NO. 6 YAKSAS — COOMARASWAMY 5 



and the affection felt by men toward them. As remarked by Levi 

 (loc. cit. infra), " le Yaksa est essentiellement un personage divin 

 etroitement associe par la tradition aux souvenirs locaux . . . . ils 

 rappellent de bien pres nos saints patronaux." 



The word Yaksa* is first found in the Joiininiya Brahinana (in, 

 203, 272), where, however, it means nothing more than " a wondrous 

 thing." In the sense of a " spirit " or genius, usually associated with 

 Kubera (the chief of Yaksas) it does not appear before the period of 

 the Grhya Sutras where Yaksas are invoked together with a numer- 

 ous and very miscellaneous host of other major and minor deities, all 

 classed as Bhutas," " Beings," in the Grhya ritual at the close of Vedic 

 studies f in a somewhat later book they are possessing spirits of 

 disease.* The Sankhayana Grhya Sutra mentions Manibhadra. 



In the Satapatha Brahinana, Kubera is a Raksasa and lord of rob- 

 bers and evil-doers : this may only mean that he was an aboriginal 

 deity, alien to Brahman orthodoxy. In the Sutras he is invoked with 

 Isana for the husband in the marriage ritual, and his hosts plague 

 children (cf. Hariti in her original character). 



The following Yaksas and Devatas are represented and named at 

 Bharhut : Su]:iavasu Yakho, Yirudhako Yakho, Gaiigita Yakho. 

 Suciloma Yakho, Kupiro Yakho (Kuvera), Ajakalako Yakho; 

 Sudasana Yakhi, Cada (Canda) Yakhi ; Sirima Devata, Culakoka 

 Devata, INIahakoka Devata. 



Yaksas by name or as a class are much more familiar figures in the 

 Epics. In the Rdmdyana, 3, n, 94, we find yaksattva amaratvani ca, 

 " spirithood and immortality " together, as boons bestowed by a god 

 or gods. Men of the Sattvik (" pure ") class worship the gods 

 (Devas), those of the Rajasik ("passionate") class, Yaksas and 



^ The word Yaksa occurs in the following forms, which are here retained 

 in citations : 



Sanskrit, Vaksa. (/.) Vaksl, Yaksim: Pali, Yakkha. Yakkh'i. Yakkhiin: 

 Prakrit, Jakkha, Jakkhim; Sirhhalese, Yaka, Yakl. 



The word is perhaps of indigenous non-Aryan origin. Tlie later Rdmdyana 

 proposes an explanation which looks like mere folk etymology : Brahma 

 created beings to guard the waters, and of these some cried " rak.samah," " let 

 us guard," and others " yaksamah," " let us gobble," becoming thus Raksasas 

 and Yaksas. The idea is perhaps derived from the big belly which is the most 

 constant feature in Yaksa iconography. 



^ Siva is " Bhiitesvara," and Yaksas are often called Bhutas ; the word Bhuta 

 may mean "those who have become (Yaksas)," cf. Mahdvamsa, Ch. X, verse 

 yakkha-bhilta, " those that had become Yaksas." 



^ Sdnkhdyana Grhya Siltra, IV, 9; Asvaldyana G. S., Ill, 4; Pdi-askara G. S.. 

 II, 12. (Keith, Religion and philosot'hy of the J^eda, p. 213.) 



* Mdnava Grhya Sutra, 11, 14: Keith, %b. p. 242. 



