17th century, (Nepal?), dakini, bronze, item 60-1387 at the National Museum in New Delhi (India).

Four-arm dakinis are usually retinue figures in a mandala. The above holds a drum and possibly a mace in her upper hands, and probably a flaying knife and a skull cup in the lower ones. She is naked and adorned with bone jewellery, a garland of severed heads, and a skull crown.

13th-14th century, Nepal, protector goddess, gilt and polychrome wood, private collection, photo on Bonhams

This angry female with the body of a yaksha has three heads, each with three eyes, and six arms. She sits on a victim and has a snake in her main mouth. Her left hands hold a bowl or pot, a head, a lasso; the right hands hold a sword, a hook (elephant goad) and an indeterminate implement. This combination doesn’t match any standard description of either Mahamayuri, Mahasitavati, or Maha Sahasrapramardini, who may have one head and six arms. However, the five pancha raksha deities, who embody five ancient Buddhist texts of the same name, are depicted in numerous ways – as explained by Edward Wilkinson on the above link.

13th century, Nepal, Pancha Raksha goddess, gilt and lacquered polychrome wood, private collection, Images of Devotion 2016, lot 118, Hong Kong, Bonhams.

A one-head and eight-arm deity holding a sword, a wheel, an arrow, and a vajra sceptre in her right hands, a sling, a conch shell, a bow, and a bell in the others. Among the pancha raksha deities, a 4-head and 8-hand form of Pratisara holds the same attributes except for the shell (she has a fly whisk instead).

15th-16th century, Nepal, labelled ‘Vajra Varahani’, wood with pigment, private collection, photo on De Baecque .

Made in the Kathmandu Valley, this rare and well-preserved wooden sculpture depicts Vajrayogini in her Vajravarahi aspect, i.e. with the head of a sow protruding from her right temple. She stands in a dancing pose, crushing Kalaratri  – the embodiment of ignorance – with her left foot, adorned with a garland of severed heads, a celestial scarf with split ends, one flowing upwards and one flowing downwards, bone jewellery, and a belt with raining-jewels pendants. She holds a skull cup before her heart. Her flaying knife and ritual staff are missing.

15th century, Nepal, Vajravarahi, gilt bronze, private collection, auction 2544 lot 53, Christie’s (Amsterdam)

17th century, Nepal, Vajravarahi, wood with traces of polychromy, private collection, photo on De Baecque

18th century, Nepal, Nairatmya/Vajravarahi, bronze, photo on VMIS , at the Bangiya Sahitya Parishad Museum (India).

Standing on a corpse with her left foot, this female figure with three eyes brandishes a flaying knife in her right hand and holds a skull cup in the other. A ritual staff may be missing from the crook of her left arm. She wears a garland of skulls, a skull crown, bone jewellery, a bone apron, and a scarf. Vajravarahi would have the head of a sow protruding from hers. Nairatmya normally has a half-vajra finial on her head.