The Yakshas Divine Creatures of the Spirit world

The Yakshas Divine Creatures of the Spiritual World Dr Uday Dokras and Ms. Anh Nguyen Thi Tam The translation of The Mahamayuri Vidyarajni Sutra 佛母大孔雀明王經 says as follows at the start “I recite the Mahamayuri Vidyarajni Sutra, I wish that all my prayers be answered as desired. May spiritual beings of all heavens, be they living on earth, dwelling in space or residing in the waters, such as devas, nagas, asuras, marutas, garudas, gandharvas, kimnaras, mahoragas, yakshas, raksasas, pretas, pisacas, kumbandas, bhutas, putanas, kataputanas, skandas, unmadas, cchayas, apasmaras, ustarakas and the rest of the spirits, including all venomous creatures of witchcraft and demonic spirits, human beings, non-human beings and so forth; all evil, harms and inauspiciousness, all malignant diseases, all emissaries, all enemies, all fears, all poisons, all spells and incantations, and those who harbor evil intentions to end the life of others, who are bent on harmful ways, I entreat you to listen to my recitation of the Mahamayuri Vidyarajni Sutra. “ This important Buddhist Sutras acknowledges the presence of the Yakshas on this universe. But who were they or who are they? The yakshas (Sanskrit: यक्ष yakṣa; Pali: yakkha) are 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 yakṣī or yakshini (Sanskrit: यक्षिणी yakṣiṇī; Pali:Yakkhini). In Hindu, Jain and Buddhist texts, the yakṣa has 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 ghost (bhuta) that haunts the wilderness and waylays and devours travellers, similar to the rakṣasas. The yaksha are nature spirits who are benevolent, sometimes mischievous or capricious. Left: Yaksi from Bharhut; right: Yaksha from Pitalkhora, c. 2nd century CE. Several monumental yakshas are known from 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 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 indigenous peoples of India. Yaksha worship coexisted with the priest-conducted sacrifices of the Vedic periodThey were later viewed as the steward deities of the earth and the wealth buried beneath Tutelary deity  In early Indian art, male yakṣas are portrayed either as fearsome warriors or as portly, stout and dwarf-like. Yakṣiṇīs are portrayed as beautiful young women with happy round faces and full breasts and hips. Kubera YAK or Giant architectural protector of WAT TEMPLE in Thailand/Kubera, the God of Riches, In Hindu, Buddhist and Jain Religion, Kubera, the god of wealth and prosperity, is considered the king of the yakshas. He is regarded as the regent of the North (Dikapāla) and a 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 is equated with Vaiśravaṇa.Translations of Yaksha Sanskrit-यक्ष Pali-Yakkha Burmese-: bìlú Chinese-夜叉,yèchà Japanese,やしゃ夜叉 yasha) Khmer-យក្ស,(UNGEGN: yoks) Korean-야차(RR: yacha) Sinhala-යක්ෂ(yakṣa) Tibetan-གནོད་སྦྱིན་-(gnod-sbyin) Tamil-இயக்கர்,(yākka) Thai-ยักษ์, yak Vietnamese-dạ-xoa Painting of Āṭavaka, a yaksha who challenged the Buddha 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 the Jataka tales of the Pali Buddhist canon. The tale is similar to other folktales from a far-flung variety of places, including Iran, South Africa, the Philippines, and Jamaica, though its exact origins are uncertain. 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 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 a large list of yakshas that reside in the classical cities of ancient India[13] 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 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 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 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. Prambhanana in the Background A yaksha as a gate guardian (dvarapala) at Plaosan temple in Indonesia 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. Among 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. Shasan devatas in Jainism ' Digambara Yaksha Sarvahna', Norton Simon Museum, c. 900 CE/ Yaksha and yakshini couple Sarvānubhūti and Kuṣmāṇḍinī, with the Tirthankaras 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: Gomukha Mahayaksha Trimukha Yaksheshvara or Yakshanayaka Tumbaru Kusuma Varanandi or Matanga Vijaya or Shyama Ajita Brahma or Brahmeshvara Ishvara or Yakset Kumara Dandapani Patala Kinnara Kimpurusha or Garuda Gandharva Kendra or Yakshendra Kubera Varuna Bhrikuti Gomedha or Sarvahna Dharanendra or Parshvayaksha Matanga In Kālidāsa's poem Meghadūta, for instance, 