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IMAGES OF GUARDIAN DIETIES
In the Jain works on pratisthā (guidebooks on installation ceremonies) guardian deities are described in details. It is believed that each Tīrthankara has an attendant yakśa and yakśī. These are called śāsana prabhāvaka deities (those who affect promotion of Jain order) and they are found as figurines carved with Tirthankara images and as independent idols as well. In the books on pratisthā their forms, shapes, mounts, and other information is given in all detail. Besides these, idols of some other deities are also available; these are -- sixteen vidyā devatā (gods of wisdom and skills), navagraha (nine astrological planets), ten dikpālas (ten gods of directions), and aşta mātrkā (mother goddesses). These deities are also mentioned in the pratisthā books.
Earliest available Tirthankara images are of the Mauryan period. The available images of guardian deities are also of the same periodicity. An idol of a yakśī was also found with the Mauryan period Tīrthankara image from Lohānīpura. Like Tirthankara images the making of yaksa-yakśī images in large numbers commenced during first century BC. Distinctive artistic features can also be seen in them. Many images of this period of these deities have been found in Udayagiri-Khandagiri cave-temples and at excavations at various spots in Mathura. The images of goddesses in Udayagiri-Khandagiri have four, eight, twelve, sixteen and twenty-four arms. In Mathura an image of Saraswati with ten arms has been found.
In context of images of seventh-eighth century guardian deity images Ellora caves are among the richest places. Here the images of Cakreśvarī, Padmāvatī, Ambikā, Siddhāyikā yakśīs and Gomeda, Mātanga, and Dharanendra yakśas are in large numbers. In the outer portion of cave No. 30 a dancing Indra having twelve arms is carved. The image is huge. Indra is wearing ornaments and on his arms, dancing goddesses and gods playing musical instruments are depicted. Above the heads of many statues there are bunches of dangling mangoes. There are mango-heaps over some Ambikā idols and on some other these are placed on the palms of Ambikā. There is one child in her lap and another held in her hand. The sculptor has given special attention to ornamentation, grace and beauty of yaksa-yakśī here.
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