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The gradual development of Deities in Jaina Pantheon
115
4.4
The Contribution of Hinduism in the development of Deva cult: The existence of deities in Hinduism is much earlier than Jainism as per the opinion of scholars. The king of yakşas is Kubera/Vaisravana in Vedic literature. Many Vedic gods and goddesses were incorporated in Jaina pantheon as Yakşas and Yakṣīs of the Tīrtharkaras, viz. Cakreśvarī, Kālī, Jvālāmālini, Cāmundā, Ambikā, Padmāvatī, Brahmā, Şaņmukha, etc. Jaina adopted Hindu cult and presented them as the worshippers of Tīrthankaras. Jivābhigama-sūtra18 describes Vaisramana as the chief of the yaksas as well as the head of the North direction. He was worshipped as deity since the period of Mahāvīra19. His two forms exists, an individual and a devotee, besides as a protective yaksa of a Jina. In the medieval period, Jainism included 64 yoginis in the clan of deities as the attendant deities of the Kșetrapālas.20 Their names are mentioned in Ācāra-dinakara without any iconographical details. One ancient image of Ksetrapāla available in 1960 (fig. 23) with Jina on head seems to be of 1st century or little early from its archaic character.
4.5
The Yakșa and Yakṣī in scriptures and Mathurā Art School: In Bhagavatī-sūtra21, a list of 13_obedient yakşas are given - Puņnabhadda, Maạibhadda, Sumanabhadda, Sālibhadda, Cakka, Rakkha, Punnarakkha, Savvana(Sarvāṇha), Savvajasa, Samiddha, Amoha, Asanga and Savvakama. Besides this, Tattvartha sūtra22 also presents a list of 13 yakşas where first three are common, others are Svetabhadra, Haribhadra, Vyatipatikabhadra, Subhadra, Sarvatobhadra, Manuşya-yakșas, Vanādhipati, Bāņahara, Rupayakșa and Yaksottama. It seems that the resting places of Lord Mahāvīra might be such Yaksāyatanas.23
18 I) Jivābhigama, 3, pp 281.
II) Vijayendra sūri, Lok Prakash.., 1960, pp 357-8. 19 Vijayendra sūri, Lok Prakash.., 1960, pp 357-8. 20 Tivari, Jain Pratima..., 1981, pp. 43. 21 I) Bhagavatī sūtra, 3, 7, 168.
II) Tivari, Jain Pratima.., 1981, pp 34-35. 22 1) Tivari, Ibid.
II) Tatvartha sūtra, edi., Sukhalal Sanghavi, (Banaras, 1952), pp 119. 23 Shah U. P., Yakşas worship in early jaina literarure', in J.O.I., vol. 3, pp. 62-63, Jambuka
vana, Bahuputrika-caitya, Purnabhadra-caitya, Gunasila-caitya, Nandana, Chatra-palasa
