Jain Journal 1988 10

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 12

OCTOBER, 1988
of various Śaktis emanated from the Brahmanical pantheon. The Candi, a supplimentary text of the Devimahatmya of the Markandeya Purāṇa, refers to Sarasvati, Laksmi, Mahakali, Gauri, Uma, Candi and various others are the manifestations of the one supreme devi, Maha-Laksmi.22 The Candi also refers to an eighteen armed form of Maha-Laksmi who wields a rosary, axe, club, arrow, vajra, lotus, bow, kunḍika, staff, spear, sword, shield, lotus, bell, wine cup, sula, pāśa, and cakra in her hands.23 It appears from this description of the goddess that the conception and iconography of the twenty-four armed form of Padmavati is influenced by Maha-Laksmi, and her various emanatory forms. From this point of view it would not be difficult to explain her association with hamsa, which is also the vehicle of Sarasvati who emanated from the sättvika guna of Maha-Laksmi. The kapala and the munda, the two attributes of the yakşi Padmavati as seen in the images discussed above show her association with Candi, or Camunda or Kali, who are also the manifestations of Maha-Laksmi.
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13 T.A. Gopinath Rao, Elements of Hindu Iconography, Vol. I, pt. II, 1914, pp. 334-337. 23 Ibid., Appendix Pratimalaksani, p. 136.