The Guardian King Bishamonten
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Bishamonten (Sanskrit: Vaishravana), the Guardian King of the North, is one of the four protectors of the cardinal directions, who, together with eight other fearsome kings, comprise the Twelve Devas (Jūniten) of Esoteric Buddhism. Eight of them protect the eight directions, and the remaining four symbolize heaven, earth, the sun, and the moon. Bishamonten is considered the most powerful of the Guardian Kings, as his direction—North—is associated with danger.
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