Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies Vol 01 Jaina Art and Architecture

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

Page 319

Yakşa-Yakși or Śāsanadevată
297
with Sambhavanatha is also found from Navamuni and none of the examples corresponds with the textual Barabhuji caves wherein the two-and four-armed Yaksi prescriptions. In case of Deogadh the inscription calls shows lotus, rosary and varada-or abhaya-mudra. Thus the Yakşi as Sarasvati while in case of Navamuni cave it appears that like the Yakşa, the traditional form of the four-armed Yaksi with monkey mount holds disc, Yakși also was never represented.
conch and also a baby which to some extent corresponds (4) Isvara (or Yakseśvara) Yaksa and Kālikā
with south Indian tradition. In case of Bārabhuji cave (or Vajraśộnkhalā) Yakși of Abhinandana the eight-armed Yakși sits on lotus and holds in her (4th Jina)
surviving hands a lute (harp), varada-mudra and (i) Isvara (or Yakşeśvara) Yakşa- In both the
thunderbolt. traditions the four-armed Yaksa is endowed with elephant
(5) Tumbaru (or Tumbara) Yaksa and
(3) vāhana. The Svetämbara texts (Nirvänakalika - 18.4 Manakali (or Puruşadatta) Yakşi of and Mantrādhirājakalpa - 3.29) prescribe fruit, rosary,
Sumatinātha (5th Jina) mongoose (nakula) and goad, while the Digambara text
(i) Tumbaru (or Tumbara) Yakşa-In both the Pratisthäsäroddhära- 3.132) gives sanka-patra (arrow?) traditions the four-armed Tumbaru is provided with and sword in right and bow and shield in the left hands.
garuda mount. The Śvetämbara texts (Nirväņakalikä The Aparajitaprccha however, furnishes the name 18.5) prescribe varada-mudra, spear, snake (or mace) Caturanana along with hamsa mount and snake, noose,
and noose while the Digambara texts speak of snakes thunderbolt and goad in hands (221.46). The south in two hands and varada-mudrā and fruit for the Indian tradition concurs with the north Indian Digambara
remaining two hands (Pratisthāsārasaṁgraha-5.23-24). tradition. The Yaksa reveals the impact of both Indra The south Indian texts sometimes speak of lion mount (elephant mount and goad) and Brahmā (appellation and sword, shield and thunderbolt as attributes. However, Caturānan and haṁsa vāhana). The independent image
the independent image of the Yaksa is not found and of Yakşa is not found from anywhere and even in the in the images of Sumatinātha also the two-armed form images of Abhinandana the Yaksa with abhava-mudra (with abhaya-mudra and fruit and without mount) is not and water-vessel (or fruit) does not show any the traditional one. distinguishing feature.
(ii) Mahākāli (or Puruşadattā) Yaksi- Mahäkäli (ii) Kälikä (or Vajrasrnkhala) Yaksi- The four- of Svetämbara tradition sits on lotus and shows varadaarmed Yaksi, according to Svetämbara texts mudră and noose in right and fruit and goad in left (Nirvänakalikā - 18.4 and Trişastišalakāpuruşacaritra - hands (Nirväņakalika-18.5; Manträdhirājakalpa-3.54). 3.2.161-62) sits on lotus and shows varada-mudrä, noose,
Puruşadattā in Digambara tradition is visualized as snake and goad in her hands. The Digambara text riding an elephant and as carrying disc, thunderbolt and (Pratisthäsārasarngraha - 5.22-23) provides harsa as fruit in three hands while one hand is in varada-mudra vāhana for Vajraśrókhala who carries varada-mudrā, (Pratisthasarasamngraha-5.25). The south Indian texts nägapāśa, rosary and fruit in her hands. The south almost give the identical details and one text also refers Indian texts more or less give the same details but with to dog as her conveyance. some variation in respect of mount which is sometimes We come across only two such figures from a monkey and possessing the attributes like disc and Gyaraspur (Mālādevi temple - 10th century A.D.) and snake. We are encountered with only three independent Barabhuji cave which show some distinct features. figures of Vajraśnkhalā at Deogadh (on wall of temple although not fully corresponding with the injunctions No. 12) and Navamuni and Bārabhuji caves. Surprisingly of the available Digambara texts. The four-armed Yaksi
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