who is yaksha and yakhini?

In Jainism, Yaksha (plural: Yakshas) and Yakshini (plural: Yakshinis) are benevolent guardian beings who attend and protect the Tirthankaras and the Jain community. They are considered divine attendants, usually male (Yaksha) and female (Yakshini), and are shown as protectors of spiritual practice and devotees.

Key points:

• Each Tirthankara or temple often has one or more Yaksha or Yakshini associated with it as guardians.
• They are part of the devotional and ritual landscape in Jain worship, not objects of worship themselves but revered protectors and supporting figures.
• There can be many different Yakshas and Yakshinis, with names and attributes that vary by Digambar and Shwetambar traditions and by local temple practices.

If you’d like, I can explain how Digambar and Shwetambar traditions differ in their emphasis on Yakshas/Yakshinis and give a few commonly cited names from specific temples.