The Dynasties of the Kanarese Districts of the Bombay Presidency from the Earliest Historical Times to the Musalman Conquest c8.s12.49

c8.s12.49

⁴ The mothers of mankind are the divine mothers, the personified energies of the principal deities. When taken as seven in number, which is usually the case, they are named as Brâhmî or Brahmâṇî, Mâhêśvarî, Kaumârî, Vaishṇavî, Vârâhî, Indrâṇî or Aindrî or Mâhêndrî, and Châmuṇḍâ. They were closely connected with the worship of Śiva; and they attended on Kârttikêya, who was his son.—They must have some original connection with the Pleiades, derived from the time when the principal stars of that group, visible clearly to the naked eye, were seven in number. Kârttikêya was fostered by the Pleiades (Krittikâh); and from this is derived his name of Kârttikêya, and one of his epithets, viz. shaṇmâtura, 'having six mothers.'