Pañcika

Panchika (Sanskrit पाञ्चिक pāñcika, Chinese般 闍 迦) is in the mythology of Buddhism one of the generals of Yakshas who accompany the god of war Vaisravana.

He is the husband of the goddess Hariti and is often depicted with her ​​in works of Greco- Buddhist art in Gandhara. Here he appears as a spear -carrying warrior whose type Hellenistic representations of Heracles is borrowed. As statues of the couple were often attached to the monastery entrances, he took over the function of a Dvarapala ( " gatekeepers "). Through his association with Hariri, he was also a god of wealth, which is why his representations were also identified with Vaisravana or the tutelary deity Mahakala.

In the Kushan period and the associated exchange with Persia Panchika mixed with the Zoroastrian gods Mithra and Pharro.