Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies Vol 01 Jaina Art and Architecture

Author(s): Sagarmal Jain, Others
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 316

294
Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies
Ratna and his wife, the parents of the donor Mäņikya one hand. The Svetämbara texts conceive Cakreśvari as per pedestal inscription.
as eight- and twelve-armed while the Digambara texts At Svetämbara sites like Delvada, Kumbharia and provide her four and twelve arms. However, in twelveTaranga, the figures correspond with the texts in respectarmed form the attributes are identical in both the of elephant mount and noose. The other hands show traditions. The Nirvänakalika provides varada-mudra, goad and purse which were the principal attributes of arrow, disc, noose (in right hands) and bow, thunderbolt, Sarvänubhuti Yakşa. In south India very few figures disc and goad (in left hands) for eight-armed Apraticakrā of Gomukha Yakşa are found, they are from the later (Nirvanakalikā - 18.1 and TrişaştisalakapuruşacaritraJaina temple at Aihole and Kannada Research Institute 1.3. 682-83). The Pratisthāsārasargraha (5.15-16) refers Museum, Dharwar (Karnataka), wherein the four-armed to four-armed Yakşi as carrying discs in two hands and Yakṣa with Rşabhanātha is never shown as bull-faced a fruit and the varada-mudră in the remaining ones. In and the bull mount is also shown rarely. The parasu case of twelve arms the Yakşi holds discs in eight hands is the main attribute in all such examples. The other and thunderbolt in two hands, while the remaining two attributes in south Indian examples are lotus, noose and hands show fruit and varada-mudra. fruit.
The terrific form of Yakşi is enunciated in tantrika It may be observed that the iconography of text Cakreśvari Astakam which speaks of almost the Gomukha Yakşa reveals some distinct bearings of same set of attributes, but the Yakşi here is three-eyed Brahmanical deity Siva, specially in reference to bull- with dreadful appearance. She is worshipped for face, bull mount and parašu like attribute. In one of removing the obstacles caused by däkinis and other evil the examples in Rajputana Museum, Ajmer (Acc. No. spirits, and also for bestowing the prosperity. The south 270 - 10h century A.D.), found from Hathma (Bаdmer, Indian texts visualize Cakreśvari with garuda-vāhana Rajasthan), the four-armed Gomukha Yaksa, seated in and with twelve and sixteen arms. The attributes are lalitäsana, has dharmacakra on the forehead (Pl. 172). more or less the same. In addition to abhaya-mudra, parašu and fruit the Yaksa The rendering of Cakreśvarī in art is known from carries a snake also.
9th century A.D., the earliest example of which is found (ii) Cakreśvari or Apraticakrā Yakşi-Cakreśvari on the facade of temple No. 12 (A.D. 862) at Deogadh. was one of the four popular most Yaksis of Jaina All other examples, both independent and with pantheon and her worship was both ancient and Rsabhanātha, are datable from 10th century A.D. The widespread. Separate temples dedicated to Cakreśvari maximum number of figures of Cakreśvarī both at were also built. According to Jinaprabhasūri Svetāmbara and Digambara Jaina sites were carved (Vividhatirthakalpa) a temple of Cakreśvari was at during 10th and 12th century A.D. These figures show Ayodhya. The Yakṣi was also invoked in various tantrika a number of varieties in the forms of Cakreśvarī. The rites and she has close affinity with the 5th Jaina fully-developed parikara of the images of Cakreśvari Mahāvidyā Apraticakra (or Cakreśvarī), earlier in Jaina suggests that Cakreśvarī was elevated to the point of tradition.
a cult goddess, specially in north India. The Digambara In both the traditions, the mount of Cakreśvari is Jaina sites, particularly Deogadh and Khajuraho, are garuda (eagle-represented in art mostly in human form very rich whereat Cakreśvari has been represented as with pointed nose and snake around the neck and having two to twenty arms with garuda mount shown sometimes also with wings) and her main attribute is in human form. Some of the sculptures from Deogadh disc (Cakra) which is prescribed even for more than two examples in Sahu Jaina Museum, Deogadh) not
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