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Jaina-Rupa-Mandana "May Ambika, of golden colour, riding on a lion and accompanied by (her two sons) Siddha and Buddha and holding a bunch of mangoes in her hand, protect the Jaina Sangha from obstacles."
The earliest available reference to Ambikā comes from the commentary of Jinabhadragani Ksamaśramana himself on his own Višesavaśyaka-Mahâbhâsya.80 Here the goddess is called Amba-Küsmändi Vidya. An Amba-Küşmandi Vidya is referred to by Haribhadra sūri (c. 550-650 A.D.) in his commentary (vrtti) on the Avaśyaka-Niryukti, v. 931 (p. 411). Haribhadra süri refers to this goddess Amba-Kuşmandi in his Lalitavistarā commentary also.81
In his Harivamsa puräna, the Digambara writer Jinasena (783 A.D.) invokes her as Simhavähini (who rides on the lion), who has her abode (alaya, temple, resort) on the Mt. Urjjayanta 82 (Mt. Girnar). It may be noted that a controversy between Svetambara and Digambara sects is said to have been set at nought by the goddess Ambikā residing at this place.83
Another early reference to the two-armed form of Ambikā is found in the Caturvinnsatika of Bappabhatti Suri (V.S. 800-895) where she is adored twice by the author. Unfortunately, the author does not give much information regarding her symbols. He only says that she retires under a mango-tree and that she bears the li avenly colour of the lightning (divya-saudāmani-ruk). Her golden form seated on a white lion is compared to a lightning in the clouds. She is believed to possess very sharp nails which can easily break the sword (of an enemy).84 Presumably, this refers to the two-armed variety of the goddess.
Vastupala, the famous Jaina minister who flourished in the thirteenth century A.D. devoted one whole hymn to her praise. She is addressed as Kuşmandini, Padmalayā (seated on a lotus) and Amba. Her right hand is said to hold a bunch of mangoes.85 Jineśvara Suri too refers to the bunch of mangoes held in her hand.86 He further describes her ornaments like the ear-rings, the anklets and the shining garlands on her breasts. It seems that both Vastupala and Jineśvara Suri had in mind a form of Ambika having only two arms.
Sobhana Muni, the younger brother of Dhanapala, the author of Tilakamanjari (11th cent A.D.) refers to her twice in his Stuticaturvimśatika (vv. 88 and 96). Verse 88 suggests that the author meditates over a form with two arms only, 87 and addresses her as cāriputrā which is explained by commentators as 'one whose sons are fond of wandering'.
The Ambikästaka,88 supposed to have been composed by Ambāprasada,89 also gives the same form of Ambika. The hymn is of unusual interest because here details are given of all her ornaments and symbols besides recording an account of her past life. It is expressly stated that the colour of the deity is to be different in different rites, e.g., white in the santikarma, yellow in the vasyakarma, and red in the cruel rites such as marana, stambhana, etc.90 This principle of varying the colour is in consonance with the Buddhist and Hindu Tantras.
Amongst references to this form in the Digambara tradition, the Harivamsa of Jinasena is already noted. Here Ambikā is called Simhavahini-one with the lion-vehicle but no other details are given. However, he possibly referred to a two-armed form only.
Puşpadanta also refers to her in his Apabhramsa work Mahapurāņa but gives no details of the symbols held by the goddess. Puşpadanta, in his introductory verses to the Mahapuräna, invoking Ambika with Cakkesari, Gori, Gandhari and Siddhaini, adds that Ambika was a Brāhmaṇa lady in her former existence and became a yaksini by virtue of her giving alms to a (Jaina) monk. She is further said to reside in the forests of Ujjayanta (Girnar) and is called the source or propeller of all literary activity. She is further said to have resorted to the banyan-free (rather than the mango-tree of all other accounts). Her child is also referred to. Perhaps the author refers to only one child. As we shall see later on, in all early sculptures and in several of the images where she accompanies a Tirthařkara figure as a yakşiņi, she is shown with only one child.91
The Pratisthåsároddhära of Pandit Āsādhara (13th cent. A.D.) invokes Ambikä as follows:
"Here do I worship the Goddess Amrā, devoted as she is to the Jina whose height is ten DhanusAmră of dark-blue complexion, who is in the habit of resting under a mango-tree, who rides on the lion that was her own husband in the past existence, who bears in her left hand a bunch of heavenly mangoes
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