हिंदी में पढ़ें: यक्षिणियों के निषिद्ध रहस्य: अंतिम अध्याय
The Descent into Darkness: Tantric Origins of the 36 Yakshinis
If you found the earlier-mentioned Yakshinis seemed dangerous, what follows will chill you to the bone. For we now enter the realm of the most powerful entities—beings so formidable that their very names have been whispered in terror across generations. But more disturbing still are the tales of those who have walked among us, transformed into Yakshinis in Hinduism through death, betrayal, and unquenchable thirst for revenge.
The Remaining Guardians of the Abyss
If You Missed Part 2: The Forbidden Mysteries of the Yakshinis: Ancient Secrets That Should Never Be Spoken
What are Yakshinis in Hinduism – The Continuing Catalog
- Chandri, the Moon Girl, shares her ritual with Shankhini, but her lunar association suggests powers that wax and wane with celestial cycles. The moon has always been linked to madness, to transformation, to the turning of tides both literal and metaphorical.
- But it is Shmashana, the Cremation Ground Girl, who truly embodies the horror of these entities from the 36 Yakshinis Uddamareshvara Tantra. Her devotee must recite her mantra 40,000 times while completely naked in a cremation ground, body smeared with the ashes of the dead. She grants treasure and the ability to paralyze others with a mere glance—but imagine the psychological toll of such tantric rituals Yakshinis demand. Standing naked among the burning dead, calling out to a being who has made the place of death her home.
”Om Dram drim shmashana vasini svaha”
- Vatayakshini demands 30,000 recitations at the junction of three paths beside a fig tree, but only at night. She offers the secrets of alchemy, celestial gems, and divine unguents. The fig tree, sacred yet somehow sinister, becomes a gateway between worlds under the cover of darkness.
”Om shrim drim vatavasini yakshakulaprasute vatayakshini ehyehi svaha”
- Mekhala, the Love Girdle, must be approached at the root of a Madhuka tree in full bloom on the 14th day of the lunar cycle. Her magical unguent “accomplishes all”—a phrase so vague it suggests 36 Yakshinis and their powers beyond human comprehension.
”Om Drim hum Madanamekhalayai Madanavidambanayai namah svaha”
- Vikala, to appease this yakshini, one must have to go through a rigorous sadhana of 3 months. The person has to remain hidden for almost the whole period of the sadhana to yield the desired fruit of their penance through these dangerous Yakshinis practices.
”Om vikale aim hrim shrim klim svaha”
- Lakshmi herself appears in this catalog, but this is not the benevolent goddess of wealth we know from mainstream Hinduism. This Lakshmi demands fire rituals in one’s own home, blurring the line between sacred and profane, between sanctuary and summoning ground through Yakshini mantra for wealth and siddhi.
”Om aim hrim shrim lakshmi kamaladharini hamsah soham svaha”
- Malini, the Flower Girl, grants Khadga Siddhi—the power to stop any weapon. In our modern world of advanced warfare, such power would be beyond invaluable. Yet her ritual at crossroads carries the weight of ancient fears about places where paths converge in Yakshini rituals in Uddamareshvara Tantra.
”Om drim om namo malini stri ehyehi sundari hams hamsi samiham me sangabhaya svaha”
- Shataptrika, the 100 Flowers, the sadhan for this yakshini has to be done in a natural habitat like a jungle. The Yakshini mantras should be recited in a wood, for which a fire has to be ignited and 100 blossoms have to be cast therein.
”Om drim shatapatrike dram drim shrim svaha”
- Sulochana, the Lovely-Eyed, offers perhaps the most fantastical power: Paduka Siddhi, enabling travel through the aethers at incredible speed. Her 30,000 mantras must be recited on a riverbank while offerings burn in sacred fire. The image of a figure chanting beside flowing water while flames dance in the darkness is both beautiful and terrifying in these tantric practices for summoning Yakshinis.
