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28-679: In East Asia, they are also variously known as the Eight Great Yakṣas (八大藥叉), the Eight Great Heavenly Kings (八大天王), and the Eight Brothers of Vaiśravaṇa (毘沙門八兄弟). The term yakṣarākṣasa has been used as a general term to denote the many classes of spirits in Indian mythology, combining the words yakṣa and rākṣasa . According to Buddhist mythology, Vaiśravaṇa is the chief of these beings, and long ago dwelt together with them in

56-558: A broad class of nature spirits , usually benevolent, but sometimes mischievous or capricious, connected with water, fertility, trees, the forest, treasure and wilderness. They appear in Hindu , Jain and Buddhist texts , as well as ancient and medieval era temples of South Asia and Southeast Asia as guardian deities. The feminine form of the word is IAST : Yakṣī or Yakshini ( Sanskrit : यक्षिणी , IAST : Yakṣiṇī ; Pali : Yakkhini ). In Hindu, Jain and Buddhist texts,

84-613: A green complexion. Yakshas and their female counterparts are common in the Buddhist literature of Thailand , such as in The Twelve Sisters and Phra Aphai Mani . As ogres , giants, and ogresses, yakshas are present as well in Thai folklore . " ย ยักษ์ " ( yo yak ) 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

112-798: A large list of yakshas that reside in the classical cities of ancient India who are invoked to seek the protection of the BuddhaDharma: "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 Rajagrha Often dwells in Mount Grdhrakuta . The deity Garuda resides in

140-544: Is a guardian specializing in combat or warfare , especially within the context of a tribal or clan -based warrior culture society that recognizes a separate warrior aristocracy , class , or caste . Warriors seem to have been present in the earliest pre-state societies. Scholars have argued that horse-riding Yamnaya warriors from the Pontic–Caspian steppe played a key role during the Indo-European migrations and

168-497: Is considered the king of the yakshas and protector of the world ( Lokapāla ). His many epithets 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 mongoose . He is often seen with Lakshmi , the Hindu goddess of wealth, fortune and prosperity. In Buddhism, he

196-611: Is equated with Vaiśravaṇa . In Buddhist literature, the yakṣa 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 Bhaiṣajyaguru , 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

224-544: 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. 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

252-605: 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. Among

280-717: The yakṣa narrator is a romantic figure, pining with love for his missing beloved. By contrast, in the didactic Hindu dialogue of the Yakṣapraśnāḥ "Questions of the Yakṣa ", it is a tutelary spirit of a lake that challenges Yudhiṣṭhira . 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. Yakshas ( Thai : ยักษ์ , RTGS :  Yak ) are an important element in Thai temple art and architecture . They are common as guardians of

308-420: The yakṣa s have a dual personality. On the one hand, a yakṣa may be an inoffensive nature- fairy , associated with woods and mountains; but there is also a darker version of the yakṣa , which is a kind of ( bhuta ) that haunts the wilderness and waylays and devours travellers, similar to the rakṣasas . Yakshas appear in Hindu , Jain and Buddhist texts. Several monumental yakshas are known from

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336-676: The Jataka tales of the Pali Buddhist canon. In the story "Prince Five-Weapons and the Sticky-Haired Demon", Silesaloma is described as being the height of a palm tree, with sharp teeth and two yellow tusks, and a coat of thick, matted fur. A bodhisattva named Prince Panchayudha (Five-Weapons) attempted to kill Silesaloma, but all his attacks, from both his weapons and his bare hands, were thwarted by Silesaloma's sticky hair. Ultimately, Prince Panchayudha impressed Silesaloma with his bravery, and

364-740: The Twenty-Eight Great Yakṣa Generals . Their names are given in the Commentary on the Mahāvairocana Abhisaṃbodhi Tantra (大毘盧遮那成佛經疏) as follows: This Mahayana -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This Buddhist mythology-related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about a deity is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Yak%E1%B9%A3a The Yakshas ( Sanskrit : यक्ष , IAST : Yakṣa , Pali : Yakkha ) are

392-816: The tutelary deity of a city, district, lake, or well. Their worship, together with popular belief in nagas (serpent deities), feminine fertility deities, and mother goddesses, may have had its origin among the early Hindu people of India. Yaksha worship coexisted with the priest-conducted sacrifices of the Vedic period. They were later viewed as the steward deities of the earth and the wealth buried beneath. In early Indian art, male yakṣas are portrayed either as fearsome warriors or as portly, stout and dwarf-like . Yakṣiṇī s are portrayed as beautiful young women with happy round faces and full breasts and hips. In Hindu, Buddhist and Jain Religion, Kubera , wealth and prosperity,

