Pancasikha (Sanskrit: Pañcaà Âikha; Pali: Pañcasikha) is a gandharva in the Buddhist pantheon.
Pañcaà Âikha is the god who receives messages from the Four Heavenly Kings and their ministers regarding the deeds done in the human world. He would pass information on to MÃÂtali, who in turn informed the king of TrÃÂyastriá¹Âà Âa, à Âakra. He is also king among the gandharvas, a status granted by à Âakra.
His lover is the female gandharva BhadràSà «ryavarcasà(Sanskrit; Pali: BhaddàSuriyavaccasÃÂ).
His favorite instrument is the BeluvapanduvënÃÂ, a stringed instrument that originally belonged to Mara. In Mahayana sources, this is described as a lute made of beryl or lapis lazuli (Ch: çÂÂçÂÂç´ or ç çÂÂ寶è£Âç®Âç¯Â).
Pañcaà Âikha makes his most notable appearance in the Sutra of the Questions of à Âakra; the Sakkapañha Sutta in the Pali Canon and the à Âakraparipá¹ÂcchàSà «tra (å¸ÂéÂÂæÂÂÃ¥ÂÂç¶Â) in the Taishà  Tripiá¹Âaka; where his role as interlocutor becomes apparent.
à Âakra, on wishing to see the Buddha appeared with a retinue of gods in the human world above Mount Vediyaka. The light created by their glory was noticed by the residents of the local village, who assumed that the mountain had caught on fire. à Âakra persuaded Pañcaà Âikha to charm the Buddha out of his meditation in order to gain his attention. Pañcaà Âikha obliged and went to the cave in which the Buddha was staying. He addressed him with a song about the Three Jewels and romantic love.
The Buddha praised Pañcaà Âikha for his ability to harmonize his voice and instrument and asked him when he composed the song. Pañcaà Âikha relayed the story of when he fell in love with the goddess BhaddàSuriyavaccasàshortly after the Buddha's enlightenment.
Within Pali literature, Pañcaà Âikha is seen in the Pañcasikha Sutta where he visits the Buddha and asks him why some beings attain arhatship in their present lives while others do not. The BilÃÂrakosiya JÃÂtaka states that in a past life, Ananda held the office of Pañcaà Âikha.
He also appears in Sanskrit literature such as the AvadÃÂnaà Âataka. He is also counted among deities in Mahayana texts such as the SamÃÂdhirÃÂja Sà «tra, the DÃÂnapÃÂramitàSà «tra and the PratëtyasamutpÃÂda Sà «tra.