Chho Pema or Revalsar

Introduction
Chho Pema or Rewalsar Lake, In Tibetan/Sherpa known as Cho Pema (Chho-Lake, Pema-lotus flower), is a mid-altitude lake located in the hills of Mandi district in Himachal Pradesh, India. Located 22.5 km south-west of Mandi city, the lake is about 1,360 meters (4,460 ft) above sea level. Rewalsar Lake is a sacred site for Buddhists, Hindus and Sikhs; for Tibetan Buddhists, it is a holy site for the Vajrayana practice of Padmasambhava and Mandarao, who is credited with the creation of the lake. The Padmasambhava statue, Mandarva temple and Buddhist Viharas are located around the premises of Rewalsar Lake.

Legend of Guru Padmasambhava and Princess Mandarava of Mandi (Jahore)
When a hypocrite-minded cowherd saw the Guru Padmasambhava and the Mandarava, the daughter of a local Rewalsar king, practising religion, he said, “I saw the princess engaging in unpleasant behaviour with a jogi,” and this news reached the King. After that, King Viharadhara got angry and feared that his daughter’s religious stance would contaminate the royal blood and a royal apostasy. Because of this, Mandarava’s father tried to purify his royal blood by burying Mandarava, laying thorns at the bottom and on top into a deep pit and burning Padmasambhava in a pyre. Three days later, when the minister went to inspect, instead of finding their dead bodies, he was surprised to see that the pyre had turned into the Rewalsar Lake and that Padmasambhava was seated unharmed on the lotus flower that had bloomed in it. Inspecting the pit, he was surprised to see the unharmed Mandarva sitting on the lotus flower. In the process, Mandarava and Padmasambhava acquire the secret names of Vajravarhi and Hayagriva, respectively.

By being informed of such a scene, everyone, including King Vihardhara, was shocked to see such a scene. When the King realized he had to purify his sins, he removed his clothes and offered them to the Guru. Both Guru Padmasambhava and Mandarava were put on the Royal chariot, and the King himself pulled the chariot, saying, “I am a great sinner. Forgive me”. Crying and pulling the chariot, the King welcomed Mandarava and Padmasambhava to his royal court and begged for forgiveness, and Mandarava’s father blessed their sacred relationship.

Colossal statue of Guru Padmasambhava
On April 1, 2012, a little above Rewalsar Lake, the 37.5 m (123 ft) Guru Padmasambhava statue was consecrated, blessed and inaugurated by the 14th Dalai Lama. The construction project was completed under the supervision of Wangdor Rinpoche. Funds were arranged for this through grants. It took about 10 years to complete this work, including the 3 years for the foundation work. Almost all the merchants of the Rewalsar region participated in the statue’s construction. The statue of Padmasambhava was made by leading artists from Nepal and Bhutan by hand. However, it is mainly made of cement, iron and stone.

Other Information

Mandarava
Mandarava (mean Coral tree in Nepali & Indian), Tibetan Wylie was along with Yeshe Tsogyal, one of the five principal consorts of great 8th-century Indian Vajrayana teacher Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche), a founder-figure of Tibetan Buddhism. Mandarava is considered to be a female guru-deity in Tantric Buddhism or Vajrayana.

Her biographer Samten Lingpa said she was born a princess in Zahor, Bengal, in eastern India. She renounced her royal birthright at an early age to practice the Dharma. Mandarava is known for being highly educated at a very young age, a rare accomplishment for a woman then. She was Yeshe Tsogyal’s primary student. Mandarava’s devotion led her to bring at least 800 women, including her entire personal retinue, to the path of the Dharma, all before meeting her teacher, Padmasambhava.

Mandarava is said to have attained full enlightenment in the company of Padmasambhava in the Maratika Cave in Nepal. She is considered to have been a fully realized spiritual adept, yogini, and spiritual teacher.

Mandarava was born to Vihardhara, the King of Zahor, and his wife, Queen Mohauki (also known as Wangmo Ogema. Her birth was said to be accompanied by miraculous signs, and her renunciation and spiritual inclination were apparent at an early age.

Like many other accomplished yoginis, Mandarava was pressured to accept an arranged marriage instead of practising Dharma. However, Padmasambhava recognized her immediately as being ready for the Dharma in the secret Dzogchen. As Mandarava was very beautiful and of high birth, news of her eligibility spread throughout India and China. As a result, many kings from these areas vied to marry her. Mandarava preferred to pursue her spiritual calling rather than marry. Her father would not hear of this and had Mandarava imprisoned in the palace dungeon.

