Spiritual forces in Ulaan Baatar
The spiritual forces in the city of Ulaan Baatar have several things in common:
1. They were all shamanist deities;
2. They were all designated as defenders of shamanism, to defend the faith from the four directions;
3. They all warred against Buddhism, and were defeated or surrendered. They were converted to Buddhism by the 3rd Dalai Lama in the 16th century;
4. They have been appointed by Buddhism to defend the city against other religions (especially Christianity)
There are five main deities appointed over the city of Ulaan Baatar, to defend the city against other faiths. It seems that these are the principal deities which are appointed to war against Christianity. The principal deity is the Defender of Mongolia, and the others are appointed to the four holy mountains surrounding the city, to defend it from each direction.
1. Begtse, Jamsaran
Begtse is the defender of Mongolia. In Tibet, he is worshipped as one of the Guardians of the Law, and the God of War. When the 3rd Dalai Lama went to Mongolia, Begtse opposed him with demons in the form of animals. The Dalai Lama defeated him, and Begtse was forced to convert to Buddhism, and subsequently became the personal protector of the Dalai Lama.
Begtse typically stands in the pose of an archer, wears chain mail, and carries a sword with the handle of a scorpion’s tail in his right hand. In his left, he carries the heart or heart and kidneys of the enemies of the faith. He also carries a banner, a bow and an arrow. He stands with one foot on a human corpse, and one on the corpse of a horse. He wears a crown with five skulls or freshly severed heads, which is the crown worn by all eight defenders of the faith. He is usually accompanied by his sister, Rikpay Lhamo, who rides naked on a bear and bears a copper sword against the enemies of the faith, and the red Master of Life. Many pictures of Begtse depict parts of human bodies which are being sacrificed to Begtse – those bodies belong to the enemies of the faith being punished. Begtse is usually surrounded by eight acolytes, who are called butchers. They wield swords, and devour the flesh, blood and life-breath of enemies.
It seems that Begtse is therefore responsible for much of the sickness in Mongolia, especially affecting the heart and the kidneys (heart and kidney disease are extremely common illnesses in Mongolia). He also injects poison into the hearts of his enemies (scorpion tail shaped sword). Many demons are subject to him, and operate in the same way that he does. Incest, immorality and adultery are endemic in Mongolia, and the presence of Begtse’s naked sister possibly indicates his influence in this area. These are his principal tools in defending the faith.
2. Garuda, Khandgardi of Bogd Uul
Garuda is appointed to rule over the city of Ulaan Baatar, and to defend it from the South, at Bogd Uul. He is an ancient Hindu sun symbol, half vulture and half man. He feeds on snakes. He bears similarity to the Himalayan khyung bird, which has four bull horns, to protect against enemies from four directions. He was also similar to the Shaman deity of Bogd Uul, and so it was easy to integrate him into the Buddhist culture of Mongolia. The modern Khandgardi has two bull horns, carries a snake which he will devour and also carries the keys to the city. He is the head of the four mountain spirits. As he holds a key in his claw, it is possible that he is the source of poverty in Mongolia and in Ulaan Baatar. Poverty, debt and financial disaster are extremely common in Mongolia, and is one of the most difficult spiritual problems for Christians to break out of.
3. Dark Old Man, Spirit of Songino
The Dark Old Man was a powerful shaman who resisted strongly the 3rd Dalai Lama in the sixteenth century. He was eventually defeated and was buried on Songino mountain. He has a black (or dark blue) face, long white fangs, and long black hair, and depicts a sorrowful ferocity. He is now appointed to defend the faith from Songino mountain, to the West of the city. He is characterised by bitterness and anger. Mongolians have terrible difficulties with forgiveness, and almost every Mongolian carries the hurt of several broken relationships, with much bitterness, anger and unforgiveness. Indeed, one of the most difficult issues for new Christians is being able to forgive those that hurt them. Cancer (especially liver cancer) is a leading cause of death in Mongolia, and it is likely that most of this cancer is rooted in bitterness and unforgiveness.
4. The Spirit of Bayan Jiruke (Bayan Zurkh)
A yellow faced young prince, appointed to defend the faith from the east, on Bayan Zurkh mountain. Once a shaman deity, he was forcibly converted to Buddhism. It is possible that his yellow complexion is connected with the high incidence of Hepatitis in Mongolia.
5. Tsagaan Obgon
The White Old Man is one of the more powerful spirits of the four mountains, and rules Chingeltei Mountain to defend the city against enemies of the faith from the North. As a shaman deity, he presided over all aspects of life and death. He wears the white robes of one of Chingis Khan’s shaman practitioners, and carries a staff with a dragon’s head. He was converted in the 1630s, by Zanabazar, who prayed to him as a young boy. In the 1760’s, an Inner Mongolian buddhist prayed to him extensively, and gave him a deer as a mount, and a bulbous cranium, so that he resembled a Shou-lao, the Chinese Daoist god of longevity.
He is the guardian of the fertility of the people and their flocks, and rises above injury and danger. He also takes note of the sins of all people in his role as Lord of Life and death. In the tsam dance, he passes out when he gets too drunk, and therefore is responsible for alcoholism in Mongolia, as well as deep condemnation for sin. Missionaries have long recognised that there is a spirit of death of Mongolia, and it seems clear that Tsagaan Obgon is the prime force behind this.
