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Yakşinis
as her riding animal and holds in her hands disc, arrow, noose, shield, trident, sword, bow etc. '
An image of this Yakṣiņi was seen by me in a cave, under the Eastern roof, Gwalior Fort. It has cight hands and conse quently should be identified with Jvālāmālinī rather than with Bhrkuti.2
Bhrkuti's symbol of a swan (acc. to Hemacandra) may be explained as identically the same riding animal for the husband Vijaya (Vijayo hansavāhanal, Vide ante). Her other symbols as held in the hands are such as become a Yakṣini or 'guardian goddess'. Jvālāmālinī or Jvālinī or Mahājvālā as known to the Śvetāmbaras also assume, in the same name, the function of a Vidyadevi. Her symbol of a buffalo shows her symbolic connexion with her husband Vijaya, who, in Brahmanism, is synonymous with Yama, the famous rider of a Buffalo.
Sutara or Mahākāïi.
Sutārā Yakṣiņi of the Svetambaras as described in their books rides a bull and bears four hands with Varada, rosary urn and goad. 3 Mahākālī, the Digambara variant of the Yakşiņi sit upon a tortoise and carries in her hands l'ajra, club, fruit and Vara Mudra. A
1. चन्द्रोज्ज्वला चक्रवारसपाशचर्म त्रिशुले पुझ्पासिहस्ताम् ।
2.
93
Maudirajratisthāvidhāna.
Cr. ज्वालिनी महिषारूढा देवी श्वेता भुजाष्टका ।
काण्डं वज्र ं त्रिशूलञ्च धत्ते पाशं चतुष्टये ॥
(MSS. J.B. Arrah ) Pratisthāsārasangraha.
A thousand image of the Yakşini in the "Pataini" temple, 5 miles from Nachhera State.
3. सुतारां देवीं गौरवर्णां वृषभवाहनी चतुर्भुजां वरदाक्षसूत्रयुक्तदक्षिणभुजां कलशाङ्कुशान्वितवामपाणिम् ।
Nervāya-Kalikā (MSS. Inānamandir, Agra ).
Cf. तथोत्पन्ना सुताराख्या गौराङ्गी वृषवाहना । वरदं साक्षसूत्रं च बिभ्राणा दक्षिणी भुजौ । कलशाङ्कुशिनौ बाहू दधाना दक्षिणेतरौ ॥
4. देवी तथा महाकाली विनीता कूर्मवाहना । सवज्रमुद्गरहस्ता फलहस्ता चतुर्भुजा ||
Hemacandra's Suvidhināthacarita.
Pratisthā sāra-samgraha (MSS. J.S. Arrah ).
