50 - Characteristics of an image of the goddess 

The Lord said:

1-5. (The image of). Chandi may have twenty hands and may hold the spear, sword, dart, disc, noose, club, damaru (a small drum) and spike in the left hands and also (show) protective posture (and) the snake as the noose, club, axe, goad, bow, bell, banner, mace, mirror, and iron mace in the (right) hands. Or (the figure of) Chandi is made to have ten hands, with the buffalo placed below with its head fully severed and the demon as issuing forth from (its) neck with rage and brandishing his weapon, holding spike in the hand, vomitting blood, his hairs (stained) with blood and blood dripping out from the eyes (forming) a garland (on the chest), being devoured by the lion and well-bound by the noose in the neck. (The goddess is represented as) resting her right foot on the lion and the left foot on the demon underneath. 

6-12. This form of Chaņdikā, the destroyer of enemies (is made as) having three eyes and endowed with weapons. (This) Durgå is to be worshipped with the nine elements in order in a diagram of nine lotuses from her own form at the beginning, centre and the eastern and other (directions). (The imageshould be made as) possessing eighteen arms (carrying) a human head, club, mirror, tarjani (a kind of weapon), bow, banner and a little drum in the right hand and the noose, spear, mace, trident, thunderbolt, sword, goad and dart in the left hand. The others (Rudrachanda and other goddesses)should be endowed with the same weapons in their sixteen hands except the little drum and tarjani (a kind of weapon). 

The nine (goddesses) commencing with Rudrachanda are Rudrachandā, Prachanda, Chaņdogrā, Chandanáyikā, Chandā, Chandavatī, Chandarūpå, Atichaņdikä and Ugracanda stationed at the centre. (They are made to be) coloured as the rocanā (yellow pigment), red, black, blue, white, purple, yellow and white and as riding the lion. Then the buffalo as a human (form)should be held by the hair by the nine (forms) of Durga holding weapons. 

13. They are in the alidha¹ posture. They have to be established for the increase of progeny; as also the forms) Gauri, Chaņdikā and others (as well as the forms) Kundi, Akshara rada (and) Agnidhruk. 

1. The posture inshooting, in which the right knec is advanced and the left leg is held back. 

14-15.she is the same as Rambha. (She is) accomplished and devoid of fire. (She is) also Lalita. (She) holds the severed head along with the neck in the left (hand) and a mirror in the second hand. 

(The image of) Saubhagya (is made) as holding fruits in the folded palms on the right side. (The image of) Lakshmi holds the lotus in the right hand and the sriphala (bilva fruit) in the left. 

16. (The image of) Sarasvati (should be made as holding) a book, rosary and lute in the hands. (The image of) Jåhnavi (the river Ganges) (is represented) as holding a pot and flower in the hand (and standing) on the crocodile and of white complexion. 

17. (The image of the river) Yamunā is worshipped as mounted on the tortoise and as holding a pot in the hand and of dark complexion. (The image of) Tumburu is represented as white (in colour), holding a lute and trident and riding a bull. 

18-19. The four-faced Brahmi (the female-energy of Brahma) (is represented) as of fair complexion, riding a swan and as carrying a rosary, different vessels such as sura and kunda in the left hand. Śänkarī is represented as white, (seated) on a bull holding the bow and arrow in the right hand and the disc and the bow in the left hand. Kaumári (is represented) as red in colour, riding the peacock and having two arms, holding the spears. 

20. (The form of) Lakshmishould hold the disc, and conch in the right (hand) (and) the mace and lotus in the left (hand). (The form of) Vårähishould be mounted on the buffalo and hold the stick, conch, sword and goad. 

21-25. (The image of) Aindri conferring successshould be represented as having thousand eyes and holding the thunderbolt in the left hand. 

Chāmundå may have three eyes deeply sunken, a skeleton form devoid of flesh, erectly standing hair, emaciated belly, clad in tigerskin and holding a skull and spear in the left hand and a trident and scissor in the right standing on the dead body of a man and wearing a garland of bones. (The image of)Vinayakashould have a human body, big belly, elephant face, big trunk and sacred thread. The mouth measuring 7 kaläs in breadth while the trunkshould measure 36 finger-breadths in length. The neckshould be 12 kalas in girth and 10 kalās in height. The throat-regionshould be 36 finger (in length). The space about the region of anusshould have the breadth of half a finger. 

26. (The region of) the navel and thighshould be of twelve (fingers) as also the leg from the ankle to the knee and the feet. Heshould be represented as holding his own tusk made into an axe in the right hand and the ladduka (a ball of sweet) and lotus flower in the left. 

27. (The image of) Skanda, the lord (of the universe) also known as Śäkha and Visakha, (is represented) as a boy possessing two arms and riding a peacock (with the images of) Sumukhi and Vidālākshi¹. 

1. The consorts of Skanda. The two name mean good-faced and cat-eyed respectively. 

28-29. The god may be represented as having a single face or six faces, six hands or twelve hands carrying the spear and a cock in the right hand. In the village or the forest (itshould have) two arms. (Heshould bear) the spear, arrow, noose, nistrimsa (sword), goad and tarjani (a kind of weapon) in the six right hands and the spear in the left hand. 

30-31. (The image of) Rudracharcikā (the manifestation of) the goddess may have a bow adorned by the plume of peacock, club, banner, protective posture, cock, skull, scissors, trident and noose in the right and left hands. (Sheshould also be) clad in the elephant hide, with her leg raised up and the little drum placed on the head. 

32. Henceshe (is known as) Rudrachâmundā, the goddess of dancing and one who is dancing. This (goddess herself), having four faces and in the sitting posture (is known as) Mahå Lakshmi. 

33-34. (The goddess) having ten hands and three eyes (holding) (different) weapons, sword and damaru (little drum) in the right hand and the bell, club, staff with a skull at one end and trident in the left (hand) and eating men, horses, buffaloes and elephants held in the hand is called Siddhachāmunda. 

35. That goddess accomplishes everything and is (known (as) Siddhayogeśvari.she is also represented in another form endowed with the noose and goad and red (in complexion). 

36. (The goddess) Bhairavi who has an embodiment of beauty is endowed with twelve arms. These are (all) (spoken as) fierce (forms) arising from the cremation ground. The above are remembered as the eight forms of the goddess." 

37. (The goddess) Kshamá (Forbearance) (should be) surrounded by jackals, old, having two arms, and widely opened mouth. (The goddess) Kshemankari (Benevolent) may have protruding teeth and be resting her knees on the ground. 

38. The wives of semi-godsshould be made to have long and motionless eyes. The Śäkinis (female attendants on Goddess Durgå)should be made to have oblique vision. The Maharamyasshould have yellow eyes. The (images of) nymphsshould always be made beautiful. 

39. (The form of) Nandisa the bull, the door-keeper (of the goddess),should carry a rosary and a trident. (The image of) Mahäkäla (a form of Siva as the destroyer) may have a sword, human skull, trident and club. 

40. (The form of) Bhfngin (an attendant of Siva)should have an emaciated body. Kushmånda (another attendant of Siva)should have a stout and dwarf form dancing. Virabhadra and other attendants (of Siva)should have ears and faces of elephants, cows, etc. 

41. Ghanțākarņa (an attendant of Siva) formshould have eighteen hands crushing the accrued sin, (holding weapons) thunderbolt, sword, club, disc, arrow, mace, goad and hammer in the right hand and tarjani (a weapon), club, dart, human skull, noose, bow, bell and axe on the left and a trident in the (remaining) two hands and wearing a garland of bells and crushing the eruptive diseases.