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ORIGIN
Jaina texts address Padmavati as Durga and Gauri and say that she herself is Tripura. This is borne out by the fact that the symbols of Tripura given in the Rupamandana exactly correspond to those of Padmavati described in the Padmavati Mantramnyavidhi. Both show the abhaya, the varada, the noose and the goad. Tripura in the Brahmanical pantheon is only one of the forms of Gauri. Moreover, deities like Jaya, Vijaya, Ajita, Aparajita - the doorkeepers associated with Padmavti and the deities Mohini and Sthambhini, who find a place in the Yantras of Padmavati, are included in the lists of Pratiharas of the Brahmanical Gauri. The lotus is also one of the most common symbols of Gauri and Savitri. But Padmavati does not seem to have been directly borrowed from Gauri although one or more froms may be found to possess similarity in symbo's.
The nearest approach to the source of Padmavati, Tara, and Gauri seems to be the ancient goddess Padmasri, thoroughly discussed by Coomarswamy and Motichandra. The lotus symbol was primarily associated with one of the Sirima-Devta and the Naga cult of the ancient Magadha. Padmasri or Padma Vidyini is the source of these three goddesses is evident from passage in Bharata and Markandeya Purana. It is important to note that Jatasimhanandi (sixth C.A.D.) in his Varangacarita does not refer to Shasandevatas (including Padmavati) even when he had scope to do so in canto 2. FROMS
Padmavati is known by six other names - Totala, Tvarita, Nitya, Tripura, Kamasadhini and Tripura-Bhairavi. She also manifests herself in one special form of Bhairav-Padmavati.
(1) Totala : Totala has four hands showing the noose, the vajra, the fruit and the lotus. The colour and vahana are not specified in the work; very probably she is like the principal deity, red in colour riding on the kukkata-sarpa.
(2) Tvarita : Red in complexion shows conch, the lotus, the abhaya and varada in her four hands. The vahana is not specified.
(3) Nitya : Nitya has the noose, the goad, the lotus and the rosary in her four hands and rides the swan. She is red in complexion and shines with a halo of flames behind her head.
(4) Kamasadhini : Kamasadhini is four armed variety, red like the bandhuka-flower and rides on the kukkata-sarpa. In her four
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