yaksha

[ yok-shah ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

, Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism.

any of a class of nature spirits or deities who guard places or treasure: most are considered benevolent, but some are thought to be capricious, mischievous, or malicious.
a statue depicting such a spirit, often placed guarding another deity or flanking a temple gate.

Origin of yaksha¹

First recorded in 1780–90; from Sanskrit yakṣa

Art thou a female Yaksha, or a female Rakshasa, or a celestial damsel?

She helps to kill Bhishma in the great war, having changed her sex with a Yaksha.

Then the Yaksha revealed himself in the form of Dharma, god of wisdom and justice, for behold!

Arjuna, being thus admonished, went forth on the tenth day with Sikhandin, born a woman and made a male by a Yaksha.

Then the Bodhisattva looking at the Yaksha spoke to him mild words expressive of his adherence to the virtue of forbearance.

Browse