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ANCIENT JAINA HYMNS
old "Padmāvati-stotra”, she is the equivalent of the Sakti of Hindu tantric lore, the Gaurs of the Saivas, the Gāyatri of the Vedāntins, the Praksti of the Sāṁkhyavādins, the Tārā of the Buddhists, the Vajrā of the Kaulikas. From the name “Vajrā" in its Prakrit form “Vaïrā”, and eventual derivatives, it seems to be but a small step to "Vairotyā”. The Pādalipta-carita of the Prabhāvaka-carita moreover clearly states that the "Phanindra-kāntā Vairotyā” was worshipped in a temple of Pārsvanātha at Kosalā as the "Sāsana-devi”, and “Aryānandila's” hymn as well as the "Aryanandila-carita" of the Prabhāvaka-carita agree in asserting that this Vairotyā favours the devotees of Pārsvanātha with her help.
That in spite of so much semblance of identity, both the names will have to be understood as designating two separate deities, is, however, suggested by the following two pieces of literary evidence:
1. a prayer formula (quoted by Professor H. R.
Kapadia in proof of their separateness),? in which Dharaṇendra is described as accompanied by both the goddesses ("Vairotyā
Padmăvati-devi-yuta"),and 2. the second stanza of Aryānandila's hymn,
where both are clearly referred to as separate individuals (“'Dharaşoraga-daïā devī Pau
māvāi ya Vairuţtā”). If the Svetāmbara poets eulogize Vairogyā as Dharaṇa's "agrya-patns” and “padhama-patti”, this may be due to the idea that since Vairotyā is the
(1) "Comparative and Critical Study of Mantrasastra,” Appendix v (p. 28), st. 20. (2) Edition of Sobhana's "Caturvim satikā", 1. 1. p., 279, note 3.
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Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
