Studies in Haribhadrasuri

Author(s): N M Kansara, G C Tripathi
Publisher: B L Institute of Indology

Page 78

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Studies in Haribhadrasūri tadhā thitā ajjā bhannati, saiva mahişa-vyāpādana-kālāt prabhrti tad-rūpa-sthitā kottavyā (kotta-kiriyā) bhanati/
Thus the AYDS refers to the worship of Indra, Skanda, Rudra, Śiva, Vaiśravana, Deva, Nāga, Yakşa, Bhūta, Mukunda (= Baladeva, according to Maladhāri Hemaprabha), Ārya and Kottakiriyā. Āryā is explained as a pacific form of Dūrgā, while Kottakiriyā (kottavi of the Cūrņi) is the terrific form of Dārgā destroying the demon Mahișa, as Mahişāsura-mardini. The author further adds that Āryā, the original form of Dārgā, is like Āmra-kuşmāņdī.
In Jaina literature we have a still earlier reference to Ambakuşmāņdī from the Țīkā of Ksamāśramana Mahattara on the Višeșāvaśyaka-mahābhāsya. 4 In the commentary on the gātā beginning with the words: 'Itthī vijjā’bhihiyā', etc., we find the following passage:
... Yasmin mantra-devatā strī sā vidyā, ambakuşmāndyādih / Yatra devatā puruṣaḥ sa mantraḥ, yathā vidyārāja-harinegameși-sarveneyaksaya (sarvāhnyaksa) ityādi / Athavā yāvān mantraḥ sakalpa-sādhanaḥ sā vidyā, yas tu pathita-siddhaḥ sādhana-rahitah sa mantra iti / Vijjā ya cakkavatti. ityādi / Vidyānām sarvāsām adhipatiś cakravartī ekā vā mahati vidyā siddhā, yathā’mbakusmāndī mahārohiņī mahāpurusdattā, mahāprajñaptir vā sa vidyāsiddhaḥ sātiśayatvāt khapuțakşamāśramaņādivat /
It would seem that amba-kuşmāndī was originally a tantric Vidyā and later she was worshipped as a Yakṣī in Jainism. The earliest image of the Jaina Ambikā (yakṣī) so far obtained belongs to the latter half of the sixth century AD, installed by Jinabhadra Vācanācārya whom I have convincingly identified with Jinabhadra-gaại Kșamāśramaņa, the author of the Višeşāvaśyaka Mahābhāsya with his svopjña-țīkā cited above.