Derge Kangyur/Tengyur e-text, Esukhia/Barom edition — public domain (mechanical reproduction)
This ritual text provides a prescriptive procedure for the offering of torma cakes within the Hevajra tantric tradition. The work functions as a manual for the mantra practitioner, detailing the necessary sequence of visualizations, mudrās, and mantras required to appease and mobilize spiritual entities. The text is structured around the propitiation of the twenty-four bhūtas and eight classes of attendants, positioning these offerings as a means to secure mundane and supramundane accomplishments, such as the accumulation of wealth, the avoidance of untimely death, and the removal of karmic debts. Notably, the ritual commits the practitioner to a dual-purpose engagement with these entities: first, as a peaceful offering to ensure support, and second, as a command for these forces to aggressively attack and consume the flesh and blood of adversaries. By integrating these elements, the text outlines a system of spiritual exchange where material offerings are traded for protective and offensive supernatural interventions.
Provenance
About this text
A ritual manual for the offering of torma cakes within the Hevajra tradition, the Śrīhevajrabalividhi (Tibetan: dpal kye rdo rje'i gtor ma'i cho ga) serves as a prescriptive guide for the mantra practitioner. This classical Tibetan work is preserved in the Tengyur, volume ཏ, where it comprises six pages and is situated within the Non-dual Tantra collection. The ritual enacts the propitiation of twenty-four bhūtas, including the eight great gods and their retinues, the eight great nāgas, and the eight guardians of the directions. By performing these offerings during the maṇḍala, the homa, or recitation, the practitioner seeks to avert untimely death, resolve karmic debts, and increase wealth and renown. A scholar or serious reader consults this text to understand the specific procedures required to secure both mundane and supramundane accomplishments, as well as the means to subdue adversaries through the mobilization of these spiritual entities.
Cite thisAnuvāda, “A Ritual for Torma Cakes for the Glorious Hevajra” (Toh 1287), machine draft, 2026.https://naxiai.com/tibetan/works/toh1287
Summary & commentary
Significance
The text is significant for illustrating the intersection of ritual offering and wrathful activity in the Hevajra tradition. It demonstrates how tantric practice employs both propitiatory and coercive methods to manage external obstructions and achieve specific worldly goals.
Structure
Passages
Section
Description
1
Introduction and Invocation
Provides the title in Sanskrit and Tibetan and offers homage to Vajrasattva and Heruka.
2-3
Purpose and Beneficiaries
Identifies the twenty-four bhūtas as the recipients of the torma and lists the mundane and spiritual benefits of the practice.
4-5
Ritual Procedure
Details the use of the Heruka mudrā, specific mantras for visualization, and the presentation of the five offerings.
6
Wrathful Command
Instructs the entities to inflict harm upon enemies and consume them as food.
7
Conclusion
Formal closing of the ritual.
Themes
Propitiation of Spiritual Entities (2, 4, 5)
Mundane Accomplishments (Siddhi) (3)
Wrathful Action and Subjugation (3, 6)
Ritual Technology (Mantra and Mudrā) (4, 5)
Summary, significance and provenance note generated by gemma4:31b from the translation and the catalogue record.
AnuvādaA Ritual for Torma Cakes for the Glorious Hevajra·
In the language of India: Śrīhevajravalividhināma. In the language of Tibet: dPal kye rdo rje’i gtor ma’i cho ga zhes bya ba (The Ritual of the Torma Offering of Glorious Hevajra). Homage to the glorious Vajrasattva.
Homage to Heruka, the sovereign of body, speech, and mind, who arises perfectly from the two syllables and is the embodiment of wisdom and method.
Then, for the sake of benefiting and subduing [obstacles] during the times of the maṇḍala, fire offering (homa), ritual offerings, and the stage of accomplishment of the glorious Hevajra, this [text] was composed by the yogi. In that regard, what is the purpose of the torma? As it appears in the source text:
"To pacify obstructing spirits (vighna), to arrange the deities, and to restore impaired commitments (samaya)—one should perform the torma activity as much as possible."
