Song of the Sixteen Great Dakinis

HUM

On the stem and in the corolla of the wonderful lotus
of Shining Immaculate, pure Plane of Essence,
attaining the pure happiness of the truly unfeigned,
Being unique with the eight names, to you praise and homage!

To the east of the spontaneous lotus, formed with a single stroke,
appearing as Shakya Senge, Lion of the Shakya, perfect incarnation,
surrounded by the host of the Vajra Dakinis,
sitting in the midst of radiant light, without origin and all pure,
to Shakya Senge, homage!

To the south of the lotus, wide and rich in resources,
appearing as Padma Gyalpo, a great wave of gnosis,
surrounded by the host of the Jewel Dakinis,
luminous Universal Knower,
sitting and persuading each one according to his understanding,
to Padma Gyalpo, homage!

To the west of the lotus, most wonderful form on the expanse of the waters,
appearing as Padmasambhava in the body of heaven,
surrounded by the host of the Lotus Dakinis,
sitting among the wonders whose power is to his liking,
to Padmasambhava, homage!

To the north of the lotus of the All-Embracing Work,
appearing as Dorje Dorlod, conqueror of the demons of misery,
surrounded by the host of the Karma Dakinis,
enthroned among the fivefold gnosis, quintuple perfect primacy,
to Dorje Dorlod, homage!

To the southeast of the lotus of the Members of the Awakening,
appearing as Nyima Odzer dispelling dark ignorance,
escorted by Heroes of the Vajra, his retinue,
enthroned among the Bodhisattvas, benefactors of human beings,
to Nyima Odzer, homage!

To the southwest of the lotus, exercising the power of the Nine Vehicles,
appearing as Padma Jungnay who makes the cannibals shut their mouths,
surrounded by Heroes of the Jewels, his escorts,
abiding within the access to the five paths and ten stages,
to Padma Jungnay, homage!

To the northwest of the original lotus of the Being without Birth,
appearing as Senge Dradog, Master of the Dharma of the six knowledges,
escorted by the Heroes of the Lotus, his retinue,
enthroned, pure enchanter, among the cardinal points,
to Senge Dradog, homage!

To the northeast of the Unshakable Lotus
appearing as Lodan Chogsed, the flame of wisdom,
escorted by Heroes of Consuming Karma, his retinue,
enthroned in the midst of the depth of the four immense merits,
to Lodan Chogsed, homage!

To the throng surrounding the Master, to the host of the dakinis and servants,
to the four warrantors of the Dharma
and to the four goddesses of the threshold,
to the mamos and to the dakinis who, outside and inside, protect from dangers,
to the sworn guardians of the Dharma, homage!

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from The Life and Liberation of Padmasambhava, Canto 19 Padma bKa'i thang, Dharma, 1978