The Yakshas (, , ) in Mythology are a broad class of , usually benevolent, but sometimes mischievous or capricious, connected with water, fertility, trees, the forest, treasure and wilderness.[For यक्षी as the feminine of यक्षः see V. S. Apte, The Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary, p. 776.] or Yakshini (, ; ).[For yakṣiṇī (यक्षिणी) as a regular Sanskrit term for a female yakṣa, and yakṣaṇī as a Buddhist variant, see Franklin Edgerton, Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Grammar and Dictionary, Vol. 2, Motilal Banarsidass, first Ed., 1953, p. 442.]
In Hindu, Jain and Buddhist texts, the s have a dual personality. On the one hand, a may be an inoffensive nature-fairy, associated with woods and mountains; but there is also a darker version of the , which is a kind of (bhuta) that haunts the wilderness and waylays and devours travellers, similar to the rakshasas.
Early yakshas
Yakshas appear in Hindu texts, Jainism and Buddhist texts texts.
Kubera
In Hindu, Buddhist and Jain Religion, Kubera, wealth and prosperity, is considered the king of the yakshas and protector of the world ( Lokapāla). In Buddhism, he is equated with Vaiśravaṇa.
His many extol him as the overlord of numerous semi-divine species and the owner of the treasures of the world. Kubera is often depicted with a plump body, adorned with jewels, carrying a money-pot and a club. His vahana (vehicle) is the Viverrinae. He is often seen with Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth, fortune and prosperity.
In Buddhism
In Buddhist literature, the are the attendants of Vaiśravaṇa, the guardian of the northern quarter, a beneficent god who protects the righteous. The term also refers to the Twelve Heavenly Generals who guard Bhaisajyaguru, the Medicine Buddha. The yakshas of many Buddhist stories are ugly ogres, reborn in that form because of sins committed during their past lives as humans.
One such malevolent yaksha, Silesaloma, appears in the Jataka tales of the Pali Buddhist canon. In the story "Prince Five-Weapons and the Sticky-Haired Demon",
The Mahamayuri Sūtra, a text that dates back to fourth century or earlier (translated from the Sanskrit by Kumarajiva), gives a large list of yakshas that reside in the classical cities of ancient India[V.] who are invoked for the protection of the Buddhist dharma:
"The deity Krakucchanda resides in Pataliputra.
Aparajita resides in Sthuno.
The great yaksha Bhadra resides in Saila.
The great deity Manava resides in Uttara.
The great sage Vajrapani though lives in Rajgir
Often dwells in Vulture Peak.
The deity Garuda resides in the Vipula mountain.
Citragupta resides in Citemukha.
The yaksha Vakula resides in Rajagrha.
...
The yaksha king Mahagiri resides in Girinagara.
The yaksha Vasava resides in Vidisha.
The yaksha Karttikeya resides in Rohtak.
This yaksha Kumara is renowned in the great city.
...
Vaisravana who resides in the city Alakavati,
Located along the jewelled stairway of the Buddha's descent,
Is surrounded by billions of gods and goddesses.
Such yakshas command huge and powerful contingents of troops
To subjugate adversaries and enemies,
Conquering all.
They are famous throughout all directions.
Imbued with great dignity and virtue,
They come to aid
In the battles between the heavens and asuras.
These deities of virtues and great yaksha generals are located everywhere in Jambudvipa. They uphold and protect the Buddhadharma, generating compassion."
In Jainism
Jainism mainly maintain of Arihants and , who have conquered the inner passions and attained moksha. Yakshas and yakshinis are found in pair around the cult images of Jinas, serving as guardian deities. The yaksha is generally on the right-hand side of the Jina image while the yakshini is on the left-hand side. They are regarded mainly as devotees of the Jina and have supernatural powers. They are also wandering through the cycles of births and deaths just like the worldly souls, but have supernatural powers.[Pramodaben Chitrabhanu, Jain symbols, Ceremonies and Practices]
The Harivamsapurana (783 CE) refers to them as Shasandevatas. Initially among the yakshas, Manibhadra and Purnabadra yakshas and Bahuputrika yakshini were popular. The yaksha Manibhadra is worshipped by the Jains affiliated with the Tapa Gachchha. During tenth and thirteenth centuries yaksha Saarvanubhuti, or Sarvahna and yakshinis Chakreshvari, Ambika, Padmavati, and Jwalamalini became so popular that independent temples devoted to them were erected.