”Om dram klim sulochane siddhim me dehi dehi svaha”
- Shobha, the devi, grants the power of worldly pleasures and provides the appearance of great beauty to the shadhaka. One has to wear red clothes, recite and repeat the mantras on the 14th day through Yakshi mythology traditions.
”Om drim ashoka pallava karatale shobhane shrim kshah svaha”
- Kapalini, the Skull Girl, embodies death itself in Yakshi legends Kerala tradition. Her name references the skulls that tantric practitioners use as ritual cups, and she grants the power to travel vast distances in sleep and through the aethers. Her mantra is the longest and most complex, filled with seed syllables that seem to encode the very essence of mortality.
”Om kapalini dram drim klam klim klum klaim klaum klah hamsah soham sa ka la hrim phat svaha”
- Varayakshini, to appease this devi, the ritual and recitation of the mantra have to be done near a riverbank. A shadhak has to recite the mantras 50,000 times, for which a fire has to be ignited and ghee and other fragrant things have to be cast into it while reciting the mantras in connection between Yakshinis and tantric rituals.
”Om varayakhsini varayaksha vishalini agaccha agaccha priyam me bhavatu haime bhava svaha”
- Nati, the Actress, requires nudity beneath an Ashoka tree within a circle of sandal oil. The irony is profound—the actress, the pretender, the one who lives in illusion, grants the most real of powers: hidden treasure and the mastery of mantra yoga through Yakshi worship in South Indian temples.
”Om drim nati mahanati rupavati drim svaha”
The Most Dangerous Seductresses
- But it is Kameshvari who represents the ultimate temptation among famous Yakshis in Indian mythology. For a full month, her devotee must recite her mantra 3,000 times at each twilight, making offerings to sacred fire. At midnight, she appears physically and “has intercourse” with the practitioner, bestowing gems, clothes, and alchemical secrets. The promise of supernatural seduction is both alluring and deeply disturbing—what manner of being offers such intimate encounters, and what is the true cost of such union in Yakshini worship and its dangers?
”Om hrim agaccha agaccha kameshvari svaha”
- Anuragini, the Very Passionate, continues this theme of dangerous intimacy through Yaksi South India traditions. Her devotee must draw her image on birch bark with kumkum and worship her at the three twilights for a month. At midnight, she manifests and showers the practitioner with a thousand golden coins daily. The wealth is immediate and tangible, but the source is utterly otherworldly.
”Om anuragini maithunapriye yakshakulaprasute svaha”
- Bhamini offers perhaps the most practically useful power—an unguent that makes the practitioner irresistible to women and reveals hidden treasure. Yet she can only be summoned during eclipses, those cosmic events when the very sun and moon are devoured by shadow.
”Om hrim yakshini bhamini ratipriye svaha”
- Manohara, the Fascinating one, the sadhana for this devi has to be done near a pleasant riverbank, where the sadhak has to make a circle using sandalwood oil. At the same time, the mantras have to be chanted 10,000 times.
”Om hrim sarvakamada manohare svaha”
- Pramoda, the Fragrant, for almost one month sadhak has to wake up at midnight and chant the mantra for 1000 times.
”Om hrim pramodayai svaha”
- Anuragini, the most passionate one, is the one who showers the shadhaka with one thousand gold coins every time you invoke her. For this, one has to draw an image of a very beautiful devi using kumkum on a brick bark. Invoke the devi image and worship her with flame, incense, and flowers, etc. Shadak has to recite the mantras 1000 times for almost one month on every 3 twilights. Once invoked, the devi will visit every midnight, showering the shadhak with blessings of gold.
- Nakhakeshi, for the sadhana for this devi, one has to be completely naked with dishevelled hair. The sadhak has to sit in one side of the house for 21 days at night. Once impressed by your chantings, she will give darshana at midnight.
