Yakshini

Yakshi under a flowering asoka tree. Shunga, 2nd-1st century BC, India

The three sites of Bharhut, Sanchi, and Mathura, have yielded huge numbers of Yakshi figures, most commonly on the railing pillars of stupas. These show a clear development and progression that establishes certain characteristics of the Yakshi figure such as her nudity, smiling face and evident (often exaggerated) secondary sexual characteristics that lead to their association with fertility. The yakshi is usually shown with her hand touching a tree branch, in a sinuous tribhanga pose, thus some authors hold that the young girl at the foot of the tree is based on an ancient tree deity.[6]

Yakshis were important in early Buddhist monuments as a decorative element and are found in many ancient Buddhist archaeological sites. They became Salabhanjikas (sal tree maidens) with the passing of the centuries, a standard decorative element of both Indian sculpture and Indian temple architecture.[7]

The sal tree (Shorea robusta) is often confused with the ashoka tree (Saraca indica) in the ancient literature of the Indian Subcontinent.[8] The position of the Salabhanjika is also related to the position of Queen Māyā of Sakya when she gave birth to Gautama Buddha under an asoka tree in a garden in Lumbini, while grasping its branch.[7]

In the Uddamareshvara Tantra, thirty-six yakshinis are described, including their mantras and ritual prescriptions. A similar list of yakshas and yakshinis are given in the Tantraraja Tantra, where it says that these beings are givers of whatever is desired. They are the guardians of the treasure hidden in the earth.They can be Sattvik, Rajas or Tamas in nature.

36 Yakshinis

A Yakshin, 10th century, Mathura, India. Guimet Museum.

The sadhak can take yakshini as mother, sister or wife before commencing it. Proper mantra dikshaa from guru can speed up the mantra siddhi. They can be invoked with mantra "Om hreem shreem nityadravae mada (yakshini name) shreem hreem". The list of thirty six yakshinis given in the Uddamareshvara Tantra is as follows, along with some of the associated legends:[5]

1. Vichitra (The Lovely One)
2. Vibhrama (Amorous One): She is a tamas yakshini and should be worshipped naked by lighting camphor, ghee, and her mantra should be recited 20,000 times. Her mantra should be written with dust from Cremation Ground. After that 20,000 times havan need to be performed with cow ghee.
3. Hamsi (The one with Swan)
4. Bhishani (The Terrifying)
5. Janaranjika (Pleasuring Men)
6. Vishala (Large Eyed)
7. Madana (Lustful)
8. Ghanta (Bell)
9. Kalakarni (Ears Adorned with Kalas): Recite her mantra 10000 times with blade of grass. She gives a shakti.
10. Mahabhaya (Greatly Fearful)
11. Mahendri (Greatly Powerful): Gives the person the ability to fly. One obtains Patala Siddhi.
12. Shankhini (Conch Girl ): Fulfilment of any desire.
13. Chandri (Moon Girl):
14. Shmashana (Cremation Ground Girl ): She is a Tamas yakshini.
15. Vatayakshini: She resides in the banyan tree.
16. Mekhala (Love Girdle): She gives magical unguent which when smeared subjugated women. The sadhak has to go to madhuka tree in blossom on 14th day of lunar cycle and must chant her mantra. "Om Drim hum madanamekalayai madanavidhambanayai namah svaha".
17. Vikala
18. Lakshmi (Wealth)
19. Malini (Flower Girl )
20. Shatapatrika (100 Flowers )
21. Sulochana (Lovely Eyed)
22. Shobha
23. Kapalini (Skull Girl)
24. Varayakshini: She bestows boons to sadhak.
25. Nati (Actress):
26. Kameshvari: She gives gems,clothes and secrets of alchemy to the sadhak.
27. Dhana yakshini: She is used to provide knowledge on past,present.She is a sattva yakshini.She also provide riches to the sadhak.The sadhak should climb and sit on banyan tree and chant 10000 times "Om Aim hreem shreem dhana kuru kuru swaha" during daytime.
28. Karnapisachi: She is a tamas yakshini.She is used by aghori to know about past and present life of person by whispering in ear of person who has attained siddhi.It is mentioned that sadhak should leave this Siddhi else the karnapisachi takes soul of sadhak for serving it for 1000 years.Her mantra is "Om arvinde swaha" which needs to be chanted 10000 times within 21 days.
29. Manohara (Fascinating)
30. Pramoda (Fragrant): For one month rise at midnight and pronounce the mantra for 1000 times. "Om hrim pramodyai swaha".
31. Anuragini (Very Passionate)
32. Nakhakeshi: She gives fruit on Siddhi.
33. Bhamini: She gives an wonderful unguent which smeared alludes women and helps find treasure. Recite her mantra at the time of an of eclipse. "Om hrim yakshini bhamini ratipriye swaha".
34. Padmini: She is mentioned in (35).
35. Svarnavati: She gives Anjana Siddhi.
36. Ratipriya (Fond of Love): She is a Satva yakshini.Her image should be drawn in yellow silk cloth with beautiful women Adorned with jewels and worshipped with ghee lamp,one unbroken nutmeg.She should be invoked with mantra "Om hrim ratipriya swaha" or "Om agacchh ratipriye swaha" each night(from 11.30 am to 3.30 am)till the yakshini manifests. During the time of sadhana,the sadhak should not eat Non veg, betel leaves. It is not suitable for married men.

