Ashtadikpalas

Glossary

It is the collective term for a set of eight deities –– Kubera, Yama, Indra, Agni, Varuna, Isana, Vayu and Nirritti –– who are considered to be the guardians of the eight cardinal directions in Hinduism, Jainism and Vajrayana Buddhism. Images of these deities, placed in their respective directions, can be found across the temple architecture of these religions. The term itself derives from the Sanskrit ashtadikpala, meaning “regents of the eight directions.”

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Pre-Modern Art

Ashtadikpalas%newline%It is the collective term for a set of eight deities –– Kubera, Yama, Indra, Agni, Varuna, Isana, Vayu and Nirritti –– who are considered to be the guardians of the eight cardinal directions in Hinduism, Jainism and Vajrayana Buddhism. Images of these deities, placed in their respective directions, can be found across the temple architecture of these religions. The term itself derives from the Sanskrit ashtadikpala, meaning "regents of the eight directions."

Chicago	MAP Academy Encyclopedia of Art. “Ashtadikpalas”. Accessed April 27, 2024. https://mapacademy.io/glossary/ashtadikpalas/
MLA	“Ashtadikpalas.” MAP Academy Encyclopedia of Art. https://mapacademy.io/glossary/ashtadikpalas/. Accessed 27, April, 2024.
Harvard	MAP Academy Encyclopedia of Art. (2022) Ashtadikpalas. [Online]. Available at: https://mapacademy.io/glossary/ashtadikpalas/. (Accessed: 27, April, 2024)