Virupa: Meaning, Mantra, Symbolism & Benefits in Tibetan Buddhism

Virupa is the great Indian mahasiddha and founder of the Lamdré (Path and Result) lineage — the embodiment of direct realisation, miraculous power, and the uncompromising transcendence of conventional appearances. Practitioners invoke Virupa for the realisation of the indivisibility of samsara and nirvana, the blessings of the unbroken Sakya lineage, and the direct experience of Mahamudra transmitted through the Hevajra tantra. The main mantra associated with Virupa is Om Ah Guru Virupa Siddhi Hum (often recited within the Lamdré lineage prayers).

 

Quick Facts About Virupa

• Category: Indian Mahasiddha / Lineage Guru / Founder of the Lamdré (Path and Result) Tradition

• Meaning: “Virupa” (Skt. Virūpa) — “the ugly one” or “the wicked one”; a name he adopted after abandoning his monastic robes

• Mantra: OM AH GURU VIRUPA SIDDHI HUM (or the longer Lamdré lineage supplication)

• Main Benefits: Receiving the unbroken Lamdré lineage blessings, realising the inseparability of samsara and nirvana, overcoming attachment to conventional appearances, attaining miraculous siddhis, mastering the Hevajra tantra

Who Is Virupa?

Virupa (Sanskrit; Tibetan: བི་རཱུ་པ།, Birwapa, 7th–8th century CE) is one of the most celebrated mahasiddhas (great accomplished ones) of India and the historical founder of the Lamdré (Tib. lam ’bras, “Path and Result”) teachings, which became the central philosophical and meditative system of the Sakya tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. He is revered as the “Lord of Yogins” and the source of the Hevajra tantric transmission to the Sakya school.

Virupa was born into a royal family in eastern India (modern-day Bengal) about 1,020 years after the Buddha’s parinirvana. He renounced his princely status, took monastic vows, and received the name Shri Dharmapala (“Glorious Dharma Protector”). He became a renowned scholar at the great monastic university of Nalanda, eventually serving as its abbot. By day, he taught the common Dharma; by night, he practiced the secret tantric teachings he had received from his predecessors.

For many years, despite his diligent practice, Virupa experienced no attainments. Instead, he suffered illness, bad dreams, and spiritual stagnation. In despair, he concluded he had no karmic connection with the Vajrayana and threw his mala (prayer beads) into a latrine, giving up his esoteric practice altogether.

That same night, the wisdom goddess Vajra Nairatmya (the consort of Hevajra, the “selfless one”) appeared to him in the form of a blue lady. She revealed that his previous struggles had not been signs of failure but the clearing of obstacles — the “darkness before dawn.” She initiated him into the mandala of Shri Hevajra, bestowed the four empowerments, and entrusted him with the complete instructions that became the Lamdré, recorded in the Vajra Verses (root tantra verses on the Path with its Result).

Grateful for this realisation, Virupa offered a ritual feast and began acting in ways that scandalised the monastic community. He discarded his monastic robes, donned a simple cotton loincloth, and took on the wild appearance of a wandering yogi. He became known as “Virupa” — “the ugly one” or “the wicked one” — a name he embraced as a badge of his freedom from conventional appearances.

Virupa performed many miracles that demonstrated his transcendence of dualistic views and awakened faith in countless beings. He made the Ganges River reverse its flow so he could cross without touching the water. When monks who had doubted him witnessed this feat and begged him to return to Nalanda, he declined. In his most famous miracle, he stopped the sun in the sky for nearly three days so the tavern where he was drinking would have to stay open, illustrating both his extraordinary powers and his complete freedom from social conventions.

In the 11th century, the Lamdré teachings passed through Indian masters Viravajra and Gayadhara to the first Tibetan lineage holder, Drokmi Lotsawa, who then taught them to Khön Könchok Gyalpo, the founder of the Sakya tradition, establishing Sakya’s enduring connection to Virupa’s lineage.

