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Jains mainly worship idols of Jinas, Arihants, Tirthankars, who have conquered the inner
passions and attained God-consciousness status. Some section of jains believes that Yaksha and
Yakshini look after the well beings of Thirthankars. Usually, they are found in pair around the idols of
Jinas as male (Yaksha) and female (Yakshini) guardian deities. Yaksha is generally on the right hand
side of the Jina idol and Yakshini on the left hand side. In earlier periods, they were regarded mainly
as devotees of Jina, and have supernatural powers. Over time, people started worshiping these deities
as well.Some sections of Jains looked at Yakshas and Yakshinis for the immediate returns, and gave
them the places in their temples. Some Yaksha were and are known for bestowing fertility and wealth
upon their devotees. Therefore, they had become very popular and their idols had been placed in Jain
temples and Jains worship them. My paper deals with a few examples of these deities like the
Goddess Padmavati and Yaksha Dharanendra from the region of Karnataka.
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18 INTER. JOUR. SOC. SCI. HUM. JUNE 2012
deities, systematized in several classes such as texts and came to be represented in icons, the
Yakshas and Yakshis, vyantaradevata (peripatetic bifurcation between the two sects, Svetambara and
gods), vidyadevi, etc. The term Yaksha was once Digambara had taken place, with the result that the
used synonymously with deva or devata to mean a iconographic details for those that belong to one sect
god but later acquired the connotation of a demigod. were different from those that were accepted in the
In Jainism the original meaning appears to have been other. In fixing the iconography of these
maintained, for most Yakshas and Yakshis are Sasanadevatas, the pratishtha texts that had
regarded as divine beings. They generally serve the appeared in the meantime were of considerable help
Jinas as guardian angels and are frequently present to the artists in giving shape to the concepts. These
in images. Impressive depictions from Karnataka of Pratistha or Installation texts also got divided into
Dharanendra and Padmavati, the Yaksha and Yakshi Svetambara and Digambara, affiliating themselves to
of Parsvanatha indicate their status in that region. the one or the other of these texts. While thus the
Though in Jaina literature Yaksha cult seem very Digambara texts include pratisthasangraha,
ancient, Yaksha images do not appear in art much pratisthasarasangraha, pratisthasaroddhara,
earlier than fifth century. Mandira-pratistha-vidhana, and a few others, the
Svetambaras depend on the compilations like
The earlier scriptures like the Sthananga-
pravacanasaroddhara, pratisthatilaka, Nirvan-
sutra, Uttaradhyayan-sutra, Bhagawati-sutra,
akalika, Acaradinakara, and others. Both also take
Tattvartha-sutra, Antagadadasao-sutra, and Pauma
into account several caritra-granthas and
-chariya have frequent references to Yakshas and
Pujavidhis. (Bhattacharya, 2007)
Yakshinis. In the Pratisthakalpa, finally the estab-
lishment of the character and the function of However, both Digambara and Svetambara
Sasanadevatas is achieved, when it says: texts prescribe the same general features of
Ya pati sasanam jainam sadyah pratyuha- sasanadevata, as to the change in the character of a
nasinisa..... bhuyat sasanadevata Yaksha when absorbed from the Hindu or
- (Bhattacharya, 2007) Brahmanic fold to the Jaina, a pertinent example is
Many Jains pay their respect to these that of Tumbara, who in Hindu literature is a divine
Yakshas and Yakshinis for having them provided musician, a Gandharva, endowed with a musical
protection to Tirthankars and to the existence of instrument, as a Yaksha attached to Jina
Jainism. These are the reasons, they are found Sumathinatha carries deadly weapons.
around the images of Jinas as well as their individual (Bhattacharya, 2007)
images in many Jain temples. Yaksha usually found Another interesting point in so far as
on the right side of the Jina idol while Yakshini on iconographic details of Yaksha-yaksinis are
the left side. In Jain temples, they are never situated concerned is that in some cases texts in the same
in superior physical locations in relation to images of sect, e.g., Digambara, such as pratisthasaroddhara
the Jinas. These are benevolent Yakshas and and pratisthasarasamgraha, give different number
Yakshinis. There are also malevolent Yakshas and of the hands for the same Yaksha, such as, Matanga
Yakshinis who caused sufferings to Tirthankars and or Varanandi. The first text gives him four arms
troubles to Jains and existence of Jainism. For carrying a staff, a spear, Swastika and a flag (Ketu),
example, Yaksha Sulpani troubled Lord Mahavir in while the second endows him only with two hands.
his mediation and inflicted much suffering and there
are similar stories in which malevolent Yakshas By about the 8th -9th century under the
troubled others as well. The Jains do not pay their indirect influence of esoterism that was flourishing
respects or worship Yakshas and Yakshinis for the in Buddhism and elsewhere, Jainism felt inclined in
material gains, favor and freedom from fear, illness figuring separate entities of Sasanadevatas, shaking
and disease. They pay their respect to them for their off their attachment to Jina figures through miniature
service to Tirthankars and Jainism. representations at the sides or on the pedestals found
equal favor with the artists throughout, both in the
Iconography North and in the South.
