Ambika (Jainism)

Ambika as Gullikayi ji in front of Gommateshwara statue

Worship of Ambika is very old, a number of images and temples of ambika are found in India.[11] Goddess Ambika along with Padmavati, Chakreshvari are held as esteemed deities and worshipped in Jains along with tirthankaras.[13][14] Ambika and Padmavati are associated with tantric rituals. These tantric rites involves yantra-vidhi, pitha-sthapana and mantra-puja.[15][16] Ambika is also called Kalpalata and kamana devi a goddess that fulfils. In Vimal Vasai Ambika is carved kalpalata, a wish fulfilling creeper.[17] Ambika is also associated with childbirth and prosperity.[10] Ambika and Sarvahana is the most favoured yaksha-yakshi pair in western parts of India.[18] Ambika is also worshiped as Kuladevi or gotra-devi.[19] Ambika is the kula-devi of the Porwad(Pragvat) Jain community. While she is worshipped by all murtipujak Jains, she is specially revered by the Porwads.[20]

According to legend, after completing construction of Gommateshwara statue, Chavundaraya organised a mahamastakabhisheka with five liquids, milk, tender coconut, sugar, nectar and water collected in hundreds of pots but liquid could not flow below the navel of the statue. Kushmandini appeared disguised as a poor old woman holding milk in the shell of half of a white Gullikayi fruit and the abhisheka was done from head to toe. Chavundaraya realised his mistake and did abhishek without pride and arrogance and this time abhisheka was done from head to toe.[21] Worship of Kushmandini devi or Ambika is an integral part of Jain rituals in Shravanabelagola.[22]

• Ambika-Kalpa, Ambika-Tadamka, Ambikatatanka, Ambika-stuti, Ambika-devi-stuti and Bhairava-Padmavati-Kalpa are tantric text to worship Ambika.[15]
• Ambika-stavana, is hymn to Ambika, compiled by Vastupala, minister of Chalukyas, in 13th century.[23]
• Ambika-devi-kalpa of Acharya Jinprabha suri, 14th century.[23]
• Aparajita-prccha is hymn to Ambika, compiled by Bhuvanadeva, 12th-13th century.[23]

Goddess Ambika sitting on lion and mango tree branch in right arm and her son in left, Royal Ontario Museum, 8th-9th century

According to the tradition, her colour is golden and her vehicle is a 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.[24][25][26][27] In South India Ambika is shown to have dark blue complexion.[23] Ambika is depicted as sashandevi for other tirthankars as well. Ambika is often represent with Bahubali.[28] Yaksha-Yakshi pair sculptures of Ambika and Sarvahanabhuti are one of the most favoured along with Gomukha-Chakreshwari and Dharanendra-Padmavati.[18]

Ambika has been popular an independent deity as well.[10][29] It is speculated that the origin of Ambika is attributed to elements of three different deities - first, goddess riding on the lion from Durga; Second, some goddess associated with mangoes and mango trees; Third, Kushmanda.[30]

The Amba-Ambika group of caves of Manmodi Caves, dated 2nd century CE, has carving of Goddess Ambika.[31] The oldest sculpture of Ambika is an idol from Akota Bronzes dated 550—600 CE.[32] 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, 27 April 1251 AD.[33]

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  Ambika sculpture from Kushan Empire
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  Image depicting Goddess Ambika in LACMA, 6th-7th century
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  Carving of Ambikadevi Kalugumalai Jain Beds, 8th century
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  Image depicting Goddess Ambika from Karnataka, India, c. 900 CE, Norton Simon Museum
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  Sculpture of Goddess Ambika, 1034 AD, British Museum
• 
  Goddess Ambika in Museum Rietberg, 11th century
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  Sculpture of Gomedh and Ambika at Maharaja Chhatrasal Museum, 11th century
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  Sarvanubhuti and Kushmandini with Jinas, 11 century, Art Gallery of New South Wales
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  Goddess Ambika idol, Victoria and Albert Museum, 1150-1200 AD
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  Goddess Ambika - Medieval Period (Government Museum, Mathura)

Goddess Ambika at Manmodi Caves

The Amba-Ambika group of caves of Manmodi Caves, dated 2nd century CE, is dedicated to Goddess Ambika.[31] The Ambika Temple, Girnar dates back 784 CE and is considered one of the oldest temple dedicated to Goddess Ambika. The worship of Goddess Ambika, the tutelary deity of Shri Munisuvrata-Nemi-Parshva Jinalaya, Santhu is popular among devotees.[34]

The major temples of Shri Ambika Devi include:

• Ambikadevi temple at Kodinar, Saurashtra in the state of Gujarat is an important pilgramge center built in pre-medieval period.[34]
• Shri Kuladevi Ambikadevi Jain Temple, Takhatgarh in Pali district of Rajasthan state.
• Shri Kuladevi Ambikadevi Jain Temple, Padarli, Rajasthan.