Meaning and Symbolism of Virupa

Spiritual Meaning

The name “Virupa” means “ugly one” or “wicked one” — a name he adopted not as self-deprecation but as a declaration of liberation. He had broken free from the prison of conventional appearances, including the standards of beauty, virtue, and propriety valued by ordinary society. His “ugliness” is the freedom of one who no longer seeks validation from others.

Virupa’s life story embodies the transformative power of non-conceptual wisdom. After seventy years of disciplined, rule-bound practice, he had made no progress. But when he threw away his rosary — his last external support — and gave up hope, the goddess appeared. His despair was the necessary condition for his breakthrough. This teaches that genuine realisation often arises when we abandon all conceptual frameworks.

His miracles — stopping the Ganges, halting the sun, splitting a stone lingam — are not mere displays of magical power. Each miracle is a demonstration of the illusory nature of conventional reality. The sun moves, the river flows, and stones are solid only from the perspective of ordinary ignorance. From the realised perspective, all phenomena are empty and malleable. Virupa did not violate the laws of physics; he revealed their ultimate unreality.

Iconography: How to Identify Virupa

Virupa is typically depicted as an Indian mahasiddha — often with a semi‑wrathful, powerful appearance, reflecting his life as a wandering yogi who transcended all conventional norms.

• Color: Dark blue, brown, maroon, or black — representing the indeterminate, sky‑like nature of Mahamudra. In some depictions, he is blue‑black.

• Faces: One face, with a semi‑wrathful, intense expression — wide‑open, bulging eyes, sometimes bared fangs or a curled tongue.

• Arms: Two arms (most common), though some forms show four arms.

• Attributes (varies by form):

  • Right hand is often raised in a threatening gesture (tarjani mudra) — the index finger pointing up, representing his stopping of the sun.

  • Left hand holds a skull cup (kapala) filled with blood or nectar at the heart — representing the transformation of afflictions into wisdom.

  • In other forms, the right hand presses down on the seat (stopping the Ganges) and the left is raised in a threatening gesture-.

• Posture: Seated in royal ease (lalitasana) — right leg extended, left leg folded — or in sattvasana (crossed legs without full lotus), on a lotus and moon disc, sometimes on a deer skin or tiger skin.

• Attire: He wears the six bone ornaments of a mahasiddha (skull crown, garland of fresh heads, bone bracelets, anklets, necklace, and apron). He wears a cotton loincloth or a tiger‑skin skirt. He has a rotund figure, bushy beard, and long wild hair.

• Expression: Intense, with wide‑open, bulging eyes and sometimes a slight smile or bared fangs. Despite the intensity, there is no anger — only the fierce clarity of realisation.

• Halo: Often a simple rainbow nimbus or a multi‑coloured aureole.

The Six Forms of Virupa

According to the Sakya tradition, there are six principal iconographic forms of Virupa, each corresponding to a major event in his life story:

---

Mantra of Virupa

There is no single universally accepted “secret mantra” of Virupa as a yidam deity. However, within the Sakya and Lamdré traditions, Virupa is invoked through lineage supplications and the following heart mantra is sometimes used:

OM AH GURU VIRUPA SIDDHI HUM

• OM — blessing of body, speech, and mind.

• AH — the seed of enlightened speech.

• GURU — the spiritual teacher.

• VIRUPA — his name.

• SIDDHI — accomplishments (mundane and supramundane).

• HUM — the seed of enlightened mind.

Alternative (within the Lamdré lineage prayer): The Sakya tradition has extensive lineage supplications invoking Virupa as the source of the Path and Result teachings. A famous praise verse (from Sakya liturgical tradition) honours his two great miracles:

“Reversing the Ganga and subduing the evil king;
While holding the sun, drinking the liquor of the entire country, without being drunk;
Completely shattering the Linga and subduing the Chandali;
To the renowned Lord of Power, I bow my head.”

