History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.719

v6.c81.719

There is no unanimity about the arms of Devī. The Varāhapurāṇa (95. 41) speaks of 20 arms of Devī and mentions the twenty weapons she carries (95. 42-43) In the Devībhāgavata V. 8. 44 she is said to have 18 arms Hemādri (on vrata, vol. I. pp. 923-924) quotes verses in which Devī is said to have eight arms and ten arms respectively. Vidyāpati⁴⁶⁰ quotes passages for both ten arms and eight arms. It appears that different numbers of arms were associated with different forms and names of Devī. For example, Vidyāpati in describing the form of Kālī or Cāmuṇḍā speaks of her as having four arms. In the Virāṭaparva (chap. 6) where Yudhiṣṭhira praises Durgā, she is described (in verse 8) as having four arms.