”Om hrim nakhakeshike svaha”
33/34. Padmini and Svarnavati, recite the mantra 1000 times daily for a lunar month. A ritual has to be done by making a circle using sandalwood oil around the root of a fig tree. Sadhak has to offer food to the yakshini and chant mantras. The devi will give darshana and will grant the Anjana siddhi.
”Om hrim agaccha agaccha svarnavati svaha”
- Ratipriya, the Fond of love, to allure this devi, one has to make an image of a golden Devi on a cloth, the sadhak also has to write their name onto the cloth. Make sure the image of the deity is made very beautifully with attractive garments and jewels, displaying her beauty intensely. Recite the mantra 1000 times for 7 days while offering a red flower. It is said that once she is happy with the sadhaka, she comes on the 25th day after the worship started, visiting the sadhaka at night.
”Om hrim Ratipriye svaha”
- Karna can whisper information about a person’s past or future into an aspirant’s ear. A ritualistic practice, or sadhana, is performed to gain mastery over this spirit, which can provide insights and knowledge, though it is considered a dangerous practice. The mantra has to be chanted for 10,000 time over the period of 21 days.
”ॐ Hum Kalakarni Tha: Tha: Svaha”
Yakshi Legends of South India: Living Nightmares
But if the 36 Yakshinis of the Uddamareshvara Tantra seem like ancient mythology, the legendary Yakshi South India traditions shatter that comfortable illusion. These are not distant supernatural beings—these are women who lived, who died, and who returned as vengeful spirits that continue to haunt our world through Yakshi folklore Tamil Nadu legends.
The Sisters of Vengeance: Chempakavally and Neelapilla
In Thekkalai, near Nagercoil, two sisters named Chempakavally and Neelapilla were murdered by their own father in an “honor killing” to prevent them from falling into the clutches of a lustful raja. Their transformation into Yakshi legends Kerala was immediate and terrible. They tortured and killed everyone in the palace, including their murderous father, before haunting the site of their death.
What makes this tale particularly chilling is its resolution: a temple was built to appease them, and idols of the sister Yakshis still stand within. Chempakavally eventually became benevolent and traveled to Mount Kailash, but Neelapilla remained ferocious. Even today, devotees offer her fingernail clippings and locks of hair from their enemies, beseeching her to destroy them through folklore of Yakshis in Kerala and Tamil Nadu villages. The practice continues into our modern era—a direct line from ancient vengeance to contemporary malice.
Kalliyankattu Neeli: Kerala’s Most Feared Yakshi
Kalliyankattu Neeli represents one of the most famous and terrifying Yakshi encounters in Kerala’s history. She was a powerful demoness whose reign of terror was so complete that it took the legendary priest Kadamattathu Kathanar to finally stop her. The very fact that historical records name the priest who confronted her suggests this was no mere folktale—this was a documented supernatural encounter in Kalliyankattu Neeli Yakshi legend explained.
Kanjirottu Yakshi: The Courtesan’s Curse
Perhaps the most complex and disturbing tale is that of Mangalathu Sreedevi, known as Kanjirottu Yakshi. She was a real woman—a ravishingly beautiful courtesan who had an intimate relationship with Raman Thampi, son of a king. Her beauty made her arrogant, and she delighted in toying with men’s lives, driving them to financial ruin for her amusement in the story of Kanjirottu Yakshi in Travancore history.
But Chiruthevi, as she was also known, made a fatal mistake. She fell in love with Kunjuraman, her palanquin-bearer, who was married and uninterested in her advances. In her obsession, she arranged for his wife to be murdered. Kunjuraman finally agreed to sleep with her—but then killed her in revenge.
The transformation was immediate. Chiruthevi was reborn as a Yakshi in the village of Kanjirottu, magically becoming a beautiful woman moments after her supernatural birth. She began terrorizing men, drinking their blood, and continuing to harass Kunjuraman even in death through Yakshi stories blending folklore and history.
What makes this tale particularly unsettling is its negotiated resolution. Her brother, Mangalathu Govindan, brokered a deal: she would cohabit with Kunjuraman for one year, after which she would become a devotee of Narasimha. The agreement was honored, and she was installed in a temple.