Important note: Virupa is a historical mahasiddha and lineage guru, not a secret yidam deity. His mantra and lineage prayers are generally considered open — anyone can recite them with devotion. No empowerment is strictly required, although receiving the oral transmission (lung) from a Sakya lama is traditional and highly recommended.

Benefits of Virupa Practice

• Receives the unbroken Lamdré lineage blessings — connecting to the realisation of Vajra Nairatmya, Virupa, and the entire Sakya transmission.

• Realises the inseparability of samsara and nirvana — the core teaching of the Lamdré path, understood through the Hevajra tantra.

• Transcends attachment to conventional appearances — Virupa’s life and miracles demonstrate the illusory nature of ordinary reality.

• Attains miraculous siddhis (spiritual powers) — Virupa is considered the foremost in magical attainments among the 84 mahasiddhas.

• Overcomes obstacles on the path — his story shows that periods of difficulty and stagnation are often the necessary purification before breakthrough.

• Masters the Hevajra tantra — Virupa received the Lamdré directly from Vajra Nairatmya, the consort of Hevajra.

• Develops the courage to abandon ego‑clinging — his radical renunciation of monastic forms and adoption of the name “Virupa” (“the ugly one”) symbolises complete freedom from social approval.

How to Practice Virupa

Simple Daily Practice (Open to All)

A simple daily practice suitable for everyone (no empowerment required):

1. Preparation: Find a quiet place. Place an image of Virupa at eye level — preferably in his classic “Holding the Sun” form (right hand raised in threatening gesture, left hand holding a skull cup).

2. Refuge and Bodhichitta: “I take refuge in the Three Jewels. For the benefit of all sentient beings, I will practice the path to enlightenment.”

3. Visualisation (front): In the space before you, Virupa sits on a lotus and moon disc. His body is dark blue. His right hand is raised in a threatening gesture (index finger pointing up), and his left hand holds a skull cup at his heart. From his heart, a blue light radiates, entering your own heart and blessing you with the realisation of the inseparability of samsara and nirvana.

4. Mantra recitation: Recite OM AH GURU VIRUPA SIDDHI HUM 21, 108, or more times. Feel that each recitation brings the blessings of Virupa’s direct realisation, dissolving all attachment to conventional appearances.

5. Dissolution: Virupa melts into blue light and dissolves into you. Your body, speech, and mind become inseparable from his miraculous power and realised wisdom.

6. Dedication: “May all beings realise the nature of reality, transcend all conceptual limitations, and quickly attain the state of the mahasiddhas.”

Recitation of the Praise to Virupa

The famous praise to Virupa, composed by Sachen Kunga Nyingpo, is often recited by Sakya practitioners. A short version (the “Praise of Virupa” or birupa la bstod pa lhan skyes spros bral ma) is available in English translation.

Offerings

Traditional offerings to Virupa include:

• Blue or dark offerings: dark blue flowers, black candles, dark incense, blue silk.

• Alcoholic beverages (if appropriate) — representing the tavern scene, which demonstrates his transcendence.

• Skull cup or kapala symbols — small representations of his attribute.

• Water offerings — seven bowls as standard.

• Butter lamps or candles — representing the light of wisdom.

• Incense — especially juniper, sandalwood, or benzoin.

• Food offerings — rice, sweets, fruit.

Do You Need Initiation (Wang) to Practice Virupa?

No. Virupa is a historical mahasiddha and lineage guru, not a secret yidam deity. Anyone can recite his mantra, visualise him in front, and recite the praise to Virupa. No empowerment is required. However, for the full Lamdré practice (including the Hevajra tantra, Vajra Verses, and completion stage instructions), one must receive the appropriate empowerments and pith instructions from a qualified Sakya lama.

Virupa in Tibetan Art

Virupa is a prominent figure in Sakya thangkas, often depicted as a dark‑skinned mahasiddha with a semi‑wrathful expression. The most common iconography shows him with his right hand raised in the threatening gesture (tarjani mudra) — the index finger pointing up — representing his stopping of the sun. His left hand holds a skull cup at his heart. He wears bone ornaments, a tiger‑skin loincloth, and often has a rotund figure and bushy beard.

