Indian Art: A History of Indian Art from the Earliest Times up to the Third Century A.D. c17.59

c17.59

SAPTA-MAṬRIKĀS—The religious worship of the Seven Mothers (Saptamātaraḥ) was known to the Ṛigveda, sometimes spoken of as seven sisters (Saptasvāsāraḥ) who were only an elaboration of the single great mother goddess (Mahīmātā), Mother of the Seven Āditya gods, named Aditi, incarnated in the forms of many classical goddesses as Ambikā, Lakshmī, and Śatarūpā or Sarasvatī-Sāvitrī consort of Brahmā and also as a daughter of Daksha. The classical cult of the seven mothers was a continuation of the same but cast in a new mould of the energies of the seven Purāṇic gods, Brahmā, Vishṇu, Śiva, Kumāra, Varāha, Nṛisiṃha and Yama. The dreadful aspect of the last one being shown in the terrifying aspect of Chāmuṇḍā, a new version of the Vedic Kṛityā. In images they are given new weapons and vehicles mostly taken from the scattered groups of auspicious symbols.