Pañcarakṣāsūtra

The Pañcarakṣāsūtra is five female protectors (Rakṣā) of Vajrayāna Buddhism. It is a compendium of five distinct sutras, each dedicated to a specific female deity. Each deity personifies a powerful spell (dhāraṇī) capable of warding off specific worldly evils, diseases, natural disasters, and spiritual dangers. The five godeess are 1) Āryamahāpratisarā- Protects against physical sin; 2) Āryamahāsāhasrapramardanī - Protects against epidemics; 3) Āryamahāmāyūrīvidyārājñī - protects from poisons; 4) Āryamahāmantrānusāriṇī - Protects against diseases; 5) Āryamahārakṣāmahāśītavatīnāmavidyārājñī - Protects against hostile planets. The manuscript is good readable, it has an illustration of (f.1) Pañcarakṣādhāriṇī, who has 8 armed hands and holding her position on a tiger. The manuscript paper is a red coloured may be it is for the sacred text.