Page:South-Indian Images of Gods and Goddesses.djvu/242

222 are always presumed to be standing on a chakra imbedded in the earth and hence the worship is offered at the feet of the goddesses. In exceptional cases, however, as in the Kāmākshi-amman temple at Conjeeveram, the chakra is placed in front of the goddess. Bālā-Sakti, holding a book, rosary, goad and noose, is the presiding goddess of the six chakras as stated in the Silpasāra. The particular yantra sacred to her is known as Bālā-yantra which is described as a geometrical drawing having in its centre a dot (bindu) closed in by a triangle, a hexagon, a circle, a lotus of eight petals, a square and another square with openings at the cardinal points, consecutively. The Sri-chakra consisting of a larger number of intersecting triangles surrounded by circles and squares is another such mystic figure considered to be highly sacred to the goddess Lalitā. The latter is stated to have under her control innumerable fairy goddesses, some of whom are so delicate that they can enter, by the order of their mistress, into every atom of creation. Some with braided hair and beautiful tilakas of kunkumam on their foreheads are as sharp as fire and hold bows, arrows, swords and shields of flames. They are the personifications of almost every beneficent activity in the universe and are engaged in putting down the Evil Principle. Lalitā is said to have fought and killed, with the aid of these deities, several demons named Bhandāsura, Sumbha, Nisumbha, Chanda-Munda and Mahishāsura. All these, apparently, represent the powerfully persistent evil desires of men.