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Yakşa-Yakși or Śāsanadevata
293
Vajrasamkalā (Vajraśkhala) (on left).
figures and also the iconographic details of the Yakşis All the 23 Yaksis in the parikara, possessing four carved in the parikara distinctly reveal that the image arms, are carved arbitrarily, instead of being in traditional belongs to the Digambara sect. order. They are all standing in tribhanga with their (1) Gomukha Yakşa and Cakreśvari Yakşi respective vāhanas. Except for Manujā and Sarasvati, of Rşabhanātha. (1st Jina) their names correspond with the list supplied by the (i) Gomukha Yaksa - Both the Svetāmbara and Digambara works, namely the Tiloyapannatti of Yati- Digambara traditions conceive Gomukha Yakşa as fourvrsabha, (c. 8th century A.D.), the Pratisthāsārasargraha armed and with bull face. The Svetāmbara text and the Pratisthāsāroddhāra. However, the name of Nirvāņakalikā (18.1) prescribes elephant as mount and Anantamati has been carved twice because of the varada-mudrā, rosary (in right hands), fruit and noose engraver's mistake. The inscription, however, does not in left hands) as attributes, while the Digambara texts, mention the names of Cakreśvarī, Rohini, Manovegā, Pratisthāsārasamgraha (5.13-14) and Pratisthāsároddhāra Mānavi, Ambikā and Siddhāyini Yakşīs. But the figures (3.129) envisage dharmacakra mark on the forehead of of Cakreśvarī, Manovegā (labelled as Manujā), Ambikā the Yakṣa who rides on a bull. The attributes are the and Siddhayini (labelled as Sarasvati) could distinctly same as prescribed in the Svetämbara texts, excepting be identified on account of their iconographic features. parasu in place of noose. The south Indian tradition
The beautiful figure of four-armed Ambikā, gives almost identical details wherein the mount is bejewelled in graiveyaka, necklaces, girdle (with always a bull. suspended loops), anklets, bracelets, armlets, and The rendering of the figures of Gomukha Yakşa karanda-mukuta, stands as she is in tribhanga. The is found both with Rşabhanātha images as well as in jewelleries of Ambikā are minutely done with fine independent examples from about 10th century A.D. workmanship, appearing more like a metallic work. The However, it is surprising to note that Bihar, Orissa, and plasticity in body and posture, and its linear movement Bengal have not yielded independent sculptures of and proportional body-limbs are magnificent which all Gomukha Yakşa, while Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, make this image a wonderful piece of Indian art. The Gujarat and Rajasthan have produced maximum number goddess is provided with stellate cut halo. The small of independent figures wherein bull-faced Gomukha face of the goddess shows benign appearance while the Yakṣa is usually four-armed. In case of Svetämbara contours and other bodily features give somewhat figures the vāhana is an elephant, while at Digambara sensuous flavour. Although all the hands are damaged, sites (Khajuraho) the vāhana, though rarely shown, is yet remnant of the foliage of a mango tree overhead a bull. The figures from Digambara sites like Khajuraho and the rendering of two sons (nude), Priyankara and and Deogadh, as against the available textual Subhankara, along with lion mount, make the prescriptions, show manuscript, mace, lotus and purse identification of the goddess with Ambikā doubtless. which may be taken to be based on some local tradition of the two sons, Subhankara on right rides on lion, which is now lost to us. However, in case of parasu the vāhana of Ambikā, while the other son (Priyankara) these figures correspond to the Digambara tradition. stands to her left. The tiny figure of Jina Neminātha A marble relief of A.D. 1299 from Ladel (Gujaratwith conch länchana is carved over the head of Ambikā. now in Prince of Wales Museum, Mumbai) shows fourBesides, the figures of 12 other Jinas, both seated in armed Gomukha Yakṣa as sitting on an elephant and dhyāna-mudrā and standing in kāyotsarga-mudrā, are bearing varada-mudrā, goad, noose and fruit. What is also shown in the parikara. The nudity of the Jina important is the rendering of the worshipper couple
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