The Mystery of Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple Vault B
But here the story takes a turn that bridges ancient legend with contemporary reality. The Kanjirottu Yakshi is now said to reside in Vault B of the famous Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala—the same vault that supposedly contains one of the world’s largest treasures in Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple Vault B mysteries.
The vault remains unopened not just due to legal issues, but because of the legend itself. Many believe that disturbing the Yakshi’s prayers to Lord Narasimha within the vault would unleash her upon the world once again through Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple Vault B Yakshi myth. Her image is still painted on the south-west part of Sri Padmanabha’s shrine, a constant reminder of the supernatural guardian who watches over unimaginable wealth.
Sundara Lakshmi, an accomplished dancer and consort of HH Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma, was an ardent devotee of this very Yakshi. The connection between royalty, art, and supernatural protection suggests that these beliefs permeate the highest levels of society through Yakshi worship in South Indian temples.
The Eternal Question
In Malayatoor Ramakrishnan’s 1967 novel Yakshi, the author describes their world with disturbing beauty: a blue sun, carpets of crimson grass, streams of molten silver, and flowers made of precious gems. Young Yakshis fly on giant dragonflies, while adults must enter our world annually to feed on human blood in Yakshi mythology.
This fictional portrayal raises a chilling question: if these beings exist between worlds, if they can manifest physically as the ancient texts describe, if they continue to influence our world through temples and devotees, then what separates legend from reality in famous Yakshis in Indian mythology?
The 36 Yakshinis offer power, wealth, knowledge, and abilities beyond mortal comprehension. The legendary Yakshis of South India demonstrate that death is not the end—that obsession, betrayal, and supernatural transformation can create beings of immense power who continue to influence our world.
In our modern age of skepticism and scientific rationalism, these tales might seem like mere folklore. But in the shadows of ancient temples, in the whispered prayers of devotees, in the unopened vaults guarded by supernatural entities, the question remains: are we alone in this world, or do we share it with beings whose power and purpose we can barely comprehend through Yakshini worship and its dangers?
The rituals are recorded. The mantras are preserved. The legends continue to unfold. Whether one believes or not, the 36 Yakshinis wait in the spaces between worlds, ready to answer the call of those brave—or foolish—enough to summon them.
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References and Sources
Primary Ancient Texts:
- Uddamareshvara Tantra – Ancient Sanskrit text describing the 36 Yakshinis, their mantras, and ritual prescriptions
- Tantraraja Tantra – Alternative source for Yakshini descriptions and mantras
Historical and Literary Sources:
- Ramakrishnan, Malayatoor. Yakshi (1967) – Novel describing the supernatural world of Yakshis
- Traditional folklore and legends from Kerala and Tamil Nadu
- Historical accounts from Thekkalai region, near Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu
- Chronicles of Travancore royal family and associated courtesans
Geographic and Cultural References:
- Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
- Kanjirottu village traditions and temple records
- Mangalathu tharavad (family house) historical records
- Kanjiracode, South Travancore regional folklore
Notable Historical Figures:
- Kadamattathu Kathanar – Legendary priest of Kerala
- Raman Thampi – Son of King Rama Varma
- Anizhom Thirunal Marthanda Varma – Historical ruler of Travancore
- HH Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma – Patron of arts and music
- Sundara Lakshmi – Court dancer and Yakshi devotee
Modern Archaeological and Cultural Evidence:
- Vault B of Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple (currently sealed)
- Temple paintings and iconography in Kerala temples
- Continuing devotional practices in South Indian temples
- Oral traditions maintained by temple priests and local communities
Note: The ancient tantric texts mentioned contain ritualistic and esoteric content that has been preserved through traditional manuscript traditions. The historical accounts of legendary Yakshis are drawn from regional folklore, temple records, and local oral traditions that have been documented by scholars of South Indian culture and religious practices.
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