Page:South-Indian Images of Gods and Goddesses.djvu/216

196 said to have each a tree specially sacred to them, e.g., Kaumārī has the fig-tree (udumbara), Vaishnavī, the pipal, Vārāhī, the karanja, Indrāni, the celestial tree kalpadruma, and Chāmundā, the banyan.

The Saptamātrikās thus described are generally found figured together in a group on the same panel and are quite a common sight in South-Indian villages and Siva temples. When installed within the enclosure of a temple, they are seen often without a shrine built over them, and may receive such attention as the other minor deities of that temple. In villages and in Pidāri temples built exclusively for goddesses, they are worshipped regularly. The Selliyamma temple at Ālambākkam in the Tanjore district possesses an important shrine for the Saptamātrikās. The order in which the Saptamātrikā images are cut on the stone differs according to circumstances. For the destruction of enemies and safety to villages Brāhmī or Brāhmānī must be made to occupy the centre. If Chāmundā be placed there instead, the village will grow in population.

At the entrances to the shrines of Saptamātrikās are placed two guardian deities. Evil spirits, demons and demigods, holding tridents in their hands, may also be installed in the same place. It is enjoined that the daily worship and festivities in the Saptamātrikā shrines are to be performed according to rules prescribed by the Yāmala-mantrasāstra.

The following three goddesses, viz., Durgā, Chāmundā and Mahishāsuramardinī, though they partake mainly of the nature of Pārvatī, are however seen holding the Vaishnavite symbols of the discus and the conch. The Purānas say that Durgā was born of Yasōdā, in order to save the life of Krishna who was just then born to Dēvakī. The children were exchanged under divine intervention. Kamsa, the cruel brother of Dēvakī, who had vowed to kill all the children of his sister, thought this female child was Dēvakī's and dashed it against a stone ; but, then, the child flew into the air and assuming the form of Durgā mocked him and went away. On account of this incident she is known as the sister of Vāsudēva-Krishna. The Silpasāra mentions a Chandikā (Chāmundā) of eighteen arms to whom the god Siva presented the trident, Krishna (Vishnu), the conch and Agni,