Ambika on Jaina Art and Literature

Author(s): Maruti Nandan Prasad Tiwari
Publisher: Bharatiya Gyanpith

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(Bharat Kala Bhavan, Varanasi, Acc. No. 212), Mathurā (inacaumukha) and Deogarh (Temple No. 12, A.D. 862). The Stuti-caturvimsatikā of Sobhana Sūri likewise gives her dhyāna twice respectively with Neminátha and Mahāvira wherein she is conceived with two hands and as riding on a lion. She holds a bunch of mangoes and is accompanied by two wandering sons and hence called Cari-putrā.5 It may be noted that the later works also conceived Ambikā mainly with two arms and as holding an amralumbi and a child and riding a lion. She always rests under a mango tree with a tiny figure of Jina Neminātha carved at the top.
The Nirvāna-kalikā of Pada-lipta Sūri III (c. A.D. 900) is perhaps the earliest work which visualizes Ambika with four hands. According to this work, Kuşmandi, having golden complexion, rides a lion and holds a fruit (mātulinga) and noose (pāśa) in her right hands while the left hands bear a child and goad (ankuśa).? The Trişastiśalākā-purusa-caritra (latter half of the 12th century A.D.) also conceives the golden complexioned Yaksi with four hands and envisages the same attributes, as enunciated in the Nirvana-kalikā, excepting for the fruit (mātulunga) which is here replaced by a bunch of mangoes (āmra-lumbi).8 The Pravacana-sāroddhāra of Nemicandra Sūri (12th century A.D.) follows the description of the Trişasti-salākā-purușa-caritra.9
The Pratisthā-sara-samgraha of Vasunandin (c. 12th century A.D.) invokes Kūsmāndini or Amrā-devi both with two as well as four arms, but does not refer to her attributes. The work, however, alludes to her siṁhavahana. 10
Later Phase : (c.13th-16th century A.D.)
The later phase of the evolution of the iconographic form of Ambikā shows that the earlier form of two-armed Ambika was retained alongwith the four-armed and multi-armed forms. The later works also refer to her terrific forms in different Tantric rites. The Pratisthā-saroddhāra of Asadhara (first half of the 13th century A.D.) and the Pratisthā-tilaka of Nemicandra (A.D. 1543) visualize the dark blue complexioned two-armed Yaksi as riding on a lion and resting under a mango tree with a bunch of mangoes and a child (Priyankara), seated in lap, in her hands. Her second son Subhankara, however, stands on the right flank." It may be mentioned here in passing that references to two-armed Ambikā are
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