Ambika (Jainism)

Ambika

Ambika

An image of Ambika in Cave 34 of the Ellora Caves

In Jainism, Ambika (Sanskrit: अम्बिका, Odia: ଅମ୍ବିକା Ambikā "Mother") or Ambika Devi (अम्बिका देवी Ambikā Devī "the Goddess-Mother") is the Yakṣi "dedicated attendant deity" or Śāsana Devī "protector goddess" of the 22nd Tirthankara, Neminatha. She is also known as Ambai, Amba, Kushmandini and Amra Kushmandini.

Sculptures

A sculpture of Ambika was discovered at Karajagi village in Haveri taluk. The sculpture has a two-line Sanskrit inscription in Nagari script about the date of its installation - “Ambikadevi, Shaka 1173, Virodhikrit. Samvatsara, Vaishakha Shuddha 5, Guruvara.” This corresponds to Thursday, April 27, 1251 AD.[1]

Iconography

Goddess Ambika - Medieval Period (Government Museum, Mathura)

According to the tradition, her colour is golden and her vehicle is lion. She has four arms. In her two right hands she carries a mango and in the other a branch of a mango tree. In one of her left hands, she carries a rein and in the other she has her two sons, Priyankara and Shubhankara.






Temples dedicated to Ambika

The major temples of Shri Ambika Devi include:

Gallery

Notes

  1. ↑ Rare sculpture of Jain Yakshi found in Haveri Taluk, The New Indian Express, 18 October 2013

References

External links

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