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Lot Essay
ABOUT TWO UNPUBLISHED GODDESSES FROM DENSATIL
Jean-Luc Estournel, Paris 2025
The eight famous tashi gomang erected at Densatil Monastery between 1267 and 1435, following the model prescribed by Jigten Gonpo, founder of Drigung, after a vision he had in Tsari in 1198 for his master Dorje Gyalpo Phagmodrupa, are now well documented and need no further introduction.
The discovery of two previously unknown goddesses from the sixth tiers of two di!erent “royal” tashi gomang can be considered a significant event. Indeed, they are valuable examples of art from the Lang/Phagmodrupa dynasty at its peak at the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries.
The first depicts a two-armed aspect of Lha mo, seated on her mule, surrounded by the four goddesses of the four seasons, three still visible on her left and one that must have occupied the missing part under her right arm. According to the texts, it can only be Tamra Kharavahana Sritakali Sridevi ( Dpal Lha mo Gcer bu bong zhon ma shan pa nag mo). This precise iconography, combined with its characteristic stylistic elements, treatment of the lotus rhizome, jewellery, and lotus pedestal, suggests that it most likely belongs to the west side of tier 6 of the tashi gomang erected from 1386 onwards for Dragpa Changchub (1356-1386), abbot of Densatil from 1370 to 1386. This important figure of the Lang/Phagmodrupa dynasty also occupied the throne of Neudongtse from 1374 to 1381, making him the first “King of Tibet” to obtain a tashi gomang in Densatil. Since the Lang/Phagmodrupa clan was at the height of its power at the time, the stupa dedicated to such a figure had to be worthy of its recipient’s prestige, which explains why the objects that come from it are among the most beautiful and accomplished in the entire Densatil corpus. This tashi gomang is mentioned in various sources, the most notable being the biography of Dragpa Changchub written by Tsongkhapa himself. This work, which was originally surrounded by the famous Mahakala from the Pritzker Collection (J-L Estournel fig.153) and the Jambhala formerly in the John Eskenazi Collection (J-L Estournel fig.154), can be linked in many ways to another aspect of Lha mo from the north side of the same monument (Saptadasasirsi Sridevi) (Dbu bcu bdun ma), now in the Michael C. Carlos Museum of Emory University (J-L Estournel fig.156).
The second deity is depicted seated, with both hands stretched forward, which once held what could have been a blooming lotus flower. According to the iconographic diagram visualized by Jigten Gonpo, it can only be Bhumidevi Dridha, Bhumidevi Dridha (Prithivi) (Sa’i lha mo Brtan ma), the Indian goddess of the earth and ruler of all jewelled treasures. This iconography, combined with the stylistic elements that characterise it - the treatment of the lotus rhizome, the jewellery and the lotus pedestal - means that it can most probably be attributed to the east side of tier 6 of the tashi gomang erected from 1408 onwards for Sonam Dragpa (1359- 1408) abbot of Densatil from 1386 to 1405 and ‘King of Tibet’ from 1381 to 1385.
The initial iconographic diagram of Bhumidevi’s entourage, according to texts believed to describe Jigten Gonpo’s tashi gomang for Dorje Gyalpo Phagmodrupa, mentions the eight Dhanadevis and five other goddesses, making a total of thirteen deities. Here, there are sixteen.
This detail perfectly illustrates the iconographic variations that can be observed from one tashi gomang to another. Indeed, while they all seem to follow the initial iconographic scheme of 2,800 deities described by Jigten Gonpo in 1198, they clearly display di!erences in terms of secondary deities. This is attested by various texts which indicate, for example, that the tashi gomang erected in 1370 and 1407 for Dragpa Sherab and Paldan Zangpo included 3,900 deities, that of Sonam Zangpo in 1431 more than 5,000, and that of Sonam Gyaltsen in 1434, 3,962.
This ornamental inflation is probably, beyond the religious character of these precious monuments, an expression of a desire to strengthen the political power of the Lang/Pagmodrupa clan. This very rare representation of Bhumidevi Dridha from Densatil is one of only two known to date, along with the one sold at Bonhams Hong Kong on 27 November 2024, lot 1013.
Bibliographic references:
- C. Luczanits, « Mandalas of Mandalas: The Iconography of a Stupa of Many Auspicious Doors for Phagmodrupa » in TibetanArt and Architecture in Context, PIATS 2006, published 2010.
- O. Cjaza, « Medieval Rule in Tibet: The Rlangs Clan and the Political and Religious History of the Ruling House of Phag mogru pa. » Austrian Academy of Sciences Press 2013.
- J-L Estournel, « About the 18 Stupas and Other Treasures Once at the Densatil Monastery », in asianart.com, 2020.