In Sakya refuge field thangkas and Lamdré lineage paintings, Virupa is seated in the lineage row just below the primordial Buddha Vajradhara and above the Sakya lineage masters (Sachen Kunga Nyingpo, etc.). In some paintings, all six forms of Virupa are depicted together in a single composition, each with a different colour, posture, and attribute.

Statues of Virupa are found in Sakya monasteries and collections worldwide. The inscription on one 15th‑century Tibetan statue translates: “With a body blue in colour, The right hand pressed to the ground, The left upraised in a threatening gesture, Seated in the sattva posture; To the One reversing the Ganga, I bow!”.

A unique artistic motif: Virupa drinking in the tavern — thangkas showing him seated in a tavern, hand raised to the sky, with the sun frozen in place above him. Monks, rulers, and servants surround him in astonishment. This scene symbolises his complete mastery over both conventional reality and the ordinary constraints of time and causality.

FAQ About Virupa

Who was Virupa?

Virupa (7th–8th century CE) was an Indian mahasiddha and the historical founder of the Lamdré (“Path and Result”) teachings, which became the central philosophical system of the Sakya tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. He was a former abbot of Nalanda University who abandoned his monastic robes after a direct vision of the goddess Vajra Nairatmya.

What does “Virupa” mean?

“Virupa” means “ugly one” or “wicked one” — a name he adopted after renouncing his monastic life and embracing the appearance of a wild, wandering yogi, symbolising his complete freedom from conventional appearances and social approval.

What is the Lamdré (“Path and Result”)?

Lamdré (Tib. lam ’bras) is the cycle of teachings transmitted by Virupa, based on the Vajra Verses root text, which expound the path to and the result of perfect enlightenment and the view of the inseparability of samsara and nirvana through a combination of sutra and tantric teachings. It is the central system of tantric practice in the Sakya tradition.

What is the mantra of Virupa?

The mantra is OM AH GURU VIRUPA SIDDHI HUM. More commonly, he is invoked through the Sakya Lamdré lineage supplication prayers.

Can I practice Virupa without empowerment?

Yes. Virupa is a historical mahasiddha and lineage guru, not a secret yidam. Anyone can recite his mantra, visualise him in front, and recite the praise to Virupa. No empowerment is required. For the full Lamdré practices (including Hevajra tantra), empowerment is necessary.

What are the miracles of Virupa?

His two most famous miracles are: (1) stopping the sun in the sky for nearly three days so a tavern would have to stay open; and (2) reversing the flow of the Ganges River so he could cross without touching the water. These miracles demonstrate the illusory nature of conventional reality and his complete transcendence of ordinary limitations.

Conclusion: Virupa — The Ugly Yogi Who Stopped the Sun

Virupa did not find enlightenment by following rules. He found it by throwing them away. After seventy years of diligent practice, he threw his mala into a latrine — and in that act of surrender, the goddess appeared. His life is the ultimate teaching that genuine realisation cannot be manufactured by following external forms. It arises when we finally let go of hope and fear, convention and reputation, and step naked into the nature of mind.

His miracles are not tricks to impress followers but signposts pointing to the nature of reality. The sun is not fixed; the river is not solid; time is not absolute. When the mind realises its own empty, luminous nature, all phenomena become as malleable as clay. Virupa’s legacy is the living Lamdré lineage — a direct transmission from a wrathful, dancing goddess to a heartbroken monk, flowing down through Indian mahasiddhas and Sakya masters to practitioners today. If you are drawn to his uncompromising path, recite his mantra, contemplate his miracles, and seek out the Lamdré teachings from a qualified Sakya lama. May all beings, like the ugly yogi, break free from the prison of appearances and realise the inseparability of samsara and nirvana.