Gomukha

Deity in Jain cosmology

Gomukha
Gomukha, c. 8th century, Gurjara-Pratihara

In Jain cosmology, Gomukha is the guardian god or Yaksha (attendant deity) of Rishabhanatha, the first Tirthankara.^[1][2]

Legacy

Worship

Gomukha along with Dharanendra is the most popular yaksha in Jainism.^[3][4][5]

Iconography

According to Jain tradition, Gomukha is depicted as two or four armed yaksha riding on an elephant.^[6] As the name suggests, gomukha has the head of a bull.^[7][8] Gomukha carries a goad in left hand and noose in left. In other two lower arms gomukha carries varada and conch.^[9] The yaksha-yakshi pair sculptures of Gomukha-Chakreshwari are one of the most favoured along with Ambika-Sarvanubhuti and Dharanendra-Padmavati.^[10] The image of Gomukha yaksha in Ellora caves is noteworthy.^[11]

• 
  Gomukha at Dadabari, Mehrauli
• 
  Gomukha at Trilok Teerth Dham
• 
  Gomukha at Shri Atma Vallabh Jain Smarak

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gomukha.

• Dharanendra
• Chakreshwari
• Padmavati
• Ambika

References

Citation

Source

• Campbell, James M. (1884), Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency: Dháwár, Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency, vol. 22, Bombay: Government Central Press
• Shah, Umakant Premanand (1987), Jaina-rūpa-maṇḍana: Jaina iconography, Abhinav Publications, ISBN 978-81-7017-208-6
• Tiwari, Dr. Maruti Nandan Prasad (1989), Ambika in Jaina Art and Literature, Bharatiya Jnanpith
• Kelting, M. Whitney (2009), Heroic Wives Rituals, Stories and the Virtues of Jain Wifehood, Oxford University Press, ISBN 9780190452865
• Pereira, Jose (1977), Monolithic Jinas: The Iconography of the Jain Temples of Ellora, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 9788120823976
• Bruhn, Klaus (1969), The Jina-Images of Deograh, Universiteit van Amsterdam, Institute of South Asian archaeology
• Shah, Umakant Premanand (1995), Studies in Jaina Art and Iconography and Allied Subjects in Honour of Dr. U.P. Shah, Abhinav Publications, ISBN 9788170173168