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. The Yakkhas served as loyal subjects with the House of Vijaya and the yakkha chieftain sat on equal height to the Sri Lankan leaders on festival days. Face of the yakṣa Thotsakhirithon (ทศคีรีธร) at Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok Yakshas known as YAK there, are an important element in Thai temple art and architecture. They are common as guardians of 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 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 the alphabet. Yaksha couple standing on lotus leaves, the male (sic) holding a lotus bud and posed in shalabhanjika// Dvarapala Yaksha made of basalt. Statue found in Buddhist cave (Pitalkhora) and dates to 2nd century CE. On display in the Prince of Wales Museum.     Mudgarpani Yaksha, 2nd century BCE, Bharnakalan, Mathura Museum,Mudgarpani Yaksha 100 BCE/Vidisha Yaksha, 2nd century BCE, Vidisha Museum./ Gomedh and Ambika at Maharaja Chhatrasal Museum, 11th century DWARPALA or Yaksha Yaksha or Dwarpals or Door Guardians in Hindu Temple Architecture Indonesian The architectural elements of a Hindu temple have the capability to create a link between the divine and the man. A temple created following all the rules can help in attaining the spiritual knowledge and lead the soul to Moksh. Hindu temple architecture is one of the most important forms of Hindu architecture. The basic style of Hindu temples will always remain the same but there are differences in them according to the architecture. The Technical architecture of the Hindu temple reflects a lot about the synthesis of the values, believes, ideas and arts of those who built it. It is believed that all the elements of the Cosmos that are responsible for creating and celebrating life according to the Hindu culture from fire to water, on from feminine the masculine, from kama to arth, etc. areingrained in Temples and it is believed that the solutions to all the problems of life are in the temples and it is possible to manifest everything that you want by getting them constructed rightly. The Hindu temples are built according to mathematical and geometrical principles. The design of the temple architecture is done very carefully because there are very strong rules associated with them. It is believed that the souls of the Gods and Goddesses can be worshipped and the fruits are quick if the temple architecture is made perfectly. The temples according to Indian temple architecture are constructed according to a symmetry. There are many variations guitar created on a square grid of padas. It depicts the perfect shape of the geometry. The common shapes are circles and squares. The indian temple architecture design is based on the principle that everything is connected with each other. Stop the design of the temple helps in connecting a human being with the divine or The Almighty. Indian Temple designed with the principles of Indian architecture is capable of welcoming the divine souls through building the structured spaces that are mathematically correct, statues and carvings on the pillars, a network of beautiful art, etc. All this helps in achieving the necessary principles of mankind. The appropriate site for Indian temple architecture is first of all decided. Most of the time the site is chosen for building the temple according to the presence of birds and animals, Gardens with flowers, water bodies, etc. The layout of the temple is designed according to VastuPurushMandal which is the sanctum based on a geometrical design. VastuPurushMandal is a self-repeating and symmetrical Yantra. We follow this layout while making a Hindu temple design. It has been derived from mathematical principles, cardinality, myths, beliefs, etc. The carving of the temple n Hawaii began in 1990, in India, and that each piece is made from solid granite stone. Subsequently the parts were shipped to Kauai for assembly beginning in 2001. The planned date of completion is 2017. In the assembly there are no fasteners of any kind used. All the stone is fitted and balanced in the old way. The workers there use single-point chisels to cut and fit all the various pieces together. These men have learned their craft from their fathers, who learned from their fathers. They are specially chosen by the monks to come to the island for a specific period of time and do this very specialized work. In exchange for their services they are paid, housed and fed. Yet more importantly, while