The [[Pañcarakṣā]] ("Five Protectors") are five protector goddesses which are important in tantricMahayana Buddhism, the term also refers to their ''[[Dharani|dhāraṇīs]]''.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Dictionary {{!}} Buddhistdoor |url=https://www2.buddhistdoor.net/dictionary/details/dharani-mantra |access-date=2024-01-10 |website=www2.buddhistdoor.net}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{cite book |author=K. R. van Kooij |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=etUPA-arhwMC&pg=PA25 |title=Religion in Nepal |publisher=BRILL Academic |year=1978 |isbn=90-04-05827-3 |pages=25–27}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{cite book |author1=Adalbert J. Gail |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QwkOdPtZmVcC&pg=PA57 |title=Script and Image: Papers on Art and Epigraphy |author2=Gerd J. R. Mevissen |author3=Richard Salomon |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |year=2006 |isbn=978-81-208-2944-2 |pages=57–58}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{cite book |author=Thomas E. Donaldson |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DbxE8zOuRbUC&pg=PA295 |title=Iconography of the Buddhist Sculpture of Orissa: Text |publisher=Abhinav Publications |year=2001 |isbn=978-81-7017-406-6 |pages=295–296}}</ref>
These five protective ''[[Dharani|dhāraṇī]]-goddesses'' are:<ref name=":0" />
