The Antiquities of Orissa v2.c16.s2.66.2

v2.c16.s2.66.2

They adore her as "the consort of Hari, seated on a lotus delicate as the heavenly creeper *pārijāta*, radiant as an image of lustrous jewels, constantly besprinkled with water from golden pitchers held by the trunks of four majestic elephants white as snow, cheering the faint-hearted by twirling in her hands a couple of lotuses".³³ The *Svatantra Tantra* reconciles the conflict between the Vaiṣṇavas and the Śāktas by saying, that "the goddess is identically the same with the lady Lakṣmī, who was produced originally at the churing of the ocean; but that when Brahmā, intent on creating the universe performed an austere fast, Śākti, the great goddess, was highly gratified, and on the night of the 9th of the waxing moon in the month of Chaitra, manifested herself as the all-powerful consort of Śiva. She abides on the breast of Viṣṇu. She is the destroyer of Kāla demons, who is the lady of the lotus seat. She was [33] (again) born on the the 8th of the wane in the month of Bhādra, as Mahāmātaṅginī, the great owner of elephants. On Thursday, the 11th of the wane sacred to Bhīma, she was born as Mahālakṣmi. She is the bestower of all blessings." A modification of the form of this goddess occurs very frequently in wild parts of Bengal and Orissa, under the name of Bāsulī, a non-Aryan goddess, who has been identified by some with Viśālākshī or the large-eyed lady, the ox-eyed Juno of Aryan India. Adverting to a counterpart of this goddess, Mr.