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260
Lord Mahavira
Siddhâyika, Aparâjita and Kâmacandâlini (Digambara)
The yaksini of Varddhamâna is known variously as Siddhâyikâ Aparâjitâ or Kamacandali in the Digambara traditions. Of these, the first is the most popular designation while the other two are well-nigh forgotten. The yaksi is called Kamacandali in only work, namely, the Vidyanusasana. Puspadanta in his Mahapurana.8 Addresses her as Siddhayini, but does not detail her iconographic symbols.
The goddess is found worshipped in two principal varieties of form-the two-armed and the twelve-armed. As Kamacanddali, she is described as having four arms. Aparajitâ
Of the two-armed forms of the yaksi of Mahâvîra, the form known as Aparajitâ requires to be differentiated from the other twoarmed forms when she is called Siddhâyikâ. Firstly, Aparajitâ represents the oldest known form of the yaksi of Mahavtra. Secondly, Aparâjitâ seems to represent a wholly different tradition and is not a variety of Siddhâyikâ. Though no dhyana for Aparâjitâ is forthcoming, the Jaina temple no. 12 at Deogadh furnishes an interesting form of the goddess. The slab representing Aparajitâ has the label "Varddhamanasa" on one side and "Aparajitâ” below the figure of the yaksi. Thus, in earlier Digambara traditions, the yaksi of Varddhamana was known as Aparâjitâ and not as Siddhâyikâ. It should also be remembered that the group of yaksinis found in this temple represents perhaps the oldest known labelled Digambara set hitherto discovered in North India; the seven yaksis in the Orissan Navamuni Cave probably date from the ninth century but unfortunately they are not labelled. In Devgadh temple 12, Aparajitâ is represented standing with her right hand in the kataka pose and the left one carrying the fly-whisk.
Curiously enough, we find Aparajitâ in the list of the Jaya group discussed elsewhere by us. 10 The four goddesses Jaya, Vijaya, and Aparâjitâ of the group are invoked in the famous Varddhamana-Vidya," a Tantric charm related to the worship of Varddhamana as its name would suggest. The antiquity of the Varddhamana-Vidya is attested by the Mahanisitha sutra and by the tradition that it was first composed by Gautama swami, the first disciple of Mahâvîra.2 No wonder, therefore, if Aparajitâ obtained the first chance of being the yaksini of Varddhamana. It