An image of Jain goddess Ambika in Cave 34 of the Ellora Caves

An image of Jain goddess Chakreshvari, c. 10th century, Mathura Museum

Padmavati, 10th century, Metropolitan Museum of Art

In Jainism, there are twenty-five yakshis, including Panchanguli, Chakreshvari, Ambika, and Padmavati, who are frequently represented in Jain temples.[10] Each is regarded as the guardian goddess of one of the present tirthankar Shri Simandhar Swami and twenty-four Jain tirthankara. The names according to Tiloyapannatti (or Pratishthasarasangraha) and Abhidhanachintamani are:

• Panchanguli
• Chakreshvari
• Rohini, Ajitbala
• Prajnapti, Duritari
• Vajrashrankhala, Kali
• Vajrankusha, Mahakali
• Manovega, Shyama
• Kali, Shanta
• Jwalamalini, Mahajwala
• Mahakali, Sutaraka
• Manavi, Ashoka
• Gauri, Manavi
• Gandhari, Chanda
• Vairoti, Vidita
• Anantamati, Ankusha
• Manasi, Kandarpa
• Mahamansi, Nirvani
• Jaya, Bala
• Taradevi, Dharini
• Vijaya, Dharanpriya
• Aparajita, Nardatta
• Bahurupini, Gandhari
• Ambika or Kushmandini
• Padmavati
• Siddhayika

The Besnagar Yakshi, 3rd-1st century BC.

In the literature and folktales of Kerala, Yakshis are generally not considered benevolent. Many folk stories feature murdered women reborn as vengeful yakshis, some of which are listed below. Aside from those mentioned below, yakshis are also featured in Malayatoor Ramakrishnan's 1967 novel Yakshi, which describes their world as having a blue sun, carpets of crimson grass, streams of molten silver, and flowers made of sapphires, emeralds, garnets, and topaz. In the novel, young yakshis fly around on the backs of giant dragonflies. According to Ramakrishnan's novel, adult yakshis are required to enter the land of the living once a year to feed on the blood of human men.[3]

Kanjirottu Yakshi

Mangalathu Sreedevi or Chiruthevi, also known as Kanjirottu Yakshi is a yakshi from the folklore of Kerala. According to legend, she was born into a Padamangalam Nair tharavad by name Mangalathu at Kanjiracode in South Travancore. She was also known as Chiruthevi. She was a ravishingly beautiful courtesan who had an intimate relationship with Raman Thampi, son of King Rama Varma and rival of Anizhom Thirunal Marthanda Varma.[11] Made arrogant by her beauty and the adoration heaped on her by men, she enjoyed toying with men's lives and driving them to financial ruin.

