Jain Agam Sahitya

Author(s): K R Chandra
Publisher: Prakrit Text Society Ahmedabad

Page 85

Dr. D. G. Vedia
Generally flowers are offered to the Yakşas as they are called Sumanasas.35 Milk is also offered to them. Meat and spirituous liquor are liked by generally malevolent Yakşas and Rākşasas.36 In the Meghadüta benevolent Yakşas also used to drink wine produced from Kalpavskşas. 37
Fergusson opines that “Tree and serpent worship i.e. the worship of Yakşas and Nāgas, powers of fertility and rainfall was primitive faith of the aborginal castless Dasyus who inhabited northern India before the advent of the Aryans.'38 This prediction took the shape of a cult with the cause of time. During three centuries before Christ we find a worship of one deity under various aspects. even of Yakşas and Raksasas as coming into consciousness and prominence as we find in Buddhist and Jain literature as well as in epics and purānas. As a result of this in the sectarian literature the Yaksas possess honorable status and are benevolent towards mankind. People also had developed affection for them. Simultaneously some malevolent Yakşas, Rakşasas, Bhūtas and Piśācas are found causing dreadful deterrents in the way of ascetics, saints and householders.
Gautama Buddha and Mahāvira were also disturbed by such malevolent divine spirits. Other ascetics are also found passing through such expbrience. Förce of endurance and self confidence made them succeed in achieving their goal.
As a conclusion we find here in the Uvāsagadasão :
1. Mahāvira halted at some caitya or shrine of Yakşa.
2. The followers like Kāmadeva, (ulanipiyā, Suradeva,
Cullasayaga and Kundkoliya are interrupted by dreadful deterrents caused by some deity. This deity seems to be none but Yakşa, malevolent by nature.
3. Saddalaputta refutes the arguments of a divine i.e. Yakşa
and ultimately he also like Kamadeva, Culanipiya etc. successfully pass through such dreadful deterrents.