420-454: The 12th to the late 19th century. In contrast to the beliefs of the caste and clan-based warrior, who saw war as a place to attain valor and glory , warfare was a practical matter that could change the course of history. That was the approach of the Roman legions , which had only the incentive of promotion, as well as a strict level of discipline. When Europe's standing armies of the 17th and

448-509: The 18th centuries developed, discipline was at the core of their training. Officers had the role of transforming men that they viewed as lower class to become reliable fighting men. Inspired by the Ancient Greek ideals of the ' citizen soldier ', many European societies during the Renaissance began to incorporate conscription and raise armies from the general populace. A change in attitude

476-527: The Murtipujaka Śvētāmbaras, the Tristutik Gaccha sect (both historical founded by Silagana and Devabhadra, and the modern sect organised by Rajendrasuri ) object to the worship of shruta-devatas. In Jainism, there are twenty-four yakshas and twenty-four yakshis that serve as śāsanadevatās for the twenty-four tirthankaras: These yakshas are as follows: In Kālidāsa 's poem Meghadūta , for instance,

504-1044: 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 Vaidisa . The yaksha Karttikeya resides in Rohitaka . 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

532-533: The alphabet. 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'. In Sinhalese, Demons are also known as yakshayo (Singular: Yakshaya ). Warrior A warrior

560-564: 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." Jains mainly maintain cult images of Arihants and Tirthankaras , 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

588-420: The diffusion of Indo-European languages across Eurasia. Most of the basic weapons used by warriors appeared before the rise of most hierarchical systems. Bows and arrows , clubs , spears , swords , and other edged weapons were in widespread use. However, with the new findings of metallurgy , the aforementioned weapons had grown in effectiveness. When the first hierarchical systems evolved 5000 years ago,

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616-506: The gap between the rulers and the ruled had increased. Making war to extend the outreach of their territories, rulers often forced men from lower orders of society into the military role. That had been the first use of professional soldiers, a distinct difference from the warrior communities. The warrior ethic in many societies later became the preserve of the ruling class . Egyptian pharaohs would depict themselves in war chariots , shooting at enemies, or smashing others with clubs. Fighting

644-511: The gates in Buddhist temples throughout the country since at least the 14th century. Ceramic sculptures of guardian yakshas were produced in Thailand , during the Sukhothai and Ayutthaya periods , between the 14th and 16th centuries, at several kiln complexes in northern Thailand . They are mostly depicted with a characteristic face, having big round bulging eyes and protruding fangs , as well as

672-630: The realm of darkness. When Vaiśravaṇa converted to Buddhism , the many demonic spirits under his jurisdiction likewise assumed the role of devotees to the Buddha. Originally malevolent beings, their conversion led to their deification as benevolent guardian deities. Among the many yakṣas under Vaiśravaṇa's rule, the Eight Great Yakṣa Generals are ranked at the top of the hierarchy. Always at Vaiśravaṇa's command, these deities command 36,000 yakṣas that serve their king and are said to protect those who venerate them. A similar list may be found among

700-611: The time of the Maurya Empire period. They are variously dated from around the 3rd century BCE to the 1st century BCE. These statues are monumental (usually around 2 metres tall), and often bear inscriptions related to their identification as yakshas. They are considered as the first known monumental stone sculptures in India. Two of these monumental yakshas are known from Patna , one from Vidisha and one from Parkham , as well as one yakshini from Vidisha. The yakṣas may have originally been

728-467: The yaksha decided to let him go. Panchayudha explained that Silesaloma's monstrous state was caused by wicked deeds from his past lives, and he taught the yaksha the five precepts , after which Silesaloma renounced violence and transformed into a friendly forest spirit. The Mahāmāyūrīvidyārājñī Sūtra, a text that dates back to fourth century or earlier (translated from the Sanskrit by Kumarajiva ), gives

756-428: Was considered a prestigious activity but only when associated with status and power. European mounted knights would often feel contempt for the foot soldiers recruited from lower classes. In Mesoamerican societies of pre-Columbian America, the elite aristocratic soldiers remained separated from the lower classes of stone-throwers. The samurai were the hereditary military nobility and officer caste of Japan from

784-479: Was noted as well, as officers were told to treat their soldiers with moderation and respect. For example, men who fought in the American Civil War often elected their own officers. With the mobilization of citizens in the armies sometimes reaching the millions, societies often made efforts in order to maintain or revive the warrior spirit. That trend continues to the modern day. Due to the heroic connotations of

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