These are a set of deities, each guarding a certain direction. Most commonly these are Indra (Śakra) for the east, Agni for the southeast, Yama for the south, Sūrya or Nirṛti for the southwest, Varuṇa for the west, Vāyu (Pavana) for the northwest, Kubera for the north, and Soma (Candra) or Iśāni or Pṛthivī for the northeast.

A set of deities, each guarding a certain direction. Most commonly these are Indra (Śakra) for the east, Agni for the southeast, Yama for the south, Sūrya or Nirṛti for the southwest, Varuṇa for the west, Vāyu (Pavana) for the northwest, Kubera for the north, and Soma (Candra), Iśāni, or Pṛthivī for the northeast.

“Guardians of the world.” Also called “guardians of the directions” (digpāla; phyogs skyong), which are specifically listed to be Śakra (Indra, lord of the devas, for the east), Yama (lord of the dead, for the south), Varuṇa (lord of water for the west), Kubera (Vaiśravaṇa, lord of yakṣas, for the north), Agni (lord of fire, for the southeast), Vāyu (lord of air, for the northwest), Īśāna (Śiva, for the northeast), Nairṛta (Rākṣasa, lord of the rākṣasas, for the southwest), Brahmā (lord of the universe, for above), and Pṛthvī (or Pṛthivī, goddess of the earth, for below).

A set of deities, each guarding a certain direction. Most commonly these are Indra (Śakra) for the east, Agni for the southeast, Yama for the south, Sūrya or Nirṛti for the southwest, Varuṇa for the west, Vāyu (Pavana) for the northwest, Kubera for the north, and Soma (Candra), Iśāni, or Pṛthivī for the northeast.