Thagyamin

A statue of Thagyamin at the Kyauktan Yay-Le Pagoda.

Thagyamin (Burmese: သိကြားမင်း, pronounced: [ðədʑámɪ́ɴ]; from Sanskrit ၐကြ Śakra), considered King of the Nats, is identified with the Buddhist deva Śakra and the Hindu deity Indra.^[1] He is often portrayed atop a three-headed white elephant, holding a conch shell in one hand, and a yak-tail whisk in the other.^[1] In traditional Burmese Buddhist belief, Thagyamin rules the nat deva plane of existence, called Trāyastriṃśa (တာဝတိံသာ). Thagyamin was designated the leader of the official pantheon of nats by King Anawrahta in the 11th century, in an effort to streamline animist practices among the populace and merge these practices with Theravada Buddhism. He is the only nat in the official pantheon not to have undergone a sudden and violent death.

Gallery

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  A portrayal of the King of Nats, Thagyamin

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  Thagyamin at the Shwedagon Pagoda

References