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TheGuardians of the Directions (Sanskrit:दिक्पाल,IAST:Dikpāla) are the deities who rule the specific directions of space according toHinduism,Jainism andVajrayānaBuddhism—especiallyKālacakra. As a group of eight deities, they are calledAṣṭa-Dikpāla (अष्ट-दिक्पाल), literally meaning guardians of eight directions. They are often augmented with two extra deities for the ten directions (the two extra directions beingzenith andnadir), when they are known as theDaśa-Dikpāla. In Hinduism it is traditional to represent their images on the walls and ceilings ofHindu temples. They are also often portrayed in Jain temples, with the exception thatNāga usually takes the place ofVishnu[1] in the nadir. AncientJava andBali Hinduism recognizeNava-Dikpāla, literally meaning guardians of nine directions, that consist of eight directions with one addition in the center. The nine guardian gods of directions is calledDewata Nawa Sanga (Nine guardiandevata). The diagram of these guardian gods of directions is featured inSurya Majapahit, the emblem ofMajapahit empire.
There are strong similarities between the concept of theguardians of the directions and the lore surrounding the Chinesefour symbols, four ancestral spirits who are responsible for four of the cardinal directions (North, South, East, and West).[citation needed]
Directions in Hindu tradition are called asDiśā, orDik. There are four cardinal directions, six orthogonal directions and a total of ten directions, however infinite combinations are possible.
| English | Sanskrit |
|---|---|
| North | Uttara, Udīcī |
| South | Dakṣiṇa, Avācī |
| East | Pūrva, Prācī, Prāk, Aruna |
| West | Paścima, Pratīcī, Aparā |
| Northeast | Īśāna |
| Southeast | Agni |
| Northwest | Vāyu |
| Southwest | Nirṛta |
| Zenith | Ūrdhva |
| Nadir | AdhaH |
InHinduism, the guardians of the cardinal directions are called theLokapālas (लोकपाल), or Dikpalaka.[2] Three main distinctions of Dikpalaka are recognized, being:
| Name | Direction |
|---|---|
| Kubera, God of Fortune | North |
| Yama, God of Justice and Death | South |
| Indra, Lord of Heaven and God of the Weather, Sky, Rain, and Storms | East |
| Varuna, God of the Seas, Oceans, and Rain | West |
| Ishana, God of Birth, Death, Resurrection, and Time | Northeast |
| Agni, God of Fire | Southeast (in the image incorrectly shown on southwest) |
| Vayu, God of the Winds and Air | Northwest |
| Nirṛta, God of Death, Sorrow, and Decay[3][4] | Southwest (in the image incorrectly shown on southeast) |
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Besides the eight guardians, the following are added:[5][6]
(CalledDevata Nawa Sanga in ancientJava andBali Hinduism)
Media related toGuardians of the directions at Wikimedia Commons
