________________
302
Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies
manuscript and water-vessel in hands. However, the right) and flower (or noose) and mace (in left) mount is damaged.
(Nirväņakalikā - 18.12 and Trişastiśaläkāpuruşacaritra -- (12) Kumāra Yaksa and Candā (or Gāndhāri) 4.2.288-89). On the other hand, the four-armed Gandhari Yakși of Vāsupūjya (12th Jina)
in Digambara texts is provided with lotus and makara(i) Kumāra Yakşa- Both the traditions provide vāhana and she bears pestle, lotus (in two hands) and swan mount for Kumāra Yakşa but the Digambara texts varada-mudrā (Pratisthāsārasamgraha - 5.40 and conceive of him as three- or six-faced. The Nirvāņakalika Pratisthāsāroddhăra - 3.166). In south Indian traditions, (18.12) speaks of four-armed Yakṣa as bearing fruit and the four-armed Yakși has snake, swan or even makara arrow in right and nakula and goad in left hands. The vāhana with mirror (in two hands) and staff in hands. Pravacanasāroddhāra (12.373), however, prescribes viņā We come across only four independent examples in place of an arrow. The Pratisthāsāroddhāra (3.140) of Yakşi (9th to 12th century A.D.), coming as they do visualizes four-armed Kumāra with varada-mudra and from Deogadh (Temple No. 12), Gyaraspur (Mālādevi mace in right and bow and fruit in left hands. In the temple) and Navamuni and Bārabhuji caves. The twoPratisthātilakam (7.12) the Yakşa is six-armed and holds armed Yakșa carved with Väsupujya, in case of Deogadh, arrow and nakula in additional two hands. Interestingly is labelled as 'Abhaugаratiņa'. The Yakṣi with snake the Aparajitaprccha (221.50) keeping in view the name and long garland does not correspond with the textual Kumāra provides peacock as mount, but, besides the injunctions. In case of Mālādevi temple (10th century name and the six faces of the Yakșa and also the A.D. - western facade) the Yakşi sits on lotus in lalitapeacock mount, the Yakșa does not reveal the attributes mudrā with the face of makara carved below the seat. of Kumära or Kärttikeya of Brahmanical pantheon. In It is interesting to find in a row the nine vases suggesting any case this is an example of the partial borrowing Navanidhis (nine jewels) on the pedestal. The Yakşi of Brahmanical deity. In south India the six-armed in concurrence with the south Indian tradition holds Yaksa with peacock mount is three-faced and holds mirror alongwith lotus. The four-armed figure in the noose, spear, abhaya-mudră in right and thunderbolt, Navamuni cave with peacock mount and jață-mukuta bow and varada-mudra in left hands. Sometimes the shows abhaya-mudrā, fruit, sakti and a baby. Apparently mount is swan also. We are not aware of any independent the Yakşi may be identified with Kaumārī, the sakti figure of Yakșa but an image (15th century A.D.) of of Kärttikeya. In Bārabhuji cave the eight-armed Yaksi five-headed (sixth head on the back is invisible) and with some bird mount shows in her right hands the twelve-armed Yaksa seated with peacock mount in varada-mudra, fruit, rosary and nilotpala (blue lotus) lalitāsana from Girnar may be taken to represent Kumāra while the corresponding left hands carry water-vessel, Yaksa (Pl. 178). The Yaksa in his hands bear varadaksa, conch, flower and long stalked lotus. The Yaksi sword, shield, arrow and bow like attributes. It is apparently does not correspond with any of the known important to note that the Şaņmukha (six-faced) Yaksa traditions. Thus we find two different traditions for the (in Svetambara tradition) of the 13th Jina Vimalanātha rendering of the same Yakşi in Navamuni and Bārabhuji with peacock mount also suggests the impact of caves. Kārttikeya.
(13) Şanmukha (or Caturmukha) Yakşa and (ii) Candā (or Gāndhāri) Yakși- The four-armed Viditā (or Vairoți) Yakși of Vimalanātha Yaksi in Svetämbara tradition is also known as Pracanda (13 Jina) and Ajitä. Yakşi Pracanda in Svetāmbara tradition has (i) Şaņmukha (or Caturmukha) Yakşa : The horse as mount. She shows varada-mudra and sakti (in twelve-armed Yaksa in both the traditions is said to
Jain Education Intemational
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
