The Tantra of the Five Protectoresses (Pa?ñcarak??tantra), Nepal, Kathmandu, ca. 1780, Pigments and carbon black ink on paper, Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library Tibetan MSS 00015

The Tantra of the Five Protectoresses (Pa?ñcarak??tantra), Nepal, Kathmandu, ca. 1780, Pigments and carbon black ink on paper, Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library Tibetan MSS 00015

The oblong pages of this palm-leaf style (pothi) book are covered with Sanskrit phrases (mantra) to treat illness, prevent disaster, and grant wellbeing. The five protective goddesses pictured here embody the five Buddhist mantra collections that make up the text, which continues to be used during festivals in today"s Nepal. These mantra collections (dharani) were copied onto wearable objects for spiritual protection " for example, a cloth that could be tied to the wrist, or paper that could be carried in an amulet.

Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library

ca. 1780

Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library

Dimensions: 8.7 x 34.7 x 4.3cm

Material: Pigments and carbon black ink on paper

Sanskrit?

Fisher Tibetan MSS 00015

Kathmandu, Nepal