Introduction to Iconography of Jain Goddess Padmavati

Author(s): A K Bhattacharya
Publisher: Z_Jinvijay_Muni_Abhinandan_Granth_012033.pdf

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Goddess Padmavati
above personal features.1 While Kadru is conceived as the wife of the sage Kasyapa, the Primordial male creation, Manasa came to be regarded as the daughter of Siva in later mythology, Siva of course, being the energy to whom the destruction of the Universe is attributed. Thus although in a stotra in the Bhavisya Purana we have the assertion that she is mind-born one of Kasyapa, her origin from the seed of Šiva has also found much favour with the puranites. The above two concepts, again, were reconciled greatly in the Brahmavaivarta Purana where she is called the mind-born of Kasyapa and the spiritual daughter of Siva. In the Pauranic age the serpent-chief Sesa is sometimes associated or identical with Balarama who is represented as having a serpent-wreath and a club in hand 3 In medieval sculptures, too, images of Balarama are found bearing the canopy of a seven-hooded serpent.4
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The conception of Manasa or Padma as a serpent Goddess, is, however, a very late development, The lotus symbol was primarily associated with the Goddess of wealth, Laksmi. The images of certain other Vishnuite gods and goddesses also exhibit the same symbol. The mythological account of Narayana himself. having a lotus-stalk rising up from his navel is certainly not very early, and it was at first the Lokapita Prajapati Brahma that was lotus-seated. In art too, such representation can not go further than the 5th or the 6th century A. D.5 The name Padma is certainly reminiscent of her intimate association with the lotus. 1. The Dhyana in the Tithitattvatska definitely identifies Jaratkaru with the serpentgoddess Manasä, although in earliar mythology Jaratkaru has nothing to claim. the status of serpent-deity. The description of serpent-ornaments, of her holding a pair of Nägas in her two hands, makes it clear that the reference is to the serpent goddess who is further called Astikamätä which latter epithet, on the other hand, makes her identical with Jaratkaru.
Cf. Hemämbhojanibham lasadviṣadhara la thkära samsobhitam Smeräsyäm parito mahoragaganaih samsevyamana msada I Devimästikama taram sisusutähäpinatungastanim Hastambhojayugena naga-yugalam sambibhratimasraye II
2. Brahmavaivarta Purana, Prakrti khandam, ch. 45, v. 2-ct. Kanya sh ca Bhagavati käsyapasya ca manasi Teneyam Manasa devi manasa ya ca divyati. 2, also, SivaSisya ca să devi tena Saiviti kirtita, 8.
3. Mahabharata, XIII 147, 54 if.
4. The figure from Bodoh in Gwalior, of Balarama, belonging to the medieval period is canopied by a sevenhooded serpent. Vide, pl. XVIII-A guide to the Archa.ological Museum at Gwalior.
5. A. K. Coomaraswamy: Elements of Buddhist Iconography, P. 68.
6. It is interesting to note that as many as nine of the 15 Manasa images preserved. in the Varendra Research Society. have been collected from a tank called Padumshahar in Dist. Rajshahi, vide, Cat., Varendra Research Society, p. 30.