Unlike Parvati or Sarasvati, Devi Gayatri is the personification of the Gayatrimantra, as opposed to being an independent deity. Yet, in Shaivite texts and the Skanda Purana, She is a form of Parvati and Sarasvati, respectively. The painting of Her that you see on this page depicts Her in a modern idiom.
Devi Gayatri is seated in lalitasana on a gigantic lotus bloom. The scarlet-coloured silk of Her saree lies softly against its deep crimson petals. She is balanced upon a thick, verdant stem. The lotus stem is strong and flexible - note how its body makes smooth curves about a central axis and rises all the way above the head of the seated Gayatri. It forms somewhat of an aureole and is inscribed with the all-important Gayatrimantra in vermillion ink.
Devi Gayatri has five faces, each facing a different direction and wearing a bejewelled gold crown on the head. Her many heads and limbs (She is the dashabhujadharini or the ten-armed one) are indicative of Her status as the wife of Lord Sadashiva, the infinite-limbed roopa of Shiva. A Gayatri painting such as this one would be an unusual addition to your home.
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