The iconographic details for each of the The gods and Goddesses borrowed from the
well known sasana-devatas numbering twenty-four Brahmana pantheon may be put into three groups.
male forms, attached to the twenty-four Jinas The first group consists of the Yaksha-Yakshi pairs
(Tirthankaras) and the twenty- four female forms, made up of minor divinities who are not known to
considering generally as consorts of one or the other have been related with each other before their
male sasanadevatas, may be stated that many of the adoption in Jainism. The second group comprises the
sasanadevatas, male or female, are known by the pairs who are related with each other, such as Isvara
name of Brahmanical and Buddhist deities, though and Gauri, the Yaksha and Yakshi of Sreyamsanatha,
most often the details of the iconography differ from who are none else but Siva and his sakti. The third
these in those faiths, By the time, further, these group includes Yaksha-Yakshi pairs, such as
sasanadevatas were ichnographically recognized in Gomukha and Cakresvari, repectively the Yaksha
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GOMATHI MANOHAR: THE CONCEPT OF YAKSHA AND YAKSHI IN JAINISM
and Yakshi of Rsabhanatha who represent two The earliest Yaksha Yakshi pair carved in
different well known sects. Gomukha and Jaina sculpture was Sarvanubhuti and Ambika. Next
Cakresvari are Siva and Vaishnavi, the two principal comes the figure of Dharanendra and Padmavati, the
deities of Saiva and Vaishnava sects. (Tiwari, 1983) Yaksha Yakshi pair of Parsvanath The Jaina
There are legends associating them with pantheon slowly developed around the twenty four
their defied teachers. An elaborate description of Thirthankaras who constitute the principal objects of
colour, form, attributes, vehicles, etc. distinguish the worship. (Sivaramamurti, 1983)
Yakshas and the Yakshis.
This pair was evidently intended to incomplete. Padmavati may originally have been a
accompany an image of Parsvanatha, the two images snake goddess like the Hindu goddess Manasa. Apart
reflect the work of the same sculptor in their from her serpent attributes, her most distinctive
modeling, ornamentation, and iconographic features. cognizance is a curious creature combining the forms
It is a fine example of the ornate sculptural style that of s serpent and a rooster. (Pal, 1994)
prevailed in the time. The Yaksha Dharanendra has almost
identical attributes, even though these do not
The four armed Padmavati is holding a
conform to his iconography. He normally would have
beautifully carved lotus in her lower right hand and a
been shown holding a serpent, but he does not have a
goad in her upper right. In her upper left she holds a
hood of three snakes.
noose, while the broken lower left hand, judging by
the gesture of her companion, must be in Varada The sculptures have several similar features.
mudra. This fits well with the description mentioned In both, the details of the noose and the lotus are
in the Trishashtisalapurushacharita, the Jain exceptionally fine, and even the flow of the garland
canonical text by Hemachandra. Her high and elegant is gracefully maintained. Both aureoles are
crown is topped by a single serpent hood. In the architecturally, consisting of moulded stambha, or
larger group she would have occupied a place to the pillars, on either side of the images, over each of
left of the Jina, hence to maintain a visual balance, which is a torana. These are decorated with six
her left leg is pendant. The details of her sari and floral-scroll roundels, and at each apex is a
waistband have not been carved, and even her beautifully carved Kirtimukha. (Pal, 1994)
bracelets and other ornaments have remained
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20 INTER. JOUR. SOC. SCI. HUM. JUNE 2012
References
1. Pal, Pratapaditya. Jaina art from India, Thames
& Hudson: New York, (1994) 25
2. Ibid.
3. Bhattacharya, A.K Indian and East Asian Art
and Iconography, Bharatiya Kala Prakashan:
Delhi (2007) 131
4. Ibid.
5. Ibid.
6. Tiwari, M.N.P. Elements of Jaina Iconography,
Indological Book House: Varanasi. (1983) p8
7. Sivaramamurti, C. Panorama of Jain Art, The
Times of India, New Delhi.(1983) 25
Fig. 2: Jina Parsvanatha 8. Pal, P. op. cit. 34
9. Ibid.
Karnataka; 11 –early 12th centuries Schist; 38 3/16 in.
th
10. Tiwari, op. cit. 8
(97cm)
11. Pal, P. op. cit. 165.
Courtesy: British Museum.
The seated figure of Parsvanatha is
represented in deep mediation, undisturbed by the
storms which have unleashed against his quietude.
He is sheltered by the seven hooded servant king
Dharanendra, who is also represented in
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