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described and have also shown therein the Mulamantra and the singlelettered Vidya of Padmavati contained in the said hymn. There is a reference to Yantra of 65 in v. 25 and in v. 34 it is stated that the benefit received by the favour of Sri Padmavati obtained through the recital of Cintamani Mantra ( :-see v. 18) which grants every desire equals to that received by the combined favour of all the 16 Vidyadevis through perfection achieved by the Sadhaka through their Sādhanā.
SARASVATI
As all the works contained in Appendices 11 to 15 relate to Sarasvati, we shall offer some preliminary remarks relating to the ancient character of her worship and her various 'Vahanas' and symbols. The images including those of Sarasvati and Ambika discovered from the excavations of the Jain Stupa at Mathura proves that Sarasvati and Ambika were worshipped by the Jains in ancient time (see ante p. 256). The statue of Sarasvati discovered there is headless. "The goddess is shown sitting squatted with her kness up on a rectangular pedestal, holding a manuscript in her left hand. The right hand which was raised has been lost. The figure is clothed in very stiffly executed drapery, a small attendant with hair dressed in rolls stands on each side. The attendant on the left wears a tunic and holds a jar-the attendant on the right has hands clasped in adoration." Plate 99, p. 56, The Jain Stupa and other Antiquities of Mathura by V. A. Smith. Sri Bhagavatisūtra Vol. III p. 979 and Pakkhisūtra p. 71 have verses in praise of Srutadevatā alias Sarasvatī which show that the worship of Sarasvati amongst Jains is very old; see also the passage from Mahānisītha cited in the footnote at p. 257 ante.
INTRODUCTION
It is interesting to note that Sutradhāra Mandana gives 12 'Bhedas' or variant forms of Sarasvati* with their names in his
*
[ अथ द्वादश सरस्वत्यः ] विराजिता ( : ) |
एकवक्त्रा (:) चतुर्भुजा मुकुटेन
प्रभामण्डल संयुक्ता ( : ) कुण्डलान्वित शेखरा ( : ) ॥७९॥ [ इति सरस्वतीनां साधारणलक्षणम् ]
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