________________
OCTOBER, 1983
provided with a peacock as vānana and a fruit, a snake (or a mace), a cakra and the varada-mudrā as attributes. 27
The 17th Yakși Anantamati is provided with peacock as vāhana, and the varada-mudrā and a manuscript as attributes in her two surviving hands. The name of the Yakşi, however, is repeated here but the iconography is completely different from the earlier Anantamati (seventh Yakşī). The iconography here too does not reveal any traditional feature as envisaged for Anantamati, the Yakși of Anantanatha. The peacock vāhana brings her closer to Mahamanasi, the Yakși of the 16th Jina Santinatha, who likewise rides a peacock, whereas the manuscript is suggestive of her affiliation with Nirvani, the Yakşī of Santinatha in Svetambara tradition.28 Thus the iconography of Nirvani and Mahamanasi seem to have some bearing on the figure of Anantamati.
The 18th Yakşi Gandhari is endowed with makara as vāhana and the varada-mudrā and a musala as attributes in her surviving hands. The figure appears to have followed the Digambara dhyānas wherein Gandhari, the Yakși of the 12th Jina Vasupujya, is conceived, as riding a makara and holding a musala, a lotus, the varada-mudrā and a lotus.29
The 19th Yakşi Manusi (Manasi—Cunningham) is accompanied by a boar (?) as vāhana with the varada-mudrā and a lotus in her two surviving hands. In Digambara tradition, the six-armed Manasi is invoked as the Yakși of the 15th Jina Dharmanatha, who invariably rides a vyāghra and carries lotuses in two hands and a bow, the varada-mudrā, a goad and an arrow in the remaining four.30 The figure thus concurs with the tradition only in respect of lotus and the varada-mudrā.
The 20th Yakși Jalamalini (correct appellation Jvalamalini) is joined by the vāhana buffalo (?) with the varada-mudrā and the trident in her two surviving hands. Jvalini or Jvalamalini, in Digambara tradition,
27 sumahamanasi devi hemavarna caturbhuja / phalahicakrahastasau varada sikhi
vahana-Pratisthasarasamgraha 5.53 ; cakraphaledhirankitakaram mahamana
sim suvarnabham--Pratisthasaroddhara 3.170. 28 Pratisthasarasamgraha 5,53; nirvanim devim gauravarnam padmasanam catur
bhujam pustakotpalayuktadaksinakaram kamandalukamalayuta vamahastam
ceti-Nirvanakalika 18.16. 29 sapadmamusalambhojadana makaraga harit--Pratisthasaroddhara 3.166. 30 devata manasi namna sadbhujavidumaprabha/vyaghravahanamarudha nityam
dharmanuragini —Pratisthasarasamgraha 5.51 ; sambujadhanudanamkusasarotpala vyaghraga pravalanibha-Pratisthasaroddhara 3.169.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
