Elements of Hindu Iconography v3.c19.162

v3.c19.162

purpose of killing Nirṛita. The general description of these goddesses is briefly given in the āgama thus :—Brahmāṇi should be sculptured like Brahmā ; Māhēśvarī like Mahēśvara ; Vaiṣṇavī like Viṣṇu ; Vārāhi as a short woman with an angry face and bearing a plough as her weapon ; Indrāṇi like Indra ; and Chāmuṇḍa as a terrific woman. This last goddess should have her hair in a dishevelled condition, should possess a dark complexion and have four hands ; she should wield the triśūla in one of her hands and carry a kapāla in another. All the Mātṛikās are to be seated images and should have two of their hands held in the varada and abhaya poses, while the other two hands should carry weapons appropriate to the male counterparts of the female powers. They are shown seated upon padmāsanās in the sculptures.