Jaina Sculptures in Bharata Kala Bhavan

Author(s): Kamalgiri
Publisher: Z_Aspect_of_Jainology_Part_2_Pundit_Bechardas_Doshi_012016.pdf
Catalog link: https://jainqq.org/explore/250163/1

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JAINA SCULPTURES IN BHARAT KALA BHAVAN
Kamal Giri
The sculpture gallary of the Bharat Kala Bhavan, Banaras Hindu University (Varanasi), possesses some Jaina sculptures in stone and metal. The present paper focuses on the Jaina sculptures in stone. These figures cover a long span of time and they mainly hail from sites in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Among them are a few Kuşāņa Jina heads;2 but the figures of the Jinas and Yakşīs from