SAMVARA

((Sanskrit: Union), ) Chinese San Pa-lo, in northern Buddhism, a fierce protective deity. Like Heruka and Hevajra, he is an emanation of the Buddha Aksobhya and wears a figure of that god in his headdress. Samvara is widely worshiped as a yi-dam (tutelary, or guardian, deity) in Tibet and China and is said to be incarnated in each successive grand lama of Peking. He is represented in art as blue in colour, with four heads, each of which has a third eye and an angry expression. Two of his 12 arms are crossed on his breast; one holds the four-faced head of Brahma, his distinctive symbol; and others embrace his shakti (female consort), Vajravarahi.