Aro Yeshé
aro yeshe’s iron phurba
The iron phurba of Aro Yeshé was, like his bell and vajra, originally made for ’a-Shul Pema Legden by his friend
A-Kyong Düd’dül Dorje. The phurba was made of meteorite iron. Ngakpa ’ö-Dzin Tridral comments:
The phurba is shown in Aro Yeshé’s belt in order to depict him as being the heir of ’a-Shul Pema Legden. Had Aro Yeshé been portrayed according to the nature of his practice, he would probably have no implements or ornaments at all. The gomtag and conch earrings are shown because he inherited them from
Khyungchen Aro Lingma. The most familiar implement for Aro Yeshé would have been one of his various firearms – but there is no precedent for showing such an implement iconographically. There is also no detail as to exactly what firearms Aro Yeshé possessed apart from the fact that they came from India and were likely to have been misappropriated British Raj weaponry.
Traktung Rinpoche (Traktung Yeshé Dorje Rang-rig ’Ja’gyür Rinpoche (sNgags bLa Khrag mThung ye shes rDo rJe ’Ja’ ’gyur rin po che) who is recognised a the current Mind Incarnation of DoKhyentsé Yeshé Dorje, mentioned to Ngak’chang Rinpoche that he had it in mind to have a thangka made of DoKhyentsé Yeshé Dorje on horseback carrying a rifle – so it is possible that an image of Aro Yeshé could be produced from this reference at some point in the
future.