Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies Vol 01 Jaina Art and Architecture

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

Page 325

Yakșa-Yakși or Śāsanadevatā
303
have peacock mount but the number of faces as is (14) Pātāla Yaksa and Ankuśā (or evident from the names varies. The six-faced Yaksa, Anantamati) Yakși of Anantanātha (14th Jina) according to Svetāmbara texts, carries in his right hands (i) Pātāla Yakşa- Both the traditions visualize fruit, disc, arrow, sword, noose and rosary while the three-faced, six-armed Pātāla Yaksa as riding on makara. corresponding left ones show nakula, disc, bow, shield, The Nirvāņakalikā (18.14) prescribes lotus, sword and goad and abhaya-mudrā (Nirvaņakalikā - 18.13 and noose in right and nakulā, shield and rosary in left Trişastiśalākāpuruşacaritra -- 4.3.178-79). The four- hands. The Mantrādhirājakalpa (3.38) makes him threefaced Yakșa as per Digambara texts carries parašu in eyed also. The Digambara texts also speak of threeright upper hands while the remaining four hands show hooded snake canopy while the attributes in hands are sword, rosary, shield and danda-mudrā goad, spear, lotus, kasă, plough and fruit (Pratisthāsāroddhára - 3.141). The south Indian texts (Pratisthāsāroddhāra - 3.142). These features reveal the prescribe almost the same attributes for twelve-armed bearing of Balarāma who was an incarnation of Ādiśeşa. Şanmukha as found in north Indian Digambara texts. The south Indian texts envisaging the same features as The Yakșa rides on cock or monkey or even peacock. found in Digambara texts of north India speak of axe The figure of Yakşa is not found from anywhere. and trident also to suggest Saiva impact. The figure of
(ii)Viditā (or Vairoți) Yakşi, The four-armed Pātāla Yakşa, however, is not known to us. Vidita in Svetāmbara tradition has lotus mount while (ii) Ankuśā (or Anantamati) Yaksi- The fourfour-armed Vairoţi in Digambara texts like 13th armed Ankuśā, according to Svetāmbara texts, is Mahavidyā Vairotyā (earlier in tradition) is provided conceived with lotus mount and sword and noose in with snake mount and also as having snakes in two right and shield and goad in left hands (Nirvanakalika - hands. The Nirvāņakalikā (18.13) envisages arrow and 18.14). On the other hand, the four armed Anantamati noose in right and bow and snake in left hands. The in Digambara texts rides a swan and shows in hands Digambara texts (Pratisthāsāroddhāra - 3.167) also bow, arrow, fruit and varada-mudra (Pratisthäsāraprovide bow and arrow in two hands in addition to samgraha - 5.49). The south Indian texts provide snakes in two hands. The south Indian tradition, apart identical details and the mount sometimes is peacock from snake mount, also gives deer as mount. The also. attributes are almost the same as found in north Indian We come across only two figures of Yakși from Digambara texts.
Digambara Jaina sites - Deogadh (Temple No. 12) and We come across only two sculptures of Bārabhuji cave. In case of Deogadh the name of Yaksi Vairoti from Deogadh (Temple No. 12, 862 A.D.) and is inscribed as Anantavirya (closer to Anantamati). The Bārabhuji cave. However, in both the cases the features two-armed Yaksī (with flywhisk and kati-hasta) does do not correspond with texts. The two-armed figure not show any distinct features. Surprisingly the example from Deogadh is carved with Vimalanātha and is from Bärabhuji cave has donkey mount. The eightlabelled as 'Sulaksana'. The Yakṣi without any distinctarmed Yakşi shows varada-mudrā, dagger, spear and attribute stands with flywhisk in left hand while right sword in right and staff, thunderbolt, long stalked lotus is akimbo. The eight-armed figure from Bārabhuji cave and shield in corresponding left hands. has särasa (crane) mount. The Yakşi shows varada- (15) Kinnara Yaksa and Kandarpā (or mudrā, arrow, sword and axe in right hands while the Mānasi) Yaksi of Dharmanātha (15th Jina) corresponding left ones carry thunderbolt, bow, spear (i) Kinnara Yakşa- According to both the and shield.
traditions, the six-armed Kinnara Yakşa is three-faced.
Jain Education Intemational