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YAŠASTILAKA AND INDIAN OUATURE
VII. 31. The cult of this goddess is described in detail in Devipurāna (chap. 92-93), and extraordinary merit is said to accrue from the difficult journey to the almost inaccessible shrine. The goddess is clad in white raiment, and has four hands; she is surrounded by numerous beautiful maidens who are eager to marry her devotees. A noteworthy feature of the cult is that respect for women is particularly enjoined on the worshippers of the goddess (ibid. 93. 165 ff.). Nanda-tirtha is described in Devipurāna as a Saiva tirtha, and, as in Yasastilaka, the goddess is called Bhagavati Nandā (93. 22-24).'
A city-goddess named Siddhāyikā, “who inspired the confidence of many people', is mentioned in Book 1.3 In Book IV there is a reference to the evil spirit Kịtyā who kills her own worshippers. It may be noted that, according to Kathāsaritsăgara 5. 121-2, Cāņakya worshipped Krtyā with magic rites in order to bring about the death of king Nanda. Krityä is mentioned also in Sivasvāmin's Kapphiņābhyudaya Mahākāvya 3. 24, 28, composed in Kashmir in the ninth century. A reference to the six magic rites of the Tantrio cult occurs in a verse in Yasastilaka, Book IV.' According to S'āradātilaka 23. 122 ff., they are sānti or cure of disease and the expulsion of evil spirits such as Kętyă; vasya or bringing others under one's control; stambhana or paralysing the activity of others; vidvesa or causing enmity between friends ; uccāțana or compelling one to abandon hearth and home; and mārana or killing. Each of these rites has a presiding goddess who is worshipped at the beginning, and the goddess Jyeșthà seems to be connected with the process of vidveşa. A reference to Jyesthā occurs also in Yasastilaka 3. 118 wherein she is said to be worshipped with white lotus blossoms,: Jyesthā is diametrically opposite to Lakşmi, being the goddess of adversity (Alakşmi), and so called, because she is believed to have emerged prior to Lakşmi during the churning of the ocean. Her legend is related in Lingapurāna (Uttarabhāga, chap. 6), and she is particularly associated with sinners and evil-doers and all those who are outside the pale of the Brahmanical religion,
1 Tatarina Salg 2 यथा गङ्गा नदीनां तु उत्तमत्वे व्यवस्थिता । तद्भगवती नन्दा उत्तमत्वेन संस्थिता । 3 caratterega grca: falfitat:*** ..**CÂTAFET FETARET?. Siddhāyikā
appears to be a Jaina goddess. See Chap. XIII. 4 ruta Bra ya Tana: O BTI' 5 'अत्युग्रां जपत इव प्रकोपकृत्यां निर्मातुं द्विषदभिचारमत्रतत्रम'; 'कृत्येव भ्रकुटिरतिस्फुटा'. 6 tarafta eto. 7 शान्तिवश्यस्तम्भनानि विद्वेषोच्चाटने ततः। मारणान्तानि शंसन्ति षट् कर्माणि मनीषिणः ॥ रोगकृत्याग्रहादीनां निरासः
शान्तिरीरिता ।"रतिर्वाणी रमा ज्येष्ठा दुर्गा काली यथा क्रमात् ॥ षट्कर्मदेवताः प्रोक्ताः कर्मादौ ताः प्रपूजयेत् । 8 'पूज्यमजं श्रियः सङ्गाज्येष्ठायाश्च न कैरवम् ।'
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