Page:South-Indian Images of Gods and Goddesses.djvu/209

Rh base. Below this again is a floral design, also perhaps of lotuses, a bud in the middle and full blown flowers on either side. The goddess has two hands and holds in each of them a closed lotus flower. Two female attendants on the immediate right and left sides are seen lifting up pots of water which are received by two majestic elephants in their trunks (not fully represented) and poured over the head of the goddess alternately. The second female attendant to the left of the goddess carries a lotus bud in one of her hands, and the corresponding one to the right, a cup-like vessel, which in all probability is meant to hold the sandal paste, turmeric powder or some toilet requisite intended for the goddess. The head dress of the attendant women and the simple ornaments which they wear are worth noting and point to the modest taste of the Pallava times. The Sri-sūkta praises Lakshmī as " the goddess of Prosperity standing on the lotus flower, slightly bent on account of the weight of her breasts, having high hips, broad lotus-like eyes and deep navel pit, dressed in white cloth and bathed by heavenly elephants from golden pots which are bedecked with a variety of jewels, and holding lotuses in her hands." Havell calls the picture from Mahābalipuram " Lakshmī arising from the sea " and describes it in Chapter XXI of his Ideals of Indian Art. Another of the eight Lakshmīs, is Mahā-Lakshmī who has four hands in which she holds a vessel, the club Kaumōdakī, the shield and the bēl-fruit (srīphala). A special feature of this Mahā-Lakshmī is that she wears a linga on her head. When standing or seated on a lotus, with lotus flowers in her two upper hands and the varada and abhaya postures in the lower, Lakshmī receives the name Vīra-Lakshmī. In another representation she holds the noose, rosary, lotus and the hook. Kollāpura-Mahālakshmī is stated in the Silpasāra to have six arms, in three of which are held the club, shield and wine-cup. Another called Ashtabhujā-Vīralakshmī has eight arms, in which are seen the noose, hook, rosary, the boon-conferring hand, the hand of protection, the club, lotus and the vessel.

The Padma-Purāna mentions eight Saktis (or Energies) of the protecting god Vishnu, viz., Srī, Bhū, Sarasvatī, Prīti, Kīrti, Sānti, Tushti and Pushti. As the names clearly indicate, these goddesses of Wealth, Earth, Learning, Love, Fame, Peace, Pleasure and Strength are the eight channels through which the protective energies of Vishnu are brought into play. All these goddesses have four hands, hold lotuses in the two upper ones and exhibit the varada and abhaya postures in the two lower.