engaged in this work, the most frugal and financially savvy among them will have a home built back in India on a piece of land he will own at the end of his tenure working on the temple. Yogi said that these men will end up being fairly well-to-do and very well respected because they have worked here. A Temple Craftsman////Lion stonework carved from a single block According to Yogi there are only about 200 “Stapati”, or Master Builders, who are qualified to design a Hindu temple in the South Indian Chola style. These architects use ancient formulas and techniques only known by a few. It was explained that each temple has a “module” (a length measurement) which is unique. This number is derived from a secret formula which takes into account the astrological casting of the location, the diety installed, and certain measurements of the founder. In this case the number was 11’-7 1/4” . This module must be used for all the spacings of columns, and other distances in the design of the temple. Yogi laughed when he told me that even though the number must be used, there is no stipulation of exactly how it is applied. Therefore, he said that some columns are spaced center-to-center and some are spaced edge-to-edge while others may be spaced center-to-edge, etc. Because iron-based materials are considered inauspicious, and because steel rebar does not have the desired longevity for a Hindu temple, only copper, silver or gold are allowed to be used. In fact the entire crown of the temple is adorned with gold leaf! Yogi explained that the concrete foundation and slab floor was designed by an engineer. The monolithic concrete slab is 48” thick, made from a high-volume fly ash mix, with no reinforcement, and is placed on a 36” deep bed of compacted structural fill. Even though all of the construction was “old school” it was still required to meet the strict planning and building codes currently in effect in Kauai, which it did! Perhaps the most amazing aspect of the temple are the carved granite panels and ornamentation. These objects are often huge, and always carved from a single solid piece of stone. Some are used to form entire wall sections, while others act as columns, railings and other architectural elements. This most exciting elements to me were the full-sized carved lions. Each of them has it’s mouth open, showing a sharp set of teeth. But inside of each mouth is a solid granite ball which was carved in there! I can’t even imagine this task. How long must it take to achieve such a feat? And what happens if the chisel slips? I assume the carver must start all over with a new piece of stone. Not a trivial decision, since the larger and more elaborate stones weigh as much as seven tons and take four men two to three years to carve. A Dvarapala or Dvarapalaka (Sanskrit, "door guard Sanskrit pronunciation: [dʋaːɽɐpaːlɐ]) is a door or gate guardian often portrayed as a warrior or fearsome giant, usually armed with a weapon - the most common being the gada (mace). The dvarapala statue is a widespread architectural element throughout Hindu, Buddhist and Jaina cultures, as well as in areas influenced by them like Java. Jaya-Vijaya - the Dvarapalas of the god Vishnu's abode Vaikuntha are often depicted his temples, guarding the doors. Here they are guarding the sanctum of the Vishnu temple, Chennakesava Temple. Dwaarpalas at a Jain temple In most southeast Asian languages (including Thai, Burmese, Vietnamese, Khmer and Javanese), these protective figures are referred to as dvarapala. Sanskrit dvāra means "gate" or "door", and pāla means "guard" or "protector". The related name in Indonesian and Malaysia is dwarapala. Equivalent door guardians in northern Asian languages are Kongōrikishi or Niō in Japanese, Heng Ha Er Jiang in Chinese, and Narayeongeumgang in Korean. Dvarapalas as an architectural feature have their origin in tutelary deities, like Yaksha and warrior figures, such as Acala, of the local popular religion. Today some dvarapalas are even figures of policemen or soldiers standing guard. These statues were traditionally placed outside Buddhist or Hindu temples, as well as other structures like royal palaces, to protect the holy places inside. A dvarapala is usually portrayed as an armed fearsome guardian looking like a demon, but at the gates of Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka, dvarapalas often display average human features. In other instances a fierce-looking nāga snake figure may perform the same