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CONCEJPT OF TI DE GODDESS ŚAKTI EXPOUNDED IN TI IE LAUTOPAKIIYANA 111

goddesscs are obviously: the personifieations of the flames of fire and the lustre of fire respectively⁷⁰ i. e., flames of fire and the luslre of fire are the forms of the Goddcss Lalita.

37.    Cod Gajanana - A Form of Goddess Śakti : The demon is said to have madę use of a magical diagram drawn on a slab of stone, to prevent the victory of the Goddess. Il had eighl presiding dcities,⁷¹ viz.,

(1)    Alasa (the presiding deity of idleness)

(2)    Krpanfi (the presiding deity of wrelchedness)

(3)    Dina (the presiding deity of distress)

(4)    Nidra (the presiding deity of sleep)

(5)    Tandra (the presiding deity of sluggishness)

(6)    Pramilika (the presiding deity of enervalion of spirits)

(7)    Kllba (the presiding deity of weakness)

(8)    Nirahańkara (the presiding deity of humbleness)⁷²

These eight presiding dcities wcrc unholy magical powers used by the demon against the Goddess Lalita. Having worshipped the diagram, it was thrown by hurt in the camp of the Goddess.⁷³ As a result of this, the goddesscs became averse to fighting and began to think of the Goddess Lalita with disrcspect.⁷⁴ In order to nullify the effcct of this magie, the Goddess Lalita smiled and the god Gajanana cmanaled Iroin her mouth.⁷⁵ He destroyed the magical slab of the demon.⁷⁶

38.    Il is wcll-known that one of the epithels of Gajanana is Vighnahart2 i. e., rcmover of obstaeles or evils and that is why the Goddess Lalita appears to have employed him against the magie of the demon. Here Gajanana has

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not bccn cxpressly referred to as a form of Sakti; yel it can be said that probably here the suggestion is Gajanana is also a part of Sakti, sińce he emerged from Her mouth. Bcsidcs Sakti pcrvadcs this universe and She exisls in all the forms, małe as well as fcmale. Thcrcfore, the god Gajanana is a form of the Goddess Sakti.

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39.    Vi$nu’s Incarnations - Mani festations of Sakti : According to the Vaisnava doctrinc of incarnation, God Visnu incamates for the protection of the univcrse; an incarnation is a manifestation of Visnu’s power to protect the univcrse. It will be interesting to notę how the Lalitop&khyana incorporates the various incarnations of Visnu, i. e., His powers, in the concept of Sakti. The following discussion will explain the purpose of incorporating the Avat&ras

of Visnnu.

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40.    Whr _t the Goddess Lalita, Hersclf appeared on the battle field,