During this time, in two different episodes, Mandarava led at least 800 women, including her entire retinue, to the path of the Dharma. In the first incident, Mandarava taught a group of 300 noble women. Based on these teachings, this group of women took the Bodhisattva vows, began severe meditation practice, and built a temple where they could practice together. On another occasion, Mandarava interceded to end a war and then offered teachings to a group of 500 women who would have been affected by the war. They, too, took up severe spiritual practice due to Mandarava’s dharma teachings.

At this point, recognizing her seriousness, Mandarava’s father sends all suitors away, and Mandarava takes both ordination and bodhisattva vows. To protect his daughter, Mandarava’s father then ordered all 500 women in her retinue to also undertake ordination. A new palace was built for Mandarava and her ordained retinue, not far from her parents’ palace.

Meeting Padmasambhava
Mandarava’s father feared the contamination of the royal bloodline and what he perceived as Mandarava’s apostasy. Thus, her father endeavoured to have Mandarava and Padmasambhava purified by immolation through the flames of a pyre. Instead of finding their corpses incensed and charred, Vihardhara finds that the fire of the pyre has been transformed into Lake Rewalsar near Mandi (Zahor) in Himachal Pradesh, India, out of which arises a blooming lotus supporting the unharmed Mandarava and Padmasambhava. In this process, they achieve their secret names of Vajravarahi and Hayagriva, respectively. It is then that Mandarava’s father blesses their relationship.

Spiritual practice
Mandarava realized her calling to spread the Dharma with Padmasambhava, fulfilling her birth prediction that she was a Dakini. Thus, at 16 years of age, Mandarava became the first of Padmasambhava’s five historical spiritual consorts, and together they practised at Maratika (known as Haleshi in Tibetan/Sherpa), Maratika means the Cave of Bringing Death to an End. Maratika Cave, and later Maratika Monastery, is located in the Khotang District of Nepal. Mandarava and Padmasambhava achieved the unified vajra body on the Vidyadhara level of mastery. They realized some of the practices of long life or longevity that were concealed in the Maratika Cave as terma by ‘Dakini Sangwa Yeshe’. The terma constituted the teachings of Buddha Amitabha, and they were elementally encoded as terma at the behest of Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara. Later, while Padmasambhava continued to spread the teachings throughout the Himalayan region, Mandarava remained in India.

Mandarava is said to have manifested her sambhogakaya form at the great Dharma Wheel of Tramdruk, where she engaged in a dialogue of mantra and mudra with Padmasambhava. Extensive details of this are rendered in the Padma Kathang.

In addition, there is evidence that alongside Padmasambhava, Mandarava practised the Hayagriva Mechar sadhana cycle, which now comprises part of the Great Play of the Quintessential Lotus and the Treasury of One Thousand Essential Instructions of Tantra on the Union of Hayagriva and Vajravarahi. Later, during a meeting between Mandarava and Yeshe Tsogyal, Mandarava taught Yeshe Tsogyal the “thirteen pith instructions on Hayagriva”.

Through practice and diligence, Mandarava realized a degree of spiritual mastery equal to that of Padmasambhava, evidenced in her honorific name, Machig Drupa Gyalmo (ma gcig grub pa’i rgyal mo), “Singular Queen Mother of Attainment”.

5 principal female spiritual companions of Padmasambhava

Mandarava was first female spiritual companions of Padmasambhava and is revered as a female guru-deity in Tantric Buddhism. She renounced her royal birthright at an early age to practice the Dharma and was highly educated at a very young age. Mandarava’s devotion led her to bring at least 800 women to the path of the Dharma, all before meeting her teacher, Padmasambhava. She is a fully realized spiritual adept, yogini, and teacher.

Yeshe Tsogyal was secojnd female spiritual companions of Padmasambhava and is also known as the Mother of Tibetan Buddhism. She was a Tibetan princess who became a student of Padmasambhava and is credited with helping to establish Buddhism in Tibet. She was also a prolific author and is said to have concealed many spiritual teachings as terma, to be revealed later when the world was ready to receive them.

Tashi Khyidren was third female spiritual companions of Padmasambhava and was considered to be a master of the Dharma. She was renowned for her wisdom, compassion, and ability to heal others. Tashi Khyidren is also credited with revealing many terma teachings, which have since become an important part of Tibetan Buddhist practice.

Kalasiddhi was fourth female spiritual companions Padmasambhava and was known for her mastery of the innermost practices of the Dharma. She is said to have achieved the rainbow body, a rare spiritual attainment in which the physical body dissolves into light at the time of Death. Kalasiddhi is also credited with having revealed many terma teachings, including the practice of Dakini Yoga.

Vajrasadvi was fifth female spiritual companions of Padmasambhava and was known for her insight into the nature of the mind. She was a master of the Dharma and was renowned for her ability to guide others on the path to enlightenment. Vajrasadvi is also credited with having revealed many terma teachings, including the practice of the Sadhana of the Secret Essence.