Yakshini the mystery of the forest

लिलधारामध्ये या नद्या शीतलमञ्जरी।तत्रास्ते शिलायां रम्या यक्षिणी कमललोचना॥

"By the cool stream that flows with refreshing spray,There sits upon a rock, the lovely Yakshini, lotus-eyed."

A figure that has captured the imagination of the masses for more than a thousand years. You can find her in the pages of the Puranas, and in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain art and stories. She is part of folklore whispered in nighttime conversations. Some call her life-giving—a sign of fertility, abundance, and wealth, an attendant of Lord Kubera. Some tales linger on her voluptuousness, luring men into their own destruction. In some places, she is seen as a life-taker, a figure discussed only in hushed tones.

Who is truly a Yakshini? If we scratch beneath the surface of myths, we may still find her in our daily lives. She is the beautiful maiden who lives on her own terms, who claims the course of her life without hesitation.

She is rooted in her femininity, fully aware of her charms, and finds solace in her own company. Wherever she goes, the place lights up. Even in a remote corner of a forest, she becomes one with it, enhancing its beauty.

लतामध्ये स्थितां देवीं सुशोभां मृदुस्मिताम्।यक्षिणीं वन्दे सुभगां फलपुष्पसमन्विताम्॥

"In the midst of vines stands the radiant goddess, with gentle smile,I bow to the Yakshini, resplendent, adorned with fruits and flowers."

Yakshini is a sign of abundance, sacredness, and fluidity. She is the mirror of nature in human form. She is no demi-goddess, no ghostly spirit, nor a witch in the traditional sense. She is the one who cannot be ignored, vital, untamed, and luminous.

This is where the narrative turns against her, for she is her own master. Whoever tries to control or possess her eventually tumbles into darkness.

Cultures that celebrated them flourished and were blessed with abundant wealth. In places where they were feared or misunderstood, Yakshinis were diminished into shadows. Though the term belongs to a bygone era, its remnants remain on temple walls, in caves, in stories, and scriptures.

यक्षिण्यः सर्वतो मां रक्षन्तु।सिद्धयो यक्षिण्यश्च सर्वदा मम सहायाः स्युः॥

"May the Yakshinis protect me from all directions.May these powerful Yakshinis always be my allies and companions."

Today’s Yakshini is not hidden away; she flows freely. You may find her in your office, your home, your neighborhood. She is impossible to ignore, but impossible to own. She is a spirit overflowing with energy. To encounter her is to be gifted with a garden-like life lush, fragrant, alive.

सुरूपा सुगता नारी, यक्षिणी वनवासिनी।भूतप्रेतविनाशाय, सौभाग्यं मे प्रयच्छतु॥

"Beautiful, noble lady, Yakshini who dwells in the forest,Destroyer of ghosts and demons, may she grant me fortune and prosperity."

She is the guardian of wealth, water, forests, and nature itself. Her gift is limitless bliss. Yakshini is a revered aspect of Shakti, coded in art, scripture, and ritual. Yet, to clear the cloud of confusion, one need not analyse but simply feel her with the heart.

Her vibrations reveal her presence. All illusions evaporate, and suddenly she is beside you. But are you the Yaksha? If not, it is time to look within and awaken him, for he is not outside but hidden within your very being.

रात्रौ दीपप्रभासारां सुन्दरीं वनमध्यगाम्।यक्षिणीं ललनामन्ये भयभीताः समाश्रयन्॥

"At night, radiant as a lamp’s glow, a beautiful maiden walks the forest path.Men behold her as a Yakshini, some in wonder, others in fear."

Before departing, the sweetest, most sensual and creative poetry of this mortal world must be remembered—Kalidasa’s Meghaduta. It is the lamentation of a Yaksha in exile, yearning for his beloved Yakshini, punished to remain apart for a year.

Every word is drenched in longing, every verse a testimony of her beauty, his love, and the landscapes he weaves for her. Through her, art and abundance blossom. It is only our perspective that shifts myth into fear, or truth into reverence.When we see Yakshini through the eyes of today, she transforms into the symbol of a woman unapologetically herself. She does not wait for permission or approval. She does not dim her radiance to comfort others.

Her sensuality is not a danger but a blessing, for it inspires creativity, desire, and devotion. She is powerful because she chooses—and that choice is her divinity, her Shakti.

Yakshini reminds us that femininity is not fragile. It is a boundless reservoir of energy—gentle yet fierce, nurturing yet untamed. Just as vines embrace a tree without losing their essence, she teaches us balance: how to love without losing the self, how to give without being emptied. In her, beauty is not only physical but spiritual—the glow of freedom, the rhythm of belonging to oneself.

So let us not whisper her name with fear. Let us speak it with reverence, curiosity, and joy. Yakshini is the muse of poets, the guardian of nature, the companion of every creative soul. She lives in every woman who dares to bloom fully, who refuses to be possessed, who carries within her both tenderness and fire. To honor her is to honor life itself, for she is not a myth of the past—she is the sacred feminine flowing in every moment of the present.

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Muse : K Raginee Yogesh

Words & Images : Yogesh Kardile

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