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Yakșa-Yakși or Śāsanadevatā
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to protect the Sargha (religious organisation) and the 23. Pārsva (or Dharanendra) Yaksa and interests of her worshippers (Harivamsa-Purāņa- 66.45) Padmāvati Yakși of Pārsvanātha (23rd Jina)
The Ambikā-tātanka_conceives her with such (i) Pārsva or Dharanendra Yakşa- Pärśva or destructive weapons as bow, arrow, staff, sword, disc Dharanendra Yakṣa is a snake-god who came to be etc. The Ambikā-tatarka and the Ambika-devi-stuti associated with Pārsvanātha along with his queen (sakti) (appendices 18, 19, 21 of the Bhairava-Padmăvati- Padmāvati as Yakṣa and Yakși. The references to both Kalpa) also give her such appellations as Sivā, Sankari, Parsva (or Dharanendra) and Padmāvati who came from Mantrarūpā, Gauri, Gāndhāri, Yakşeśvari, Kali, heaven to protect Pārsvanatha from the upasargas Mahākāli, Aghoră, Bhimanādā, Candikā, Candarūpā, (hindrances) caused by the demon Kamatha (or Sambara) Jayantā-kumäri, Yogeśvari, Tripurangi, Mahādevi, during the course of his austerities (tapas), are found Amogha-Vāgīśvari, Mohini, Dipānī, Sosani, Träsini, from about 7th-8th century A.D. in the Jaina texts. Both etc., which distinctly suggest strong influence of the traditions are in agreement to provide the fourBrahmanic Ambikā (or Durga) who is endowed with armed Yakşa with snake canopy and tortoise mount. alike appellations in her manifestations as twelve Gauris, The Svetämbara texts sometimes visualise Pārsva Yakşa twenty-four Parvatis, nine-Durgās and several other as elephant-headed and in one example from forms. In two examples reported from Darhat (Hamirpur, Vimalavasahi (devakulikā 4 - 1188 A.D.), the fourU.P.) and datable to c. 13th century A.D., Jaina Ambikā armed Yaksa with tortoise mount and three-hooded is surprisingly depicted either with noose, vajra-ghanță, snake canopy is not only shown as elephant-headed but or with manuscript-cum-lotus and mirror in two upper he has also been provided with a pot filled with sweethands. The forms of these images (State Museum, balls (modaka-patra) in hand, apparently to suggest the Lucknow, Acc. No. G 312 and 66/225), bear close impact of the Brahmanical god Ganesa. The Yakşa affinity with Brahmanic Sivā who likewise rides a lion holds in three other hands snakes in two hands) and and holds a mirror in one of her hands (Pl. 190). The a money-bag. noose and the vajra-ghantä are suggestive of the power The Nirvaņakalikā (18.23) conceives elephantaspect of Ambikā, while the manuscript represents her headed Pärśva Yaksa as holding fruit and snake in right as amogha-vägīśvari and Sarasvati as mentioned in and nakula (for mongoose skin purse) and snake in left Jaina stutis.
hands. The Pratisthāsāroddhāra (3.151) provides snakes In one rare image of Ambikā from Mathura (c. in two upper hands while the lower hands show noose 9th century A.D.., Government Museum, Mathura, Acc. made of snake (nāgapāśa) and varada-mudrā. The south No. D7), the two-armed Yaksi is joined by Ganesa and Indian text mentions almost the same features wherein Vaiśravana respectively on right and left flanks (Pl. the Yakşa with five-hooded snake canopy and tortoise 182). The rendering of eight female figures on the mount holds snake in two hands. Sometimes he is said pedestal perhaps suggests the presence of Astamatykās. to carry pitcher, noose, goad and fruit also which are The presence of Ganeša and Mātņkās (?) with Ambikā found in most of the sculptural examples from Karnataka. may well be linked with the Brahmanic Ambika. The The name of the Yakșa reminds of seșanāga or beautifully carved image has the small figure of Nagaraja of Brahmanical tradition while the tortoise Neminātha overhead flanked by the figures of Balarama (Kurma) mount perhaps suggests the control of the and Krsna.
Yakṣa over demon Kamatha (tortoise) who was the
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