Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies Vol 01 Jaina Art and Architecture

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

Page 323

Yaksa-Yaksi or Sasanadevata
Yakṣa with four arms and hamsa vahana which alongwith four faces remind of Brahma of Brahmanical sect. In south Indian tradition the Yakṣa, known as Brahmeśvara or Brahma, with four faces, three eyes and lotus or lion mount is eight-armed. The attributes mostly correspond with the details of north Indian Digambara texts. We do not find any example of the rendering of Yaksa in sculptural art from anywhere. The textual references, barring name, four faces and in one case hamsa mount do not correspond with the iconographic form of Brahmä of Brahmanical cult.
(ii) Aśokā or Manavi Yakṣi- The four-armed Aśoka in Śvetambara tradition has lotus and Manavi in Digambara tradition has boar (or black cobra) as vāhana. The Nirvāṇakalikā (18.10) prescribes varadamudra and noose in right and fruit and goad in left hands. The Acaradinakara (34, p. 176) in addition mentions that the Yakṣi should be surrounded by the figures of dancing nymphs. The Digambara texts however provide fruit, varada-mudra, fish and noose in hands (Pratisthasärasaṁgraha - 5.36 and Pratisthäsäroddhāra - 3.164). The south Indian texts envisage both boar and makara as vāhana and fish as main object in hand.
We know of only two figures of the Yakşi, coming as they do from Deogadh (Temple No. 12) and Bärabhuji cave. None of these exhibits the traditional features. In case of Deogadh the four-armed Yakşi carved with Śitalanatha is labelled as 'Śrīya Devi' who holds fruit, lotus and pitcher in three hands while the fourth one rests on waist. The rendering of tree trunk on two sides are important. The Yakṣi appears to have the bearing of Laksmi. The four-armed Yakṣi with some animal mount in Bārabhuji cave bears different attributes varada-mudrā, staff, disc and conch. These features remind us of Vaiṣṇavi. (11) Isvara Yakṣa and Manavi (or Gauri) Yaksi of Sreyamsanätha (11" Jina)
(i) Isvara Yakṣa- In both the traditions the Yakṣa is provided with three eyes, four arms and bull mount, which suggests the bearing of Śiva. The Nirvāṇakalikā
301
(18.11) and other Śvetambara works (some texts also give the name Manuja and Yakṣaraja) envisage fruit and mace for right and nakula and rosary for left hands. The Digambara texts further strengthen the impact of Śiva by providing trident and staff in two hands while the other two hands bear fruit and rosary (Pratisthāsārasamgraha - 5.37 and Pratisthāsāroddhāra - 3.139). The south Indian texts are in full agreement with the north Indian Digambara texts and adds also crescent with the Yaksa to further bring him closer to Śiva. Somehow we are not aware of any sculpture of Isvara Yakṣa from anywhere.
(ii) Manavi (or Gauri) Yakṣi- Mānavi Yakṣi of 10th Jina Śītalanatha in Digambara tradition becomes the Yakşi of 11th Jina Śreyamsanatha in Svetambara tradition who is also called Śrīvatsă or Vidyunnadā. According to Svetambara texts, the four-armed Yakşi rides a lion and shows varada-mudra and mudgara (or noose) in right and pitcher (or nakula or thunderbolt) and goad (or rosary) in left hands (Nirvanakalikā -- 18.11 and Trişaştiśalakäpuruṣacaritra - 4.1.786-87). The Digambara texts, on the other hand, visualize fourarmed Gauri with deer mount and with mudgara, lotus, pitcher and varada-mudra in hands (Pratisthāsāroddhāra - 3.165). The south Indian texts bring Gauri even closer to Śiva by providing bull mount and crescent.
We come across mainly three figures of the Yakṣi which like most of the previous instances are affiliated to Digambara sect. These figures are known from Deogadh (Temple No. 12, A.D. 862), Gyaraspur (Maladevi temple) and Barabhuji cave. However, the figure from Mālādevi temple (south facade) only concurs with the available textual injunctions. The four-armed Yaksi seated in lalitasana with deer mount shows varadamudra, abhaya-mudra, lotus and fruit. The earliest figure is from Deogadh wherein the two-armed Yakși carved with Sreyamśanatha is labelled in the inscription as 'Vahani'. She does not exhibit any distinct attribute. She merely shows lotus in right hand. The four-armed Yakṣi in Bārabhuji cave shows varada-mudrā, rosary,