Each year on the 23rd -29th lunar days of the 9th month, the congregation of Menri Monastery in India performs the wrathful retreat of the Blazing Tiger Deity, Takla Mébar. In 2025, these lunar dates coincide with November 12th-18th. This deity is a wrathful manifestation of Buddha Tönpa Shenrap Miwo that incinerates all negativity, illness, and obstacles. Through practicing Takla Mébar as a yidam, or commitment deity, and receiving his blessings and power through intensive retreat and mantra recitation, illnesses and obstacles are removed, the five wisdoms arise, and one obtains the power to heal and benefit others. Performing the practice and reciting the mantra at least 100,000 times bestows the same kind of protection as if one is wearing body armor.
According to his principal function, Takla Mébar is depicted in a number of different ways. His body color can be red or dark blue, he can be with or without wings, and variously holding a golden spinning wheel, nine intertwined swords, an iron hook, a skull-cup filled with blood, a sword, or a wheel of fire.
“You, the greatly wrathful Takla Mébar have an enlightened body that is majestic and dark blue in color. Your hair billows throughout the limits of the three worlds of existence. You have divine sight, stand with legs spread apart, and your mouth is open with clenched teeth.
You subdue and liberate those who pollute and corrupt their vows. The five deities of phenomenal space are seated upon your head. You protect the vitality and extend the life-span of Bön practitioners. You hold in your right hand a spinning wheel of fire that burns both those who have corrupted their vows and those who associate with them. You hold in your left hand a spinning, golden wheel for the activity of assisting and protecting those who have stainless vows.”
From The Concentrated Essence of the Red Razor
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