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284
Jaina-Rūpa-Mandana
G. Twenty-four-Armed Variety
No.
Symbols
Colour
Hoods
Vahana
Tradition
1.
(red)
k.•ѕагра
Dig.
conch, sword, disc, crescent, lotus, stone, bow, sakti, noose, goad, bell, arrow, pestle, shield, trident, axe, spear, vajra, rosary, fruit, club, leaf, (lotus-stalk, varada
H. Multi-Armed Variety
(red)
k.-sarpa
Dig.
innumerable weapons like swords, shields, bows, arrows, vajras, nårācas, faktis, salyas, discs, ploughs, pestles, nooses, etc.
XXIV. Yakṣiṇi of the Twenty-Fourth Jina Mahävira
A. SIDDHÃYIKA (Svetāmbara)
Siddhāyikā is one of the four principal yakşis302 in the Jaina pantheon of both the sects and is worshipped by the same name. Her position as a principal yakşi is wholly due to her Master, Mahavira, the twenty-fourth Jina. Yaksipis like Ambika and Padmavati have attained more prominence the first because of the antiquity of her cult and the second because of her being a snike-deity, and because of being a yakşi of Parávanātha who is a prominent figure in the Jaina Tantra.303
Siddhiyikā is worshipped in only one principal variety of form, namely, the four-armed one, in the Svetämbara traditions. Her chief distinguishing symbols are the book and the lion vehicle. It should be noted that lion is also the cognizance of her Master, Mahavira.
According to Hemacandra, she is greenish in appearance and rides on the lion. In her right hands she shows the book and the abhaya, while she carries the citron and the lute in the left ones. Both the Pravacana-sāroddhāra-ikä and the Mantrādhiraja-kalpa follow this tradition.304
According to the Nirvanakalikā, the lute in one of the left hands is replaced by the arrow while the rest of the symbols remain unchanged.305 Silpa texts like the Devatamurti-prakarana and the Ripamandana follow the Nirvanakalikä.306
The Acaradinakara gives another form. Riding on the lion the goddess shows the book and the abhaya in her right hands while she carries the noose and the lotus in the left ones. The devi is green in complexion. 307
A figure of the goddess is found on a pillar in the raiigamandapa of the Vimala Vasahi, Abu (fig. 194A). The goddess here stands in triblanga and carries the book and the viņā in the right and the left upper hands. The right lower one is held in the varada mudrā while the fourth hand is mutilated. Her vehicle sitting near the left foot, though mutilated, can still be identified as the lion.3084
Another sculpture of the yakşi is found from a temple in Cambay. 308) The goddess here sits in lalitāsana with her left leg tucked up and the other one hanging. Over her head is the miniature figure of her Master Mahavira while a small lion is seen in front of her bhadrâsana. The book and the viņă are held in her right and the left upper hands. The right lower one is held in the abhaya pose while the corresponding left hand carries the citron (fig. 193). A third sculpture of the yakşi with identical symbols is found from Patan (fig. 194).308.
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