Book Title: Comparative and Critical Study of Mantrashastra
Author(s): Mohanlal Bhagwandas Jhaveri, K V Abhayankar
Publisher: Sarabhai Manilal Nawab
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APPENDICES: 24
333
Yoginis, which is also an invocation for protection and success. The Yoginis are there described as protectresses of land (Ksetra-raksakās), which suggest that they are subordinate to Ksetrapāla who is the chief warden of the land. 52 Vīras usually mentioned along with 64 Yoginis are also described as protectors of land and may be identified with the different Ksetrapālas of different places. Sometimes Ksetrapāla is considered to be Viradhivīra or the Chief of Vīras in which case Viras would be taken to be subordinate to him. According to Nirvana -kalikā it would appear that most of the Yoginīs are in their nature terrific while only some are peaceful. Sri Jwālamálinīstotra (Appendix 25) also refers to Yoginīs. There is a hymn of 64 Yoginis noted in Jain Granthavali.
Agnipurāņa as stated above relates 64 Yoginis to 8 Mātņkās; Durgāsaptašati describes Mátrkās as companion-deities of or emanations from Sri Candikā (See Adh. X vv. 5-6). Yoginis are thus related to Sri Candikā or Sri Durgā or Nārāyaṇi mentioned in the hymn. That the worship of Yoginis was prevalent in ancient times will be apparent from the fact that Agnipurāna Adh. 52 refers to their idols. At Ujjain, the ancient capital of the famous King Vikramāditya whom legends describe as having controlled Vīra Vetāla and 64 Yoginīs and as having obtained boons from his patron deity Harasiddhi, there are to be found ruins of a temple said to be of 64 Yoginis. This shows that the worship 64 Yoginis is very old. The fact that their Pithas are said to be at Delhi-Yoginipura, Ajmer and Broach besides Ujjain (see p. 234 ante), all which places have been capitals of powerful kingdoms in the past, leads one to conjecture that the King used to worship them and 52 Viras for protection of their kingdoms especially during wars and epidemics or public calamities. In a hymn of 15 verses commencing with the words "Jaga-gaja-vasaņīņam" etc. in the collection of the writer they are praised for removal of various diseases and their Mandala or diagram of 64 squares containing figures 1 to 64, the total vertically horizontally and diagonally being 260-is described.