Furthermore, from the Tantra:
"If the yogi properly performs offerings to all elemental spirits (bhūta) with these tormas, at all times they will find gain and happiness; the deities will be pleased and beings will become prosperous. If one gives a torma to the assembly of elemental spirits, it subdues the hosts of enemies through power and wrathful activity; it performs the acts of pleasing, killing, and silencing, and brings about peace, happiness, and increase."
Moreover, some masters have said:
"For all those who desire the supreme accomplishments of the mundane and supramundane, the glorious Perfect Buddha highly praised the activity of the torma." Thus, this activity of the torma is of immense benefit.
In that regard, first the mantra practitioner must offer torma to the twenty-four bhūtas. As it is said:
"To the eight great gods with their retinues,
The eight great nāgas and the eight guardians of the directions,
And to the eight who belong to their circles—
Whether continuously, or monthly,
Or likewise throughout the course of a year,
During the maṇḍala, the homa, and the recitation,
And likewise when harm occurs,
One should diligently offer torma
In whatever way is appropriate and fitting,
In accordance with what one has acquired."
Furthermore, what are the substances for the torma? It is said:
"Flowers, incense, lamps, and ointments,
Medicines, perfumes, and divine food,
Wine-blended grains, various liquors, and so forth,
Ulopi, la-du, and cakes,
Warm dough and the sixty-fold preparation,
Mixed with flour and the like,
Along with cooked rice, rice flour, the seven grains,
Blood, meat, fish, and so on—
Whether cooked, raw, or dried—
Likewise, having mixed these with the five nectars (amṛta),
Fill a vessel with all of them
And place it upon a vase filled with water.
Place cakes or poor food atop the lamps,
And offer them during the night."
Accordingly, for the peaceful torma, one should mix curd, molasses, milk porridge, and so forth. For the wrathful, one should place an image of the target upon it. In that regard, O sons of good family, for those who desire long life, few illnesses, and the pacification of harm—
Those wise ones who desire to increase their glory and renown, who wish to be freed from karmic debts, who wish to avert untimely death, who wish to increase their wealth and resources, who wish to subdue adversaries, and who wish to attain the accomplishments (siddhi) of both the mundane and the supramundane, should apply themselves to the ritual of the torma offering.
In that regard, one should clearly meditate on oneself as the Great Seal (mahāmudrā) of the deity. First, in the sky-like expanse, from yaṃ arises a wind maṇḍala marked with yaṃ; from raṃ arises a fire maṇḍala marked with raṃ. From that, the syllable a; and from a, within a skull cup, the five hooks and the five seed syllables arise as the five nectars (amṛta). From hūṃ arises a vajra, and from a a moon; upon that, with oṃ, the nectar is purified into wisdom nectar; with āḥ, its brilliance is increased; and with hūṃ, the wisdom nectar and the commitment (samaya) nectar are made non-dual.
Then, having blessed the torma, recite this:
"By the power of my merit,
And likewise by the blessings of the Tathāgatas,
By the might of secret mantras and vidyā-mantras,
And by the power of the dharmadhātu,
Desiring to benefit all sentient beings,
May all my perfectly intended purposes
Arise without exception for the entire realm of beings,
In whatever way is appropriate,
From the very beginning."
Oṃ akāro mukhaṃ sarvadharmāṇām ādyanutpannatvāt oṃ āḥ hūṃ phaṭ svāhā.
Recite this three or seven times. Having thus blessed it, in order to invite the guests of the torma offering:
Binding the Father and Mother with the Heruka mudrā, recite this mantra: OṂ ARALLI HOḤ JAḤ HŪṂ BAṂ HOḤ VAJRA ḌĀKINĪ SAMAYA STVAṂ DṚŚYA HOḤ OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ. Recite this three times and visualize the twenty-four bhūtas and the rest of the eight classes of attendants before you. Present the five offerings as well:
To the eight great gods and their retinues,
To the eight great nāgas and their retinues,
To the eight guardians of the world,
To the entire host of yakṣas without exception,
To the entire host of rākṣasas without exception,
To the entire host of bhūtas without exception,
To the entire host of pretas without exception,
To the entire host of piśācas without exception,
To the entire host of apasmāras without exception,
To the entire host of vighnas without exception,
To the entire host of ḍākinīs without exception,
And to all such hosts of bhūtas,
As many as exist without exception:
Come here and please attend to me!
