Yakṣas: Essays in the Water CosmologyYaksas is the sixth in the series of the Collected Works of A. K. Coomaraswamy in the IGNCA's publication programme. Yaksas was originally published by the Freer Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution in two parts (1928 and 1931). Subsequently, Ananda Coomaraswamy rethought his topic and collected a great deal of iconographic and literary material that permitted him to reconstitute a pre-Vedic cosmology with which the Yaksas, a whole series of pre-and non-Vedic divinities, were intimately associated. In part 1, Coomaraswamy examined the origin of Yaksas in the context of Vedic, Brahmanical and Upanisadic literature, as also theories held by writers such as Fergusson and Dr. Vogel. He attempted to bring together, from literary and archaeological sources, material sufficient to present a clear picture of an even more important phase of non- and pre-Aryan preoccupation with the concept of the Yaksas and Yaksis. Coomaraswamy's thorough revisions of the early chapters of part 1 are incorporated in this edition. Coomaraswamy dealt with the interpretative levels of the artistic motif in part 2. He delved deeper to unfold the water cosmology underlying what may appear on surface as either a minor deity or tutelary God, or only an ornamental motif. He revealed that the Yaksas do not as much control the waters as mere waters but are the essence in the waters which is one with the serpent, tree or amrita or elixir of the Devas. Coomaraswamy did not restrict himself to the Indian literature on water cosmology but drew attention to many ancient cultures, e.g. those of Egypt and Iran. Through the examination of sources of water cosmology and the motifs of the Yaksas, he examined that other motif ofIndian art, namely, the Mithuna. He showed the connection between water cosmology, Yaksas, and the idea of the productive pair Mithuna to not only Varuna but also to the other motifs known to both Indian and European traditions, such as the motif of the Holy Grail and the Tree of Life. The previously unpublished part 3 completes Coomaraswamy's treatment of the Yaksas theme. The publication of this seminal critical text, with the addition of new materials previously unpublished and obtained from manuscript sources housed in the Princeton University Library, will facilitate further research and interpretation. |
Contents
MāraKamadeva and the Buddha | 25 |
Kubera Vaiśravaṇa and Others | 35 |
Naigameṣa Gaṇeśa Hayagrīva Assamukhi | 45 |
Copyright | |
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Aditi Agni altar Amaravati amṛta ancient Angels apsarases Atharva Veda Bharhut Bodhisattva Brahman Brāhmaṇa Buddha Buddhist Calcutta called connection Coomaraswamy cosmic cult deity devas devatā divine dwarf yakṣa Early Indian earth Edited elephant Epic example flowers full vase gandharvas Gaṇeśa Gangā gods Grail Gupta heaven HIIA Hindu Iconography India Office photograph Indian art Indra Jaina JAOS Jātaka jaws Kāmadeva king Kubera Kuṣāna later legend London lotus rhizome Mahābhārata Maitri makara Mathura Māyā Mithuna Mitra motif Museum Mythology nāgas navel offerings origin Pāli Prajapati Prakṛti railing pillar rasa reference reliefs Religion represented Ṛg Veda rhizome ritual river goddesses sacrifice Sāńcī Sanskrit Sculpture second century A.D. shrine Śiva Soma Śrī story Stūpa supported Sūtra Sutta symbol T. W. Rhys Davids temple tion tradition Translated tree Upanisads Vajrapāņi Varuņa Vedic vegetation Viṣṇu Vogel vols Water Cosmology worship Yakkha yakṣa yakṣi