# Green Jambhala (Dzambhala Janggu)

Canonical URL: https://mandalaatlas.org/deities/green-jambhala/

Language: en | Published: 2026-10-27 | Modified: 2026-10-27

Tibetan: ཛམ་བྷ་ལ་ལྗང་གུ | Wylie: dzam bha la ljang gu | Sanskrit: Śyāma Jambhala | Devanagari: श्याम जम्भल

Karma-Family Sovereign of Swift Accomplishment & Unobstructed Virtuous Action

Manifesting in the emerald-green radiance of the Northern Karma (Enlightened Action) Family of Amoghasiddhi and Green Tārā, Green Jambhala clears stagnation, procrastination, and jealous obstruction so ethical undertakings reach swift completion.

- Tibetan (Wylie): ཛམ་བྷ་ལ་ལྗང་གུ། (dzam bha la ljang gu)

- Buddha Family: Karma (Enlightened Action) Family of Amoghasiddhi (North Gate)

- Lineage Streams: Atiśa Kadampa Five-Jambhala Cycle & Nyingma Terma Treasures

- Right & Left Hands: Victory banner / wish-granting fruit (right); jewel-spitting mongoose (left)

- Canonical Source: Rinchen Terdzö & Tengyur Five-Jambhala Liturgical Cycle

## Recognition

The ONLY emerald-green Jambhala—seated in royal ease holding a victory banner or jewel-fruit in his right hand and a jewel-spitting mongoose in his left.

Seated in royal ease on a lotus-moon disc; right hand holds jewel fruit or victory banner, left holds mongoose

## Why the Northern Karma Family Governs Swift Execution

Section URL: https://mandalaatlas.org/deities/green-jambhala/#sec-1

In Tibetan Buddhist psychology, the root mental poison blocking the Northern Karma Family is envy and competitive comparison (*īrṣyā* / *phrag-dog*), which paralyzes constructive action. When transmuted into Amoghasiddhi’s All-Accomplishing Wisdom (*bya-ba grub-pa’i ye-shes*), that energy shines as emerald-green wind—the same swift compassionate momentum embodied by Green Tārā.

Green Jambhala applies this All-Accomplishing Wisdom directly to livelihood and service: helping practitioners overcome chronic hesitation, bureaucratic or external bottlenecks, and the envy of competitors while maintaining pure ethical vows.

## Visual Identification in Five-Jambhala Thangkas

Section URL: https://mandalaatlas.org/deities/green-jambhala/#sec-2

In classical Five-Jambhala paintings (such as Nationaal Museum van Wereldculturen `TM-4655-1`), Green Jambhala is immediately identifiable by his deep malachite-green skin, peaceful-yet-stern yakṣa crown, right foot resting upon a white conch shell over a lotus petal, and the jewel-disgorging mongoose held at his left hip.

## Living tradition and practice context

Recited alongside Green Tārā praises by practitioners launching new community initiatives, travels, or studios, pairing diligence with generosity.

## Common questions

### How do you tell Green Jambhala apart from Green Tārā at a glance?

Green Tārā is a slender peaceful female bodhisattva holding a blue utpala lotus stem at her heart; Green Jambhala is a stout bearded male yakṣa king holding a citron/banner and squeezing a jewel-spitting mongoose.

## Sources

- [Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Thayé, Rinchen Terdzö (Treasury of Precious Termas) — Five Jambhalas Section](https://www.lotsawahouse.org)

- [Nationaal Museum van Wereldculturen: Five Jambhalas Thangka (TM-4655-1)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:COLLECTIE_TROPENMUSEUM_Thangka_voorstellende_Rode_Jambhala_(midden)_en_andere_vormen_van_Jambhala_TMnr_4655-1.jpg)

## Museum artwork

Green Jambhala (Karma Family Sovereign of Swift Accomplishment) in Five-Jambhala Mandala — Nationaal Museum van Wereldculturen (TM-4655-1)

18th–19th century · Tibet | Mineral pigments and gold on cotton cloth

Image: https://mandalaatlas.org/plates/variant-jambhala-green.webp

Museum record: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:COLLECTIE_TROPENMUSEUM_Thangka_voorstellende_Rode_Jambhala_(midden)_en_andere_vormen_van_Jambhala_TMnr_4655-1.jpg#green-jambhala

Artwork rights: Public Domain (https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/)

## Related entries

- [Yellow Jambhala (Dzambhala Serpo)](https://mandalaatlas.org/deities/jambhala/)

- [Green Tārā (Sgrol-ljang)](https://mandalaatlas.org/deities/green-tara/)

- [White Dragon-Riding Jambhala (Dzambhala Karpo)](https://mandalaatlas.org/deities/white-jambhala/)

- [Red Jambhala (Dzambhala Marpo)](https://mandalaatlas.org/deities/red-jambhala/)

- [Black Jambhala (Dzambhala Nagpo · Kubera)](https://mandalaatlas.org/deities/black-jambhala/)