Some Interesting Sculptures of Yaksas and Kubera from Rajasthan

Summary

Agrawala investigates rare sculptures of Yaksas and Kubera from Rajasthan to explore the evolution of their iconography. Though the cult of Kubera dates back to ancient India, sculptural depictions are scarce; textual references like Patanjali’s Mahabhasya show established worshipfile:///home/oai/share/563033-1-398-185-288.pdf#:~:text=Some%20Interesting%20Sculptures%20of%20Yaksas,sculptural%20representation%20of%20Kubera%2C%20in. Agrawala describes a well-preserved Gupta-period sculpture from Kaman depicting Kubera with a money-bag and cup, adorned with ornaments and exuding prosperityfile:///home/oai/share/563033-1-398-185-288.pdf#:~:text=the%20Kusdna%20period,they%20have%20been%20successfully%20executed. Comparing this figure with earlier Yaksa reliefs from Bharhut and Nagar, he notes a progression from simple guardian spirits to richly ornamented deities. Yaksa images initially lacked elaborate attributes but evolved into sophisticated representations as they assimilated Kubera’s characteristics. Agrawala also analyses the syncretism between Yaksa and Kubera worship and suggests that Kubera was sometimes subsumed under other deities, explaining the scarcity of his images. By examining these sculptures’ stylistic features and religious context, the article demonstrates how local artistic traditions in Rajasthan shaped the portrayal of wealth and guardianshipfile:///home/oai/share/563033-1-398-185-288.pdf#:~:text=Some%20Interesting%20Sculptures%20of%20Yaksas,sculptural%20representation%20of%20Kubera%2C%20infile:///home/oai/share/563033-1-398-185-288.pdf#:~:text=the%20Kusdna%20period,they%20have%20been%20successfully%20executed.