NO. 6 YAKSAS — COOMARASWAMV 21 



was of goodly proportions as to breadth, length, and height ; and it was black 

 .... smooth and massive, eight-cornered, like the face of a mirror, very de- 

 lightful, and variously figured with wolves, bulls, horses, men, dolphins, birds, 

 snakes, elves, runi-deer, sarabha-deer, yak-oxen, elephants, forest creepers, and 



padmaka creepers It was shaped like a throne, and was comforting 



.... comely. 



In those days, at that time, there arrived the reverent elder Subhamme 



amidst a company of five hundred friars he travelled on and on, journeying in 

 pleasantness, he came to the city of Campa and the sanctuary Punnabhadde he 

 took a lodging such as was meet, and abode there. People came out from 

 Campa to hear his preaching. 



The Anfagada Dasdo, chapter 6, in connection with the garland- 

 maker Ajjunae provides interesting details regarding the cult and 

 shrine of the Jakkha Moggara-pani. The following ahstract includes 

 all that is pertinent to our study : ' 



Outside the city of Rayagihe (Rajagrha) Ajjunae possessed a beautiful 

 flower-garden. Some way from this garden there was a shrine (jakkhayayana) 

 sacred to the Jakkha Moggara-pani; this shrine "had belonged to Ajjunae's 

 grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great-grandfather, and had passed 

 through a line of many men of his race " (by whom it had been supported in 

 past generations). "In it there stood a figure of the Jakkha Moggara-pani 

 holding a great iron mace a thousand palas in weight." Every morning, before 

 plying his trade, Ajjunae would go to the garden with baskets and cloths to 

 gather flowers ; then " with the chiefest and best flowers he would approach the 

 jakk'hciyayaita of the Jakkha Moggara-pani, fall upon his knees, and do rever- 

 ence." On a certain festival day he took with him his wife Bandhumai. 



Meanwhile a certain gang of roughnecks from Rayagihe had made their way 

 to the shrine to take their pleasure there; seeing Ajjunae and his wife, they plan 

 to bind him and take possession of her. To this end they hid themselves behind 

 the doors; when Ajjunae had made his offerings, they seized him as arranged, 

 and worked their will on his wife. Ajjunae reflected, " Verily I have been from 

 childhood a worshipper of my lord the Jakkha Moggara-pani ; now if the 

 Jakkha Moggara-pani were present here, could he behold me falling into such 

 ill-fortune? Then the Jakkha Moggara-pani is not present here: 'tis plain this 

 is but a log." Moggara-pani, however, became aware of Ajjunae's thoughts, and 

 took possession of his body ; having done so he seized the iron mace, and smote 

 down the six villains and the woman. 



Ajjunae, still possessed by the Jakkha, now went about killing six men and a 

 woman everyday. The matter was brought to the king's notice. He proclaimed 

 that people should stay at home, and not go out of doors about their usual tasks. 

 ■ A Jaina ascetic then arrived. Despite the king's orders and the danger, the pious 

 merchant Sudamsane cannot be dissuaded from going out to pay his respects to 

 the ascetic. The Jakkha meets and threatens him ; but Sudariisane, without fear, 

 immediately makes full profession of the monastic vows, and thus, as it were, 

 armed in the Lord, the Jakkha cannot approach him, but comes to a halt, staring 



' Translation by Barnett, 1907, p. 86. I have restored the original jakklia and 

 jakkhdyayatia in place of Harnett's " fairy " and " fairy-shrine." 



