This 11.75″ Palden Lhamo statue is partly fire gilded in 24K gold — the primary figure, mule, and key elements gilded, with the flame mandorla in red and gold — handcrafted in Patan, Nepal by master Newar artisans using the traditional lost wax sculpting method according to the strict iconometric requirements of Tibetan Buddhist sculptural tradition. The composition is a three-figure scene: Palden Lhamo rides her mule at the centre, flanked by Simha Mukhi (the lion-faced Dakini) at the rear and Maharavaktra leading the mule by its serpent reins. The Bodhisattva crown and jewels can be additionally embellished with turquoise and red coral stones at no extra charge before shipping. Learn more about Dharmapala and Dharma protector deity statues in our collection.
Palden Lhamo — the Glorious Goddess (dPal ldan lha mo) — is the principal female Dharmapala of Tibetan Buddhism and the sole female among the eight great protector deities of the tradition. She is the specific protector of the Dalai Lama lineage and of the Gelug school, and her connection to the identification of Dalai Lama reincarnations is documented and active: practitioners make pilgrimage to Lhamo Lhatso — the sacred oracle lake in Tibet associated specifically with her — where visions appearing on the lake’s surface have been used since the time of the first Dalai Lama to guide the search for each successive reincarnation. The Regent of Tibet traditionally makes this pilgrimage before beginning the search for a new Dalai Lama. Her mythological origin is one of the most extreme in the entire Tibetan tradition: in her previous existence as a queen in Lanka, she killed her own son to prevent him from inheriting a kingdom opposed to the Dharma and perpetuating anti-Buddhist rule — a sacrifice understood in the tradition not as cruelty but as the most radical possible expression of Dharma protection. She fled across a sea of blood riding her mule, pursued by her enraged husband, and took up her role as the implacable protector of the Buddhist teachings. The saddle on which she rides is made from the skin of that son — a constant reminder of the cost of her commitment and the absolute seriousness of Dharma protection. She is the consort of Mahakala, the principal male Dharmapala of the tradition, and together they represent the complete field of wrathful protective awareness that guards the Dharma from dissolution.
Palden Lhamo Statue Features
Palden Lhamo rides her wild mule in a dynamic forward posture, the serpent reins held by Maharavaktra who leads the procession. In her left hand she holds the kapala (skull cup, filled with blood symbolizing the transmutation of life-force into wisdom-energy). In her right hand she brandishes a demon-taming club. She wears a crown of skulls and elaborate jewels. The ring of flames surrounding the entire composition represents pristine awareness consuming all neurotic states that obstruct the Dharma. The three-figure assembly — Palden Lhamo, Simha Mukhi, and Maharavaktra — makes this one of the most complex and iconographically rich statues in the Golden Buddha collection.
Authentic, Handmade in Nepal
Every statue and ritual item is handcrafted in Patan, Nepal, using traditional lost wax casting and comes with a certificate of authenticity issued by Nepal's Department of Archaeology, verifying its materials, technique, and origin.
