Heruka

Heruka is a major deity in the Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhist tradition, commonly worshipped in the Gelug and Sakya traditions. He is often depicted as a blue or blue-black figure with four arms, executing a fierce dance. Heruka is associated with the wrathful wisdom of the Mahamudra, representing the fierce and searching quality of the mind when engaging in the direct path.

Heruka is believed to be an emanation of the tantra's deities, Hevajra, Vajrasattva, and Mahavairocana. He is considered the consort of the goddess Vajraviharini, often depicted as his blue-skinned consort with one face and two arms. Heruka and Vajraviharini dance and kill beings with their fierce gaze, symbolizing their commitment to enlighten all beings by cutting through ignorance and attachment.

In Tibetan Buddhism, Heruka is often featured in iconography and rituals associated with the Chakrasamvara and Hevajra Tantras. He is considered a powerful protector, and his fierce qualities are tapped into for liberating or purifying rituals, aiming to break one's bonds with the cycle of birth and death. The visual iconography of Heruka often features his participation in ferocious dance, easily recognizable through his four arms and dark coloration.

In Tibetan ritual, Heruka's wrathful aspects are harnessed for purification, protection, and healing, illuminating the fleeting nature of existence and sharpening religious practitioners' comprehension of reality. Practitioners seek Heruka's ability to tame desires forged through meditative practice and keens insight that liberates beings from sufferings and his compassionate aspect that attracts practitioners in enlightened hopes upon whom this deity's great endeavour securely relies.