Ambika (Jainism)
| Ambika | |
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 An image of Ambika in Cave 34 of the Ellora Caves |
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In Jainism, Ambika (Sanskrit: अम्बिका, Odia: ଅମ୍ବିକା Ambikā "Mother") or Ambika Devi (अम्बिका देवी Ambikā Devī "the Goddess-Mother") is the Yakṣi "dedicated attendant deity" or Śāsana Devī "protector goddess" of the 22nd Tirthankara, Neminatha. She is also known as Ambai, Amba and Amra Kushmandini.
Sculptures
A sculpture of Ambika was discovered at Karajagi village in Haveri taluk. The sculpture has a two-line Sanskrit inscription in Nagari script about the date of its installation - “Ambikadevi, Shaka 1173, Virodhikrit. Samvatsara, Vaishakha Shuddha 5, Guruvara.” This corresponds to Thursday, April 27, 1251 AD.[1]
Iconography
According to the tradition, her colour is golden and her vehicle is lion. She has four arms. In her two right hands she carries a mango and in the other a branch of a mango tree. In one of her left hands, she carries a rein and in the other she has her two sons, Priyankara and Shubhankara.
Temples dedicated to Ambika
The major temples of Shri Ambika Devi include:
- Shri Neminath Adhisthayaka Nagotra Solanki Gotria Kuladevi Shri Ambikadevi Jinalaya in Santhu near Bagra (Marwar)|Bagra, in Jalore district of Rajasthan state.
- Shri Kuladevi Ambikadevi Jain Temple, Takhatgarh in Pali district of Rajasthan state.
- Shri Kuladevi Ambikadevi Jain Temple, Padarli in Rajasthan state.
Gallery
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Goddess Ambika (Los Angeles County Museum of Art)
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Ambika, Madhya Pradesh, India, 8th-9th century - Royal Ontario Museum
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Ambika - Medieval Period (Government Museum, Mathura)
Notes
- ↑ Rare sculpture of Jain Yakshi found in Haveri Taluk, The New Indian Express, 18 October 2013
References
- Tiwari, M.N.P. (1989). Ambika in Jaina arts and literature, New Delhi: Bharatiya Jnanpith.
- Shah, Umakant P. (1987), Jaina-rūpa-maṇḍana: Jaina iconography, Abhinav Publications, ISBN 81-7017-208-X
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ambika. |
- An image of Ambikā Devī in the British Museum, London
- An Image of Yaksha & Yakshini of 22nd Trithankara Neminatha
- Album of Photographs of Shri Ambika Devi
- An Image of Shri Ambikadevi, Munigiri, Tamil Nadu
- A Picture of Shri Ambikadevi, Jain Thirthankaras & Acharyas
- An Image of Shri Ambikadevi in Chennai Museum
- One of the images of Shri Ambikadevi carved in various forms at Jagat
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