However, Chiruthevi was truly in love with Kunjuraman, her palanquin-bearer, who was already married and uninterested in her romantically. In frustration, Chiruthevi arranged to have Kunjuraman's wife killed. Kunjuraman finally agreed to sleep with Chiruthevi, but then murdered her to avenge his wife.

Immediately after her death, Chiruthevi was reborn as a yakshi in the village of Kanjirottu, where she magically transformed into a beautiful woman mere moments after her birth. She terrorized men and drank their blood, and continued to harass Kunjuraman. Her frenzy only subsided after she made a deal with her brother Mangalathu Govindan, a close associate of Kunjuraman and a great upasaka of Lord Balarama. According to their agreement she would cohabit with Kunjuraman for a year on the condition that she would become a devotee of Narasimha after the year was up.[3][12] The yakshi was installed at a temple which later came to be owned by Kanjiracottu Valiaveedu, though this temple no longer exists.

Reserve Bank of India headquarters, Delhi entrance with a yakshini sculpture (c. 1960) depicting "Prosperity through agriculture".[13]

Statue of Yakshi by Kanayi Kunjiraman at Malampuzha Dam

Sundara Lakshmi, an accomplished dancer and consort of HH Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma, was an ardent devotee of Kanjirottu Yakshi Amma.

The Kanjirottu yakshi is now said to reside in Vault B of Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, which supposedly also contains an enormous treasure.[14] The enchanting and ferocious forms of this Yakshi are painted on the south-west part of Sri Padmanabha's shrine. The vault remains unopened due to ongoing legal issues[15] and the legend of the Yakshi, whom some believe will wreak havoc on the world if her prayers to Lord Narasimha within Vault B are disturbed by opening the vault.

Red sandstone 2nd century Kushan empire, mathura region, Dallas Museum of Art.

In China, Taiwan, and Japan yakshni are famous and well-known, such as Hariti, one of the Twenty-Four Protective Deities who are venerated as defenders of the Buddhist dharma in Mahayana Buddhism. The Kishimojin (Hariti) temple in Zoushigaya, Tokyo is dedicated to her.[16][17]

In Thailand, yakshni are known and worshiped as deity guardians in Tai Folk religion and Thai folklore, showing the influence of Buddhism and Hinduism on Thai culture. Yakshini have spirit houses and shrines devoted to them as Tutelary deities in Thai folk religion. Examples include Nang Phisuea Samudra (ศาลนางผีเสื้อสมุทร), considered the deity guardian of Phisuea Samut Fort, Phra Samut Chedi District, Samut Prakan Province, Seang Chan Beach in Mueang Rayong district, and Rayong province;[18][19][20][21][22] Nang Suphanapsron chomtevi (นางสุพรรณอัปสรจอมเทวี), considered the deity guardian of Wat Nang thakian (วัดนางตะเคียน) in Mueang Samut Songkhram district, and Samut Songkhram province;[23][24][25] and Nang Panturat (ศาลนางพันธุรัตน์) from the Sang Thong, considered the deity guardian of Khao Nang Panthurat Forest Park, Khao Yai Sup district, Cha-am district, and Phetchaburi province.[26]

In Myanmar, yakshni are known and worshiped as deity guardians in Myanmar folk religion and Burmese folklore, showing the influence of Buddhism and Hinduism on Burmese culture. Examples include Popa Medaw, the deity guardian of Popa mountain, and the yakshni deity guardian of the Shwedagon Pagoda.

• Succubus

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Yaksha.

• Concept of Yakshi (archived 21 July 2011)
• Encyclopædia Britannica — "Yaksha"
• RBI Monetary Museum — "Yaksha and Yakshini"
• Ideals of Female Beauty in Ancient India
• Huntingdon Archive Archived 6 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine