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Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies
The Nirvanakalikā (18.15) visualizes Yaksa as riding a tortoise and as bearing fruit, mace and abhaya-mudrā in right and nakula, lotus and rosary in corresponding left hands. The Digambara texts (Pratisthāsāroddhāra 3.143) on the other hand prescribe fish as mount and mudgara, rosary and varada-mudra (in right hands) and disc, thunderbolt and goad (in left hands) as attributes. The south Indian texts almost concur with the injunctions of north Indian Digambara texts. The independent image of the Yaksa is hitherto not known.
(ii) Kandarpā (or Mānasi) Yakşi- In both the traditions Yakşi is provided with goad and noose in her two hands but the vahana is different. The Svetāmbara texts speak of fish mount for four-armed Kandarpā who exhibits in her right hands lotus and goad while the left ones show lotus and abhaya-mudrā (Nirvāņakalikā –
18.15). The six-armed Mänasī in Digambara texts rides a tiger and bears lotuses in two hands while the remaining four hands show bow, varada-mudrā, goad and arrow (Pratisthasarasamgraha -5.51 and Pratisthāsāroddhāra - 3.169). The south Indian texts vary in respect of mainly the vähana which is either a lion or a deer or even a tiger.
We are encountered with two figures of Yakși at the Digambara Jaina sites of Deogadh (Temple No. 12) and Bärabhuji cave. In case of Deogadh the name of the two-armed Yakşi in the label inscription is 'Surakṣitā' who holds lotus in right hand while left one is akimbo. The other figure from Bārabhuji cave with camel mount is six-armed which suggests another tradition. She shows varada-mudră, fruit (?), three-pronged object in right and bell, patakā (flag) and conch in left hands. The features indeed are unconventional here. Another figure on the northern facade of the Maladevi temple of Gyaraspur may also be identified as Mānasi on account of her fish mount. The four-armed Yakşi shows varada- mudrā, abhaya-mudrā, lotus and fruit. (16) Garuda Yaksa and Nirvāni (or Mahāmānasi) Yaksi of Sāntinātha (16th Jina)
(i) Garuda Yakşa- The Svetāmbara texts conceive four-armed Garuda Yaksa as possessing boar face and
boar mount and as carrying fruit, lotus, nakula and rosary (Nirvāņakalikā – 18.16). The four-armed Garuda Yaksa in Digambara texts is said to have boar or parrot mount and bearing thunderbolt and disc in upper and lotus and fruit in lower hands (Pratisthäsārasaṁgraha 5.52 and Pratisthāsäroddhara - 3.144). The four-armed Yaksa in south Indian Digambara tradition is addressed to as Kimpuruşa Yakṣa who rides either a bull or an eagle but the main attributes (disc, thunderbolt and lotus) are like north Indian Digambara tradition. Thus the impact of features of Visnu images is discernible in respect of boar and eagle mount, boar face and disc in hand.
The solitary example of independent figure of Garuda Yaksa referred to by B.C. Bhattacharya is known from Deogadh (on a western gateway pillar of Deogadh fort). The four-armed Yaksa with boar mount holds mace, rosary, fruit and snake. All other figures datable from 8th century A.D. are carved only with the images of Jina śāntinātha. In such examples from western India, the Yakşa is usually Sarvänubhuti with purse, goad and noose in hands and elephant as mount. In other instances the two-or four-armed Yakşa (without conveyance) holds two or three of these attributes - lotus, fruit, axe, mace, staff, purse and abhaya-mudra.
(ii) Nirvāņi (or Mahāmānasi) Yakşi, The fourarmed Nirvāṇi in Svetämbara texts has lotus mount while four-armed Mahāmānasi in Digambara texts has peacock or eagle mount. The Nirvänakalikā (18.16) prescribes manuscript and lotus in right and watervessel and lotus in left hands. According to Pratisthāsārasamngraha (5.53) Mahämänasi holds fruit, snake and disc in three hands while the remaining one is in varada-mudra. The lotus and peacock vāhana and lotus, manuscript and water-vessel like attributes are suggestive of the bearing of Sarasvati. The vähana in South Indian texts is peacock but the attributes are quite different from north Indian tradition. The attributes in southern tradition are sword, shield, noose, spear and disc.
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