(feminine yakshi) A group of minor deities who are mostly
nature spirits and are typically linked with certain locations.
Yakshas are the attendants of the god Kubera, who is revered
as the ruler of riches and the protector of the northern direction.
The yakshas are typically seen as good to humans, and
because of their ties to nature's reproductive force and Kubera's riches, they
are often regarded as giving prosperity and fertility.
Yakshas have a long history of appearing in Indian sectarian
literature, where they are depicted as either protective spirits or depraved
examples.
The sole comprehensive monograph on yakshas is Ananda
Coomaraswamy's Yaksas, published in 1971.
You may also want to read more about Hinduism here.
Be sure to check out my writings on religion here.
