Singha Sartha Aju
First Newar merchant to Tibet, later deified as a Buddha incarnation.
Singha Sārtha Aju—also called Singha Sartha Bahu, Singha Sartha Baha, or Simhasartha Bahu—is a celebrated figure from Nepalese folklore, a merchant whose legendary journey to Tibet is one of the most cherished tales in Newar culture. While some local traditions associate him with a bodhisattva or prior incarnation of the Buddha, this is not part of widely-known Buddhist canon.
According to the story, Singha Sartha guided a caravan of merchants into Tibet. They came upon a place filled with beautiful women, and the traders quickly fell under their charm. Each man took a mistress, and days were spent feasting and celebrating, their business trip forgotten. One night, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, Karunamaya, appeared to Singha Sartha in the flame of an oil lamp. He warned that the lovers were actually demonesses, waiting for a chance to devour the men. If Singha Sartha doubted this, he was told to examine his lover’s feet: the heel would face forward and the toes backward.
Karunamaya then promised to help him and his companions escape. He instructed them to rise before the women and hurry to the riverbank, where a winged horse would be waiting. They were to climb onto the horse, which would fly them across the river to safety. They must not look back, no matter what, or the demonesses would pull them off the horse and kill them.
Singha Sartha told his companions, and they all agreed to flee. Just before dawn the next day, they slipped out of their rooms and reached the riverbank. There stood the horse, as promised. Everyone climbed onto its back—the Bodhisattva had taken the horse’s form to aid their escape. As the horse lifted off toward the far bank, the women ran after them, crying out and begging not to be left behind. Their sorrowful wails made the men turn their heads, and they were dragged off the horse. Only Singha Sartha kept his self-control, and he returned safely to Nepal.
Today, ferryboats on Tibet’s Yarlung Tsangpo River are decorated with a wooden horse’s head, symbolizing the horse Shyam Karna that carried Singha Sartha to safety. A stupa dedicated to him once stood on the Barkhor in Lhasa. The traditional trade fair held in Jampaling, Tibet, is linked to Singha Sartha in local folklore. A shrine near the great stupa of Jampaling, devoted to him, was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution.
- Field
- Folklore, Trade
- Nationality
- Newar (Kathmandu)
- Known for
- Legendary merchant in Newar folklore; escape from demonesses; deified as Chakan Dyah
Lore & Background
Singha Sartha led a merchant caravan to Tibet. They arrived at a place where there were many beautiful women, and the traders fell under their spell. Each one of them got a mistress and they spent the days partying, forgetting that they were on a business trip. One night, Karunamaya, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, appeared to Singha Sartha in the flame of an oil lamp, and warned him that their gorgeous lovers were actually demonesses who were waiting for an opportunity to eat them. He told Singha Sartha to check his lover's feet if he was unconvinced, and he would find that the heel pointed to the front and the toes to the back.
Karunamaya then told him that he would help him and his friends to escape. He instructed them to get up before the women and hurry to the river bank where they would find a winged horse.
Reader's Guide
Singha Sartha Aju holds a significant place in Newar folklore and religious tradition. His story is one of the most loved legends in Newar society, and he is considered a previous incarnation of the Buddha. In Kathmandu, he has been deified as Chakan Dyah, an incarnation of the Buddha, and his statue is carried through the city in a procession on the full moon day of March. He is also credited as the founder of the Buddhist courtyard named Thambahil (also known as Vikramshila Mahavihar or Bhagwan Bahal) situated in Thamel, Kathmandu.
In Tibet, his legacy is reflected in material culture: ferry boats on the Yarlung Tsangpo River are decorated with a wooden horse's head symbolizing the horse Shyam Karna that carried Singha Sartha to safety. A stupa dedicated to him once stood on the Barkhor in Lhasa. The traditional trade fair held in Jampaling, Tibet is associated with Singha Sartha, who is known there as Norbu Sangya. A shrine dedicated to him near the great stupa of Jampaling was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. His story also connects to the historical trans-Himalayan trade networks of the Lhasa Newar.
Did You Know?
- The Bodhisattva of Compassion, Karunamaya, appeared to him in the flame of an oil lamp.
- He was the only member of his caravan to maintain self-control and not look back at the demonesses.
- In Tibet, he is known as Norbu Sangya.
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