Mahāyāna Dhṛtarāṣṭra (Sanskrit; Pali: Dhataraṭṭha) is a major deity in Buddhism and one of the Four Heavenly Kings.
The name Dhṛtarāṣṭra is a Sanskrit compound of the words dhṛta (possessing; bearing) and rāṣṭra (kingdom; territory).
Most East Asian depictions of Dhṛtarāṣṭra show him playing a lute, but the presence of this motif varies.
In Chinese Buddhist iconography, he holds a pipa in his hands, indicating his desire to use music to convert sentient beings to Buddhism.
[4] Although an entirely separate figure, Buddhist literature features a Nāga King also named Dhṛtarāṣṭra.