Elements of Hindu Iconography v3.c19.10

v3.c19.10

. . . . “ During the time of creation, she assumes the form of a dark coloured woman under various names, such as Mahāmāyā, Mahākālī, Mahāmārī, Kshudhā, Trishā, Nidrā, Trishṇā, Ēkavīrā, Kālarātri and Duratyayā. In obedience to the command of the supreme goddess Mahālakshmī, she divides herself into two portions, a male portion known by the names of Nīlakaṇṭha, Raktabāhu, Śvētāṅga, Chandraśēkhara, Rudra, Śaṅkara, Sthāṇu, and Trilōchana, and a female portion of white colour known as Vidyā, Bhāshā, Svara, Akshara, and Kāmadhēnu. Similarly, the Sattva form, of moon-like splendour, possessed of akshamālā, aṅkuśa, vīṇā and pustaka, is also generated by Mahālakshmī, the supreme goddess; this aspect of the goddess is known by the names of Mahāvidyā, Mahāvāṇī, Bhāratī, Vāk, Sarasvatī, Āryā, Brāhmī, Kāmadhēnu, Vēdagarbhā, Dhī and Īśvari. She also gives rise to a male and a female form by the command of the supreme Dēvi; the male form produced out of this aspect of the goddess is the black coloured deity known as Viṣṇu, Kṛṣṇa, Hṛṣīkēśa, Vāsudēva and Janārddana; and the female is the fair coloured goddess known as Umā, Gaurī, Satī, Caṇḍī, Sundarī, Subhagā and Śivā. The Rājasa form of the supreme Mahālakshmi is simply called Lakshmi. She carries a mātuluṅga (pomegranate) fruit, the gadā, the pātra (vessel) and the khēṭaka, and has a chihna or mark consisting of the male and female signs (Liṅga). Hers is the colour of molten gold. She has also divided herself into male and female parts; the former is known as Hiraṇyagarbha, Brahman, Vidhi, Viriñcha and Dhātā and the latter is called Śrī, Padmā, Kamalā, and Lakshmi. And the mother of the universe, Mahālakshmi, ordered Brahman to take Sarasvatī as his consort. The great Brahmāṇḍa was born by their union. Rudra, that is, Śiva married Gaurī, and they both broke open the ‘egg of gold’. Lakshmi became herself the consort of Viṣṇu and they both afforded protection to the universe. From Māyā the whole lot of created beings came into existence.” Thus, according to the Dēvimāhātmya,all the gods and goddesses mentioned above are but manifestations of the one single Supreme Being Mahālakshmi and should not be understood to be separate individual deities.”