Four Heavenly Kings
The Four Heavenly Kings are four Buddhist gods or devas, each of whom is believed to watch over one cardinal direction of the world.
(Тийн сонсогч) Tiin sonsogch/tein sonosuɣči (Үлэмж биет) Ülemzh biyet/Ülemji beyetü (Орон орчиниг сахигч) Oron orchinig saxigch/Oron orčin-i sakiɣči (Эгнэгт үзэгч) Egnegt üzegch/Egenegte üjegči Namsrai Pagzhiibuu Yolxorsüren Zhamiisan All four Kings serve Śakra, the lord of the devas of Trāyastriṃśa.
On the 8th, 14th and 15th days of each lunar month, the Kings either send out emissaries or go themselves to inspect the state of virtue and morality in the world of men.
On the orders of Śakra, the Kings and their retinues stand guard to protect Trāyastriṃśa from another attack by the Asuras, which once threatened to destroy the realm of the devas.
The attributes borne by each King also link them to their followers; for instance, the nāgas, magical creatures who can change form between human and serpent, are led by Virūpākṣa, represented by a snake; the gandharvas are celestial musicians, led by Dhṛtarāṣṭra, represented with a lute.