Yakshas and yakshinis are common among the Murtipujaka Śvētāmbara and Bispanthi Digambara Jains. The Digambara Terapanth movement opposes their worship.
Shasan devatas in Jainism
In Jainism, there are twenty-four yakshas and twenty-four yakshis that serve as śāsanadevatās for the twenty-four tirthankaras:
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Gomukha
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Mahayaksha
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Trimukha
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Yaksheshvara or Yakshanayaka
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Tumbaru
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Kusuma
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Varanandi or Matanga
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Vijaya or Shyama
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Ajita
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Brahma or Brahmeshvara
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Ishvara or Yakset
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Kumara
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Dandapani
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Patala
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Kinnara
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Kimpurusha or Garuda
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Gandharva
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Kendra or Yakshendra
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Kubera
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Varuna
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Bhrikuti
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Gomedha or Sarvahna
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Dharanendra or Parshvayaksha
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Matanga
In poems
In Kālidāsa's poem Meghadūta, for instance, the narrator is a romantic figure, pining with love for his missing beloved. By contrast, in the didactic Hindu dialogue of the Yaksha Prashna "Questions of the ", it is a tutelary deity of a lake that challenges Yudhishthira.
In Mahavamsa poem of Sri Lanka, a local population is given the term Yakkhas. Prince Vijaya encountered the royalty of the yakkhas' queen, Kuveni, in her capital of Lanka pura and conquered them.
In Nepal
File:Architectural Support with Squatting Dwarf LACMA M.86.247.3.jpg|Architectural Support with Squatting Dwarf, 11th century, Los Angeles County Museum of Art
File:Spout of Bhimsen Hiti, Bhaktapur.jpg|Yaksha beneath the spout of Bhimsen Hiti, Bhaktapur
File:Maruhiti-IMG 2665.jpg|Yaksha at Maru hiti, Kathmandu
File:Natapol Temple-IMG 3653.jpg|Yaksha beneath the spout of Lun Hiti, Bhaktapur
File:MET DP101030.jpg|Yakshas relief, 8th–9th century, Metropolitan Museum of Art
In Nepal, squat stone versions of yakshas (sometimes twinned) were used as elements in construction. Their role was that of a caryatid, which supports a part of the building, for example a column.[ Nepal Mandala: A Cultural Study of the Kathmandu Valley by Mary Shepherd Slusser, Vol. 1, Princeton University Press, 1982, p 154-157]
In Thailand
Yakshas (, ) are an important element in Thai temple art and architecture.
yo yak "ย ยักษ์" is also used as an illustration in order to name the letter ย, the 34th consonant of the Thai alphabet, according to the traditional letter symbols Thai children use to memorise the alphabet.
In Sri Lanka
Yakshas are regarded as one of the ancient clans of Sri Lanka. The word "Yagasha" has been found in a cave inscription in Tamketiya in Nailgala, Kaltota written in early Brahmi script. Professor Raj Somadeva translates the word as 'belonging
to Yakshas' or 'who wrote this inscription are Yakshas'.
Gallery
File:Sanchi 8-17.jpg|Yaksha couple standing on lotus leaves, the male (sic) holding a lotus bud and posed in shalabhanjika
File:Dvarapala Yaksha.JPG|Dvarapala Yaksha made of basalt. Found in Buddhist cave (Pitalkhora), 2nd century CE. Prince of Wales Museum
File:Mudgarpani Yaksha - Circa 2nd Century BCE - Bharnakalan - ACCN 87-145 - Government Museum - Mathura 2013-02-24 6146.JPG|Mudgarpani, 2nd century BCE, Bharnakalan, Mathura Museum
File:Vidisha District Museum Yaksha.jpg|Vidisha Yaksha, 2nd century BCE, Vidisha Museum
File:Maharaja Chhatrasal Museum Dhubela Exhibit Item (5).JPG|Gomedh and Ambika, 11th century, Maharaja Chhatrasal Museum
File:夜叉鬼.JPG|Carving of a yaksha (夜叉)
See also
Sources
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Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend () by Anna Dhallapiccola
External links
