________________
Yakṣinis
of four types according to the number of hands. Some texts give her a snake and cock as her vehicle, others give her a lotus seat. The four-handed figure holds a goad, rosary, two lotuses. The six-handed type has a nose, sword, spear, crescent, club, staff, as attributes. The eight-handed figure has a noose and other attributes. The twentyfour-handed figure holds a conch, sword, Cakra, crescent, lotus, blue lotus, bow (Sarāsanan), spear, noose, Kusa-grass, bell, arrow, staff, shield, trident, axe, ( Kunta ) Vajra, garland, fruit, club, leaf, stalk, and Farada Mudra. 1
Separate-sculptures of an important Yakşini like Padmavati ought to have been discovered but we have, so far, only seen the Yaksinī's likeness with symbols in her master's statues.2
The legend of Padmavati is throughout associated with snakes and she belongs to the Nether Regions or Pātāla. This
105
स्वर्णाभोनमकुर्कुटाहिगमना सौम्या चतुर्बाहुभृ
...
द्वामे हस्तयुगेऽङ्कुशं दधिफलं तत्रापि . पद्म पाशमदञ्चयन्त्यविरतं पद्मावती
. . दक्षिणे ।
1. देवी पद्मावती नाम्ना रक्तवर्णा चतुर्भुजा । पद्मासनाङ्कुशं धत्ते अक्षसूत्रं च पङ्कजम् . अथवा पड्भुजा देवी चतुर्विंशतिसद्भुजा || पाशासिकुन्तबालेन्दुगदामुसलसंयुतम् । भुजाष्टकं समाख्यातं चतुर्विंशतिरुच्यते । शङ्खा सिचक्रबालेन्दुपद्मोत्पलशरासनम् । शक्ति पाशं कुशं घण्टां बाणं मुसलखेटकम् । त्रिशूलं परशुं कुन्तं वज्र मालां फलं गदाम् । पत्रञ्च पल्लवं धत्ते वरदा धर्मवत्सला ॥
2.
Pratisthāsārasamgraha (MSS, Arrah )
cr. येष्टुं कुक्कुटसर्पगा त्रिफणकोत्तंसा द्विपो या तष्टा पाशादिः सदसत्कृते च घृतशङ्खास्यादिदोरष्टका ( ? ) । तां शान्तामरुणां स्फुरच्छणिसरोजन्माक्ष
मालाम्बरां पद्मस्थां नवहस्तकप्रभुनतां यायाज्मि
पद्मावतीम् ॥
A fig. of Padmāvati in Pakhir, Purula Dill. Scc Beglar's report, Arch. Suri. Reports Vol. VIII; with Pārśvanātha's image in Gwalior Fort, Eastern roof; on the Western face of the pillar near the Western gate (No. I) in the Deogarh Fort.
