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Vidyadevi

Vidyadevis, also called Mahāvidyas, is a group of sixteen goddesses who represent individual qualities obtained through meditation and ascetic practice. They live on the slopes of Mount Vaitāḍhya, in the madhyaloka. These goddesses don’t have any specific iconography and are shown with two or multiple arms, carrying representative attributes and different mounts. They are: 

  1. Rohini: In Shvetambara, she is depicted seated on a cow and carries a conch, rosary, bow, and arrow in her four hands. In Digambaras, she is carrying an urn, conch, lotus, and fruit.

  2. Prajnapti: In Shvetambara, she is depicted seated on a peacock and carries a lotus, and shakti in her two hands. In another depiction, she is shown with four hands carrying two shakti, and two lower hands in varada mudra. In Digambaras, she is carrying a sword and a disc.

  3. Vajrasrnkhala: In Shvetambara, she is depicted seated on a lotus and carries a chain and a club in her two hands. In another depiction, she is shown with four hands carrying two chains, a lotus, and one lower hand in varada mudra. In Digambaras, she is carrying a chain.

  4. Vajrankusa: In Shvetambara, she is depicted seated on an elephant and carries a sword, vajra, shield, and spear in her four hands. In another depiction, she is shown carrying a vajra, citrus, and goad, and one hand in varada mudra. In Digambaras, she is carrying a vajra, citrus fruit, and goad.

  5. Apraticakra/ Jambunada: In Shvetambara, she is depicted seated on garuda and carries discs in all her four hands. In Digambaras, as Jambunada, she is seated on a peacock and carrying a sword and a spear.

  6. PurusadattaIn Shvetambara, she is depicted seated on a buffalo and carries a sword, citrus fruit, and shield, and one hand in varada mudra. In another depiction, she is shown carrying a sword and shield in her two hands. In Digambaras, she is seated on a peacock and carrying a vajara and a lotus.

  7. KaaliIn Shvetambara, she is depicted seated on a lotus and carries a rosary, club, vajara, and one hand in varada mudra. In another depiction, she is shown carrying a club and one hand in varada mudra. In Digambaras, she is seated on a deer and carrying a staff and a sword.

  8. MahakaliIn Shvetambara, she is depicted seated on a man and carries a rosary, fruit, bell, and one hand in varada mudra. In another depiction, she is shown carrying a rosary, fruit, bell, and one hand in abhaya mudra. In Digambaras, she is seated on a corpse and carrying a bow, sword, fruit, and ashtra

  9. Gauri: In Shvetambara, she is depicted seated on an alligator and carries a club, rosary, and waterlily, and one hand in varada mudra. In Digambaras, she is seated on an alligator and carrying a lotus and one hand in varada mudra.

  10. Gandhari: In Shvetambara, she is depicted seated on a lotus and carries a staff and a vajra. In another depiction, she is shown carrying a vajra, staff, and two hands in varada mudra. In Digambaras, she is seated on a tortoise and carrying a disc and a sword.

  11. Mahajvala: In Shvetambara, she is depicted seated on a lion and carries a trident, lotus, fruit, and one hand in varada mudra. In Digambaras, she is seated on a boar and carrying various attributes.

  12. Manavi: In Shvetambara, she is depicted seated on a lotus and carries boughs of a tree in her upper two hands, and two lower hands in varada mudra. In Digambaras, she is seated on a boar and carrying a trident.

  13. Vairoti: In Shvetambara, she is depicted seated on a snake and carries two snakes, a sword, and a shield. In Digambaras, she is seated on a lion and carrying a snake.

  14. Acyupta: In Shvetambara, she is depicted seated on a horse and carries a bow, sword, shield, and arrow. In Digambaras, she is seated on a horse and carrying a sword.

  15. Manasi: In Shvetambara, she is depicted seated on a swan and carrying a vajra and one hand in varada mudra. In another depiction, she is shown carrying two vajra, a rosary, and one hand in varada mudra, and seated on a lion. In Digambaras, she is seated on a snake.

  16. ManasiIn Shvetambara, she is depicted seated on a swan and carrying a vajra and one hand in varada mudra. In another depiction, she is shown carrying two vajra, a rosary, and one hand in varada mudra, and seated on a lion. In Digambaras, she is seated on a snake.

  17. MahamanasiIn Shvetambara, she is depicted seated on a lion and carrying a sword, shield, and noose, and one hand in varada mudra. In Digambaras, she is seated on a swan and carrying a goad, rosary, and garland, and one hand in varada mudra.

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