Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies Vol 01 Jaina Art and Architecture

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

Page 321

Yaksa-Yaksi or Sasanadevata
different places (11th-12th century A.D.), the Yakṣa is usually provided with snake canopy to suggest his association with the Jina. In case of Supärśvanatha image from Deogadh (Temple No. 4-11th century) the two-armed Yakṣa with flower and pitcher has threehooded snake canopy. The Supärśvanatha images from Kumbharia (Neminatha temple, gudhamandapa, A.D. 1157) and Vimalavasahi (devakulika 19) depict the Yakṣa as four-armed and riding an elephant. The attributes (varada-mudra, goad, noose, purse or fruit) and mount correspond with the injunctions of the Nirvāṇakalikā.
(ii) Śantā (or Kāli) Yakṣi- The four-armed Santa in Śvetambara texts is said to ride on an elephant and show the varada-mudra and rosary in right and spear (or trident) and abhaya-mudra in left hands (Nirvaṇakalikā - 18.7 and Devatamurtiprakaraṇa-7.31). The four-armed Kali in Digambara tradition rides a bull and bears bell, trident (or spear) and fruit, besides one hand being in varada-mudrā (Pratisthāsarasamgraha 5.30). The south Indian texts furnish almost identical details with one text providing also peacock mount.
We come across only two independent figures of Digambara affiliation from Deogadh (Temple No. 12, A.D. 862) and Bārabhuji cave, carved in the group of 24 Yakṣis. Both these figures with peacock mount however, do not show agreement with the available texts. The peacock mount and the name Mayūravähi in case of Deogadh figure suggest the impact of south Indian tradition. The four-armed standing figure of Mayūravähi Yakṣi at Deogadh shows vyakhyana-mudra, flywhisk-lotus, manuscript and conch in her hands to suggest the bearing of Sarasvati. The eight-armed Yakşi in Bārabhuji cave shows the varada-mudra, pot filled with fruits, spear (?), and sword in right and shield, conch, mudgara and spear in left hands.
The figures of Yakşi could be seen even on the throne of the Suparśvanatha images who in the examples from Kumbharia (Mahāvīra and Neminatha temples) and Vimalavasahi (devakulikā 19) are either Ambika
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or Padmavati. However, at Deogadh and some other places, the Yakṣi with snake canopy is usually twoarmed and bears flower (or lotus) and pitcher. (8) Vijaya (or Śyama) Yakṣa and Bhṛkuți (or Jvālāmālini) Yakṣi of Candraprabha (8th Jina)
(i) Vijaya (or Syama) Yaksa- The two-armed Vijaya Yakṣa in Śvetämbara tradition is conceived as three-eyed (trinetra) with hamsa vāhana (Nirvāṇakalika18.8 and Manträdhirajakalpa - 3.33). The Yakṣa holds disc in right and mudgara (club) in left hands. Threeeyed Syama Yakṣa in Digambara tradition is fourarmed and his mount is pigeon (Pratisthäsärasaṁgraha5.31 and Pratiṣṭhāsāroddhāra-3.136). The Yaksa is conceived as showing fruit, rosary, axe and varadamudra. The south Indian texts of both the traditions envisage almost the same details for four-armed Yakṣa having both goose and pigeon mount. We do not find any independent sculpture of the Yakṣa and even in the Candraprabha images, the Yakṣa does not exhibit any distinguishing feature. However, in an example from Deogadh (Temple No. 21 11th century A.D.) the four-armed Yakṣa with Candraprabha is endowed with abhaya-mudra, mace, lotus and fruit.
(ii) Bhrkuti (or Jvālāmālini) Yakşi- The fourarmed Bhṛkuti in Śvetambara texts is conceived as riding on varaha (or varala or even goose) and carrying sword and mudgara in right and shield and axe in left hands (Nirvāṇakalikā 18.8 and Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruşacaritra-3.6.109-10 and Acaradinakara - 34, p. 176). The Digambara texts on the other hand visualize eight-armed Jvālāmālinī as riding a buffalo and holding disc, bow, noose, carma (or shield), trident (or sula), arrow, fish and sword (Pratiṣṭhāsarasamgraha - 5.32 and Pratiṣṭhāsäroddhara 3.162). The south Indian. tradition speaks of bull mount for eight-armed Yakṣi who bears almost the identical attributes as mentioned above. It may be remarked here that in south India after Padmavati and Ambika only Jvälāmālinī enjoyed the highest veneration.