamukhi	Karkotaka
NW	Sarpabhoga	Rabbit	Garudamukhi	Padma
Above		Garuda Anila	Shyamani	Vijaya
Below		8-Legged Lion	Vajrakshi	Jaya

In the wind-fire circle are a total of 88 Sanskrit syllables, which symbolise 88 deities of the Main Elemental Spirits.

The deities in the cemeteries and the wheels refer to the development of an embryo in the 9th month .