Elements of Hindu Iconography v3.c19.51

v3.c19.51

The Vishṇudharmōttara as quoted in the Vāchaspatya, describes Mahishāsura-marddanī under the name of Chaṇḍikā thus:—This Dēvī has the complexion of gold and is a very handsome youthful woman in an angry mood, sitting on the back of a lion. She has twenty hands; the right ones carry respectively the śūla, khaḍga, śaṅkha, chakra, bāṇa, śakti, vajra, abhaya, ḍamaru and an umbrella; while the left ones are seen to hold the nāga-pāśa, khēṭaka, paraśu, aṅkuśa, dhanus, ghaṇṭa, dhvaja, gadā, a mirror and the mudgara. The buffalo-part of the asura is lying decapitated with the real asura proceeding from out of the neck. His eyes, hair and brows are red and he vomits blood from his mouth. The lion of the Dēvī mauls him, and the Dēvī herself thrusts the triśūla into his neck. The asura, who is bound down by the nāga-pāśa, carries a sword and a shield. (See Pls. CIV and CV.)