By Jit Majumdar
Sometimes transliterated as: Asţadikpala, AsţadikpAla, Ashţadikpaala
- the eight rulers or lords of the directions
- the group of eight deities who are considered the presiding deities or rulers of the eight directions, namley: Indra, Agni, Yama, Naiŗta, Varuņa, Marut, Kubera and Īśāna.