Lalitopakhyana (Lalita Mahatmya)
by G.V. Tagare | 1958 | 103,924 words | ISBN-10: 8120838246 | ISBN-13: 9788120838246
This page describes the chariot of dandanatha (kiricakra) of the Lalitopakhyana (or Lalita-Mahatmya), an important scripture within Shaktism embedded as the final part in the Brahmanda-Purana. It is presented in the form of a dialogue between sage Agastya and Hayagriva, which is incarnation of Vishnu and also includes the Lalita Sahasranama.
The chariot of Daṇḍanāthā (Kiricakra)
[Note: this page is extracted from a footnote at chapter 20]
This is a description of the chariot of the commander-in-chief-, Daṇḍanāthā, the boar-faced deity (Potriṇī). The chariot has five steps, but the distribution of deities etc. is rather confused. May be due to some textual confusion. Whatever is precise is recorded in the following outline.
Seat of Potriṇī
I. Centre of the Chariot—Bindu
[Vide VV. 2-5]
II. Centre of the Chariot: 3 deities—Jṛmbhiṇī, Mohinī, Stambhinī
[Vide VV. 6-81]
III. 5 deities such as Andhinī
[Vide VV. 9-12a]
IV. 6 deities out of Mātṛs, Mothers with exception of Caṇḍīkā or Mahālakṣmī, Vārāhī, six are stationed here.
Prob. 7 deities Dhātunāthās e.g. Yakṣiṇī, Śaṅkhinī so called as these
IV. deities consume 7 dhātus of the body, bestowers of eight siddhis. Other side of the step: 2 chowrie-bearing deities And Daṇḍanāthā’s Lion.
[Vide VV. 12b-33]
VI. v.l. states that this chariot has 5 steps but without specifically mentioning the V step, this is called the 6th step in the text. Prob. 8 deities e.g. Vārtālī, Vārāhi etc are stationed here. On their left Daṇḍanāthā’s buffalo.
V. Below them 8 guardians of quarters, gods, demi-gods, Nāgas etc. are Step stationed
[Vide VV. 34-55]
On the wheel 3 deities: Jṛmbhiṇī, Stambhinī, Mohinī [The same deities as on the II step of this kīri-cakra-ratha vide VV 6-8 above and Kṣetrapāla at the extremity of this step. Below the VI Step:
1000 deities and 10 Bhairavas
[Vide VV. 56-86]