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Aspects of Brahmanıcal Influence on the Jaina Mythology
same way as in the Brahmanical cpic-Purānic sources. Over and above that, she has been mentioned almost in all works as the consort of Lord Visnu 20 Gunabhadra refers to her rhctorically as the sister of the Moon, born together 21 Similarly, in the context of the description of a dense forest an allusion is made to Kamala (Lakşmi) having emerged from the foaming current of the ocean churned out by the gods and demons 22 Next, full-blown lolus with thick filament is acknowledged as the pleasure-house of Sri The passages are many which accept the traditiunal belief in lotus as thc dwelling of the goddess of beauty and riches 24 Almost in all works she recurs together with Kirli, Buddhi, Hri, Sri and Dhiylı to attend on the prospective mothers of the Tirthankaras 25
20 See above note 15 Also TSPC, 1 1 037 and comp Vaşnup Bk 1.
chap 9 21 सहोत्पत्तो श्रियोऽनेन सोदर्येन्दोरिति श्रुति ।।
-UP 54 188a.
22 fagara afganeacqua,
-CMC, p. 111 For these two references comp MBh 1 18 33-35a 23 वित्थिण्णदल कमल घणमयरद सिरीए रइभवण,
-CMG p 14, V 51, of MBb 4 14 16, 12 59 131b-32a, 24 VPC 7 70, RPC, 7 162, CMC, p 221 25 ताहे च्चिय परियम्म हिरि-सिरि-घिइ-कित्ति-बुद्धि-लच्छीयो। प्राण करेति णिच्च देवीमो इन्दवयणेण ॥
-VPC, a 59 AP, 12 164 SPC, 1 14 2, PMP, III 16 JAV, 8 39 These goddesses together with Uma and Sarasvati are already known to the Brahmanical cpic-Purānic tradition as the guardian deities who are invoked for safety on different occasions
ह्री श्रीः कीर्तिद्युतिः पुष्टिरुमा लक्ष्मी सरस्वती। इमा वै तव पान्थस्य पालयन्तु धनञ्जय ।।
--MBh III 37 33 It is obvious that most of these goddesses are personified abstractions and occur in the Brabmapıcal sources in various contexts cg Rāma III 40 10b Also scc MB 1 66 14 15 where Dhrit and Buddhi together with other cight personificd abstractions are described as the wives of Dharma
