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catūr-mahā-rāja-baliṁ-nāma

Torma of the four great kings

    I prostrate before the goddess Tara!
    Compose the torma of the four great kings, the supreme torma that removes obstacles to the appearance of qualities in the stream [of mind].
    Then [perform] the preliminary rituals. When one has realized meditation on the enlightened mood, which corresponds to the measureless ones, set up a special torma for beneficent action.
    Then perform meditation on the devata deity as a special own action. When you have done so, bless the body, speech, and mind with syllables. Meditate on the emptiness of torma with the mantra svabhāva. When you do so, from the nature of emptiness [arises] the syllable laṁ. From it comes the mandala of wind. From above, from the syllable raṁ [appears] the mandala of fire. From the syllable a [appears] the bowl of kapala. Within it, from the molten syllable a [appears] nectar.
    Then from syllable a the size of an elbow [appears] the disk of the moon. On it, the white syllable hūṁ is formed. [When fully formed, it becomes] a white vajra with five peaks. On top of it, possessing an opening, from the syllable a [appears] the disk of the moon. In the middle of it [appears] the green syllable tāṁ. From it rays of light radiate downward and dissolve into nectar. Radiating upward and falling down like old rain is the nectar of primordial wisdom from the heart of the Enlightened Ones and bodhisattvas. Visualize it like this.
    When you do so, recite the akāro mantra five or seven times, recite five or seven times “aḥ hūṁ.” These are the special actions for torma.
    Then [follow] the special actions for the guests. In the space in front of [me] from the syllable paṁ [appears] a lotus seat with four petals. In the middle from the syllable a [appears] the disk of the moon. On it [appears] the green syllable tāṁ. From it rays of light are emitted and collected. Due to this [appears] utpala marked with the syllable tāṁ. From it rays of light are emitted and collected. Due to this, [it [becomes] the holy Tāra with one face and two hands. The color of the body is green, the right hand in [the gesture of] bestowing Refuge. The left holds the utpala together with the trunk [of the flower] together with the stem. Visualize it in this way.
    Then, when you invite the jñānasattva, dissolve with “jaḥ hūṁ baṁ hoḥ.” Realize the blessing of body, speech and mind with the syllables.
    Then on the lotus in the east [appears] King Rashtrapala with one face, two hands, and a body of white color. On the lotus in the south is king Virudhaka, with a body of blue color, one countenance, and two hands. On the lotus in the west is King Virupaksha, with a body of red color, one countenance and two arms. On the lotus in the north is King Vaishravana, with a gold-colored body, one face and two hands.
    When these four are instantly and clearly manifested, further rays of light are emitted from a place in the heart. By these realize the grasping and introduction of the jnyanasattva. Bless with syllables of body, speech and mind.
    Then from the invisible tongues of these four [kings] [appear] the syllables of hūṁ. When becoming perfect, they come into contact with the torma tongues, which are a vajra at the top and a trumpet at the bottom. Having made contact, they taste. Visualize it like this. Three times perform “baliṁta khāhi.”
    Then the command follows:
    Please protect from the demonic influence of the gandharvas of the eastern direction, the demonic influence of Yama from the southern direction, the demonic influence of Kumbhand from the western direction, the demonic influence of the Yakshas from the northern direction, the eighteen great demonic influences, the eighty thousand kinds of obstacles, etc.!
    Perform this prayer.
    Then visualize the jnyanasattva leaving and the samaya-sattva becoming invisible. Place the torma on pure ground.
    This is how the torma of the four great kings is completed.
    Translated by Pandita Dipamkara Sri Jnyana and the translator Geshe Tönpa.
    Translated by Lama Karma Paljor (O.E. Filippov).