Padmavati (Jainism)

thumb|Walkeshwar Jain Temple, Mumbai
Padmāvatī is the protecting goddess or śāsanadevī of Pārśva, twenty-third Tīrthaṅkara in Jainism. She enjoys an independent religious life and is very popular amongst Jains. Padmāvatī is the main deity at Humbaj, the famous tirtha. 
Padmāvatī is distinct from both Ambikā and Lakṣmī. Legend has it that Padmāvatī and her husband Dharanendra were the king and queen of snakes in a previous birth, where their lives were saved and enlightened by Pārśva. Padmāvatī and Dharanendra were reborn in heaven and now serve as his attendant deities. They are believed to have rational perception (Samyak Drshti) and hence their images are found in some Jain temples.
Iconographically, owing to Padmāvatī's association with Pārśva, her images are shaded by a snake's hood and she is seated on a lotus flower. Often, a small image of the Tīrthaṅkara is placed in her crown. 
There are many images of Padmāvatī. One of the most famous is in the Vāḷakēśvara Temple dedicated to the first Tīrthaṅkara, R̥ṣabha, in Mumbai, India.
One of the new additions in Padmavati pilgrimage is Maa Padmavati Dhaam (Tijara) near Delhi. 
Category:Jain deities