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Hevajra is one of the principal
Yi-Dams (tutelary deities) of Vajrayana Buddhism. This important deity
is the personification of the Tantric path leading to spiritual enlightenment.
For that reason, images of Hevajra became most favoured by the Khmer and
the deity was originally depicted as the central god of a mandala, often
surrounded by other deities, each of which embodied one of the many aspects
of his great being .
Portrayed with eight heads and sixteen arms radiating around his torso, Hevajra is in a dancing pose, gracefully balanced on his left foot, trampling a small four-armed human figure lying on a double circular lotus throne. The figure symbolizes the four Maras, the demons which prevent enlightenment. In every hand is a skull cup, symbolizing the sixteen voids that distinguish a completely purified mind. The eight heads of Hevajra are arranged on three levels. The first bears three heads, which symbolize the triad of Buddha, Lokeshvara and Vajrapani, the central level has four heads, and the highest level shows one head; together they represent the Tathagatas, the five cosmic Buddhas of Vajrayana Buddhism. Hevajra wears a finely constructed sampot and is adorned with earrings, a necklace, bracelets, and anklets. The belt is decorated with finely outlined jewellery and strands of pearls. The eyes are wide open and outlined with double lines; the nose and sensual mouth are finely delineated.
Source: http://www.angelfire.com/art/tathagata/hevajra.html
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