Accept this offering torma,
And for me, who am called [name],
Grant health, longevity, and sovereignty,
Glory, fame, and good fortune,
And may I obtain all vast enjoyments.
Bestow upon me the accomplishments of activities,
Such as pacifying, enriching, and so forth.
You who possess the samaya, protect me!
Act as my companions in all accomplishments.
Pacify untimely death, diseases,
Grahas, and vighnas.
Eliminate bad dreams, evil omens,
And all negative actions and deeds.
May the world be peaceful, may harvests be bountiful,
May crops increase and flourish.
May all well-being be accomplished, and...
May all the desires of the mind be fulfilled! Then, opening the lotus-like hands upward and directing them toward the torma, dedicate it with this mantra:
OṂ INDA JAMA JALA JAKKA BHŪTA VAHNI VĀYU RAKKA CANDRA SUJJHA MĀDA PAPPHA TALAPĀTĀLE AṬṬA SAPPHA SVĀHĀ. DGRA BGEGS MĀRAYA PHAṬ. IDAṂ BALIṂ BHUÑJA JIGHA PHULLA DHŪPPA MĀṂSA PIṄGA AMBHA SAPPHA KAJJA SĀDA KHANTI KHUṆI PHEḌA GĀDA. OṂ AKĀRO MUKHAṂ SARVA DHARMĀṆĀṂ ĀDYA-ANUTPANNA-TVĀT OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ PHAṬ SVĀHĀ. Recite this.
Offer praise to the five families, recite the hundred-syllable mantra, engage in the activities, and make aspiration prayers. This is the torma for bestowing benefit.
Any mantra practitioner who performs the activity of subduing enemies, obstructors, and so forth, should place the aforementioned torma substances in front. Visualize the form (rūpa) of whichever enemy or obstructor is present within the torma, invite the twenty-four bhūtas and the rest, and offer the torma. As for engaging in the activity:
"O eight great gods," and so forth, up to: "All the hosts of ḍākinīs without exception, and the hosts of yakṣas and so forth, come, you fierce and wrathful bhūtas! Upon these wicked sentient beings, you fierce and merciless ones, the yoginīs, the mātṛs, the ḍākinīs, yakṣas, piśācas, uragas, and rākṣasas, and furthermore, those who eat flesh and blood, the dogs, hawks, kaṅkas, falcons, vultures, and so forth—all you who possess form, come here! Upon me, who am called [name], the enemies and obstructors who cause harm..."
"Seize their wives, wealth, and lives, and inflict all manner of harm! Expel them from their own lands, terrify them, and drive them away! My forces are powerless, while the enemy obstructors are full of strength; therefore, for your own consumption, make their flesh, blood, fat, and marrow into food and drink! Devour the harm-doers and steal their vital radiance! Take whatever you desire according to your own yoga and make it your food! Accept it all so that you are fully satisfied! Render me invulnerable and utterly destroy all enemies and obstructors! Having bestowed upon me the vast accomplishment of enlightened activity, return to your own abodes and realms! Accept this offering of whatever resources I can provide and ensure that the fruits of my actions are realized!"
Kneeling with the knees on the ground and palms joined, one should pray: "O Consort, along with your sons and retinue, please listen and come here! Grant me your grace and protection!" Then, recite the torma mantra. Next, gather the flesh, blood, heart, and so forth of the enemies and obstructors, together with the food of the torma, into one. Visualize that countless yakṣas and others with hideous forms are eating and drinking it, and then dispatch the torma. At the time of dispatching it, play musical instruments, ring bells, and beat small drums. Then, enter inside and perform the recitation of whatever you desire. At the time of dispatching the torma, perform whatever exhortations, curses, and cries you wish, and dispatch the torma while uttering "māraya."