function. The sculptures in Java and Bali, usually carved from andesite, portray dvarapalas as fearsome giants with a rather bulky physique in semi kneeling position and holding a club. The largest dvarapala stone statue in Java, a dvarapala of the Singhasari period, is 3.7 meters tall. The traditional dvarapalas of Cambodia and Thailand, on the other hand, are leaner and portrayed in a standing position holding the club downward in the center. The ancient sculpture of dvarapala in Thailand is made of a high-fired stoneware clay covered with a pale, almost milky celadon glaze. Ceramic sculptures of this type were produced in Thailand, during the Sukhothai and Ayutthaya periods, between the 14th and 16th centuries, at several kiln complexes located in northern Thailand.  Depending on the size and wealth of the temple, the guardians could be placed singly, in pairs or in larger groups. Smaller structures may have had only one dvarapala. Often there was a pair placed on either side of the threshold to the shrine.[3] Some larger sites may have had four (lokapālas, guardians of the four cardinal directions), eight, or 12. In some cases only the fierce face or head of the guardian is represented, a figure very common in the kratons in Java. Dwarpals are security guards in Hindu temples, and every Divinity has his/her own Dwarapal. Vishnu, Shiva, Devi and others have those personal Dwarapals. . Western Malwa -6th century Dvarapalas are regular features of a major Hindu or Buddhist temple complex. They are the formidable looking ‘gate-keepers’ and guards in service of the presiding deity of the temple. They are the servants and the protectors of their masters. They are typically envisioned as huge and robust warriors. The pairs of Dvarapalas are most usually placed at the entrance to the temple and also at the door way to sanctum (garbha-griha). As you mentioned, each god or goddess has his or her own set of Dvarapalas. Classification: Dvarapalas are classified as parivara-devathas, meaning that Dvarapalas are semi-divine beings of a minor class who form the entourage of the main deity they serve. The Shilpa Sastra texts that deal with temple architecture (devalaya-vastu) after describing the temple layout, structure and other aspects  with particular reference to the attributes and disposition of the deity to be installed in the temple , do make a  mention of the nature and appearances of the Dvarapalas to be placed at different locations in the temple complex. There are in addition, numerous Dhyana-slokas, or word-pictures in verse that present graphic details of the form, substance and attribute of the deity and his or her attendants. These verses are meant for contemplation and guidance of the Shilpi, the sculptor. I do not know if there are any texts that deal exclusively with the depiction of the Dvarapalas. They form a detail of the larger picture. Since Dvarapalas are parivara-devathas, their appearance, attributes etc have to be in accordance with that of their Master, the principal deity that resides in the sanctum. Therefore their costume, weapons, insignia or emblems are indicative of the powers, virtues and magnificence of the presiding deity. Their appearances and stance herald the nature and disposition of the main deity; and also the affiliation of the temple- such as Shiva, Vishnu, and Devi etc. Accordingly, the Dvarapalas in a Vishnu temple are rather placid looking; modestly dressed and ornamented.  They are adorned with the signs and emblems of Vishnu such as the tilaka on their fore heads and urdhvapundra (Nama) on their faces, arms, chest etc.. They carry in their upper hands the conch (shankha) and   discus (chakra); and in the lower hands, the mace (gada) and a noose (pasha, coil of rope). They stand erect, cross-legged leaning on their mace as if they are resting. The gestures of their fingers and the look in their eyes caution one to behave properly in the presence of the divinity. The nature and appearance of the Dvarapalas of Vishnu are described in the Agama texts: Isvara Samhita and Pushkara Samhita.   Bhadra                                  Subhadra           Similarly, the Dvarapalas in a Shiva temple take after Virabhadra, the ferocious aspect of Shiva. They look fierce with bulging eyes, protruding curved sharp canine teeth, horns (at times); and with their threatening stance and fearsome weapons. They have thick mustaches, bushy eyebrows and  hairy abdomen.  They wear the emblems of Shiva, such as the stripes of ash, animal hides, long flowing unkempt hair etc. They carry a trident, mace, broad-sword and a noose. They look ferocious, gesture ominously and stand planting firmly a foot on the mace. The features of the Dvarapalas of Shiva are described in the latter part (uttarardha) ofKashyapa Shilpa Sastra.   In the Shaktha tradition where the distinctions between the gross and subtle forms are marked and sharp, the Dvarapalas of the female deities who represent the grosser elements of nature are fearsome looking females, modeled after the ferocious aspect of their Mother deity. They carry cutlasses and tridents; wear garlands of skull; and sport wild unkempt hair. Quite often they are portrayed with flashy eyes, long protruding teeth and tongue spread out of the open mouth. The Dvarapalas of the Devi are pictured in Kalika Puranam.’ In the Dakshina-chara School (the right handed method) of Sri Vidya tradition the guarding deities are the physical (sthula) representations of certain symbolic concepts. For instance, the outermost enclosure (avarana) of Sri Chakra, named Bhupura Chakra – the earth stretch, has four gates (dvara). The Eastern gate is the way of the mantras; the Southern gate is the way of devotion or bhakti; the Western gate is for the performance of rites and rituals, or karma-kanda.; and the Northern gate is the way of wisdom, or Jnana. The Mudra devathas, the standard bearers, the approach to the divinities and carrying seals of authority, guard those entrances. They resemble in appearance the auspicious form of the Mother Goddess and carry weapons such as bow, arrows, goad and noose. Being security in –charges they are well built, muscular, broad shouldered, very tall and sporting fearsome moustaches. Each is endowed with four arms.  They are elaborately adorned with Kirita (headgear), Bhuja –kirti (shoulder ornaments), karna-kundala (hanging earrings). They are always soldier-like and larger than life; but they can hardly be called very terrifying. The Dvarapala are not provided with halos or garlands. They always carry weapons; and are always depicted as standing guard. Dvarapalas are always in pair or in even numbers. The Agama texts recommend four pairs of Dvarapalas, each pair to guard a cardinal direction. The Dvarapala images are usually scaled in  saptha  (seven)  tala  or nava (nine) tala measure.   They are made either with two or four arms. The Dvarapalas, in each case, are in some way associated with their main deity through a legend detailed in a Purana. The Dvarapalas of major deities such as Vishnu or Shiva have recognizable names and specified positions. In the Agamas they are termed Ganeshvara, the chief of the horde. For instance the four pairs of Dvarapalas of Vishnu are (i) Chanda and Prachanda ;( ii) Dhatru and Vidhatru; (iii) Jaya and Vijaya; and (iv) Bhardra and Subhadra. The first named in each pair stands to the right of the doorway; and the other to the left. Similarly, the Dvarapalas of Shiva are (i) Nandi and Mahakala (to the East) ;( ii) Herambha and Bhringi (to the South); (iii) Durmukha and Pandura (to the West) and(iv) Sita and Asita (to the North). The Brahma too is said have four sets of Dvarapalas facing four directions: Satya-Dharma; Priyodbhava – Yajna; Vijaya – Yajnabhadra; and, Sarvakamada – Vibhava. The Dvarapalas of Skanda are named as Sudeha and Sumukha. They are said to be Brahmin brothers; but , are depicted with four arms. The four doors of Ganapathi temple are guarded by four sets of Dvarapalas : Avijna – Vijnaraja (East ) ; Suvakthra – Balavan (South ) ; Gajakarna – Gokarna (West ) ; and , Susoumya (Soumya ) – Shubadayaka (Abhaya ) on the North.  They are titled as Ashta-Prathihari (retinue of eight guards). All of them are short statured having cruel looks and carrying fearsome weapons. Along with the Dvarapalas their subordinates are depicted in minor relief at on the base of the images. The pairs of Dvarapalas guarding the temple and placed in its exterior (at the entrances) are larger in size and more ferocious or threatening in appearance , with a “dare not enter” look to their faces and gestures , perhaps to keep away the evil influences. The Dvarapalas flanking the doorway to the sanctum are comparatively modest. The Dwarapalas in the Hoysala temples are particularly graceful with ornate jewellery to suit the delicately carved interiors; gently holding lotuses as if inviting the devotee to God’s home. The historical development in the depictions of Dvarapalas is quite interesting.  The Dvarapalas in the Pallava temples were made fierce. But, the Dvarapalas of the Chola temples are truly awesome intended to strike terror in the hearts of the wicked. They are massive towering up on the walls, snarling you down with sharp oversized fangs, riding on the Yali (mythical beast) making one feel tiny and submissive.   However ,  by the time of Vijayanagar (15-16th century) the Dvarapalas grew a shade smaller but muscular and more ornate; they didn’t appear to lean on a mace or a lance- like weapon but stood tall or cross-legged. But the artistic excellence in depicting the Dvarapalas reached its zenith in the Hoysala architecture. Their intricate patterns, adornments are chiselled like a jewel, with extreme care.  They are magnificent works of art in their own right. Most of the Dvarapala images are sculpted according to the Agama prescriptions. But the shilpis do tend to improvise and avail artistic liberties. Sometimes, Shilpis the temple architects employed massive Dwarapalas at the entrances to symbolically emphasize the grandeur, majesty and magnificence of the Lord residing in the temple. For instance, the Dwarapalas at the Brihadeshwara temple of Thanjavur are massive. But, what is more interesting is theme the sculptures devised to drive home the message. The entire Dvarapala panel is basically related to the image of the elephant, the largest land-animal, depicted within its frame; and you have to work back to gain an estimate of the size and power of the Dvarapala. At the bottom of the panel is the image of an elephant which is being swallowed by a serpent which in turn is coiled around the mace held in the hands of the Dvarapala. The serpent looks quite tiny in comparison to the mace on which the Dvarapala has planted his foot. The mace looks like a toy in the hands of the Dvarapala. You can work-back the size and power of the Dvarapala, staring from the elephant. The Dvarapalas in turn look modest in comparison to the temple and its tower. The Lord who has in his service such gigantic gatekeepers and who resides in such a magnificent temple must truly be mighty and powerful, true to his name Brihadishwara. Kshetrapalas: While the Dvarapalas guard the doors of their deities, the Kshetrapala, on the other hand, guards the entire temple –complex. The Kshetrapalas have broader functions; and , in hierarchy placed higher than Dvarapalas. The Kshetrapala are the protectors of a settlement, a village, a field or a temple. Kshetra literally means a field or specifically a field of activity (In a broader sense the body is the Kshetra the field; and the one who resides in it as the Antaryamin is kshetrajna).   Kshetrapalas are basically the folk guardian deities who are very popular in village cults.  They are entrusted with the task of safe guarding a Kshetra (a village, a field or a temple) against dangers coming from all the eight spatial directions. In the villages of South India Kshetrapalas are placed in small temples or in open spaces outside of the village..Sometimes in the village open- courtyards blocks of stone are designated and worshipped as Kshetrapala. They are offered worship on occasions of important community celebrations. In a major temple complex, particularly of Shiva, the Kshetrapala is provided a small shrine on the North-East side within the temple courtyard for safeguarding the temple. Worship is offered to Kshetrapala prior to important rituals, praying for efficient and safe conclusion of that ritual. The Kshetrapala on the other hand have broader functions. Kshetrapalas are installed and worshipped in Jain and Buddhist traditions also Buddhist Kshetrapala The Kshetrapalas are identified with Bhairava the terrible aspect of Shiva; as also with the ferocious looking Veerabhadra the son of Shiva. . According to one legend Siva created Kshetrapala along with others to organize the army of Kali when she went to fight the demon Daruka.In the Sri Vishvanatha temple at Kasi, the Kshetrapala there also performs the function of Dvarapala, to guard the Lord against impure elements. When Kshetrapala attends to Mahakala, the Lord of death who resides in the burning Ghats, it is said, Kshetrapala wearing a skull cup, holding a chopper, rides a black bear. When the Kshetrapala are depicted in images, they are generally:  awe inspiring, terrifying, huge, three eyed, untidy, wielding a number of weapons and usually accompanied by dogs . 13