Ambikā or Kūṣmāṇḍinī

The yakṣī or female attendant deity of Nemi, the 22nd Jina. Along with some other yakṣis, she has become an independent figure over the centuries and is worshipped in her own right. Connected with motherhood, fertility and children, Ambikā or Kūṣmāṇḍinī is particularly popular among Jains in Gujarat and is the protective spirit of Girnār and Shravana Belgola, among other places.

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