Earlier I posted about the statues of the first First Sixteen Incarnations of Javzandamba on display in the Larivan Temple at Erdene Zuu, in Kharkhorin, Övörkhangai Aimag. The sixteenth incarnation was of course Taranatha, who was born in Tibet and died in Mongolia.
16. Жонан Дарната
Jonan Darnata (Taranatha) statue at Erdene Zuu
Tibetan thangka of Taranatha
This spectacular late nineteenth century thangka of Yamantaka (it measures over seven feet in length) was just recently unearthed in the archives of the Bogd Khaan Winter Palace Museum, a vast repository of materials many of which have never been put on public display before or even catalogued. The first twenty-four incarnations of Javzandamba are depicted at the top of the thangka.
Taranatha on the Yamantaka thangka above
The next nine incarnations (17 through 25) served as the Bogd Gegeens of Mongolia. The first was of course Zanabazar.
17. 1 Богд Занабазар (1635-1723)
Zanabazar (Enlargement)
Statue of Zanabazar in the Bogd Khan Winter Palace Museum
18. II Богд Лувсандамбийдонмэ (1624-1557)
Luvsandambiidonme
19. lll Богд Ишдамбийням (1758-1773)
Ishdambiinyam
20. IV Богд Лувсантүвдэнванчуг (1775-1813)
Luvsantüvdenvanchug
21. V Богд Лувсанчүлтэм Жигмэддамбийжанцан (1815-1841)
Luvsanchültem Jigmeddambiijantsan
22. Vl Богд Лувсанбалдандамбийжанцан (1643-1648)
Luvsanbaldandambiijantsan
23. VII Богд Агваанчойживанчүгпринлайжамц (1849-1868)
Agvaanchoijivanchülgprinlaijamts
24. VIIl Богд Агваанлувсанчойжинямданзанванчүг (1869-1924)
Eighth Bogd Gegeen Agvaanluvsanchoijinyamdanzanvanchüg
25. IX Богд Жамбалнамдолчойжижанцан (1932 – )
Jambalnamdolchoijijantsan
The Ninth Bogd Gegeen lives in Ulaanbaatar but reportedly is in very bad health. Speculation has already begun on where the 10th Bogd Gegeen will be born.