Jean-Luc Estournel, Paris 2025
The eight famous tashi gomang erected at Densatil Monastery between 1267 and 1435, following the model prescribed by Jigten Gonpo, founder of Drigung, after a vision he had in Tsari in 1198 for his master Dorje Gyalpo Phagmodrupa, are now well documented and need no further introduction.
The discovery of two previously unknown goddesses from the sixth tiers of two di!erent “royal” tashi gomang can be considered a significant event. Indeed, they are valuable examples of art from the Lang/Phagmodrupa dynasty at its peak at the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries.
The first depicts a two-armed aspect of Lha mo, seated on her mule, surrounded by the four goddesses of the four seasons, three still visible on her left and one that must have occupied the missing part under her right arm. According to the texts, it can only be Tamra Kharavahana Sritakali Sridevi ( Dpal Lha mo Gcer bu bong zhon ma shan pa nag mo). This precise iconography, combined with its characteristic stylistic elements, treatment of the lotus rhizome, jewellery, and lotus pedestal, suggests that it most likely belongs to the west side of tier 6 of the tashi gomang erected from 1386 onwards for Dragpa Changchub (1356-1386), abbot of Densatil from 1370 to 1386. This important figure of the Lang/Phagmodrupa dynasty also occupied the throne of Neudongtse from 1374 to 1381, making him the first “King of Tibet” to obtain a tashi gomang in Densatil. Since the Lang/Phagmodrupa clan was at the height of its power at the time, the stupa dedicated to such a figure had to be worthy of its recipient’s prestige, which explains why the objects that come from it are among the most beautiful and accomplished in the entire Densatil corpus. This tashi gomang is mentioned in various sources, the most notable being the biography of Dragpa Changchub written by Tsongkhapa himself. This work, which was originally surrounded by the famous Mahakala from the Pritzker Collection (J-L Estournel fig.153) and the Jambhala formerly in the John Eskenazi Collection (J-L Estournel fig.154), can be linked in many ways to another aspect of Lha mo from the north side of the same monument (Saptadasasirsi Sridevi) (Dbu bcu bdun ma), now in the Michael C. Carlos Museum of Emory University (J-L Estournel fig.156).
The second deity is depicted seated, with both hands stretched forward, which once held what could have been a blooming lotus flower. According to the iconographic diagram visualized by Jigten Gonpo, it can only be Bhumidevi Dridha, Bhumidevi Dridha (Prithivi) (Sa’i lha mo Brtan ma), the Indian goddess of the earth and ruler of all jewelled treasures. This iconography, combined with the stylistic elements that characterise it - the treatment of the lotus rhizome, the jewellery and the lotus pedestal - means that it can most probably be attributed to the east side of tier 6 of the tashi gomang erected from 1408 onwards for Sonam Dragpa (1359- 1408) abbot of Densatil from 1386 to 1405 and ‘King of Tibet’ from 1381 to 1385.
The initial iconographic diagram of Bhumidevi’s entourage, according to texts believed to describe Jigten Gonpo’s tashi gomang for Dorje Gyalpo Phagmodrupa, mentions the eight Dhanadevis and five other goddesses, making a total of thirteen deities. Here, there are sixteen.
This detail perfectly illustrates the iconographic variations that can be observed from one tashi gomang to another. Indeed, while they all seem to follow the initial iconographic scheme of 2,800 deities described by Jigten Gonpo in 1198, they clearly display di!erences in terms of secondary deities. This is attested by various texts which indicate, for example, that the tashi gomang erected in 1370 and 1407 for Dragpa Sherab and Paldan Zangpo included 3,900 deities, that of Sonam Zangpo in 1431 more than 5,000, and that of Sonam Gyaltsen in 1434, 3,962.
This ornamental inflation is probably, beyond the religious character of these precious monuments, an expression of a desire to strengthen the political power of the Lang/Pagmodrupa clan. This very rare representation of Bhumidevi Dridha from Densatil is one of only two known to date, along with the one sold at Bonhams Hong Kong on 27 November 2024, lot 1013.
Bibliographic references:
- C. Luczanits, « Mandalas of Mandalas: The Iconography of a Stupa of Many Auspicious Doors for Phagmodrupa » in TibetanArt and Architecture in Context, PIATS 2006, published 2010.
- O. Cjaza, « Medieval Rule in Tibet: The Rlangs Clan and the Political and Religious History of the Ruling House of Phag mogru pa. » Austrian Academy of Sciences Press 2013.
- J-L Estournel, « About the 18 Stupas and Other Treasures Once at the Densatil Monastery », in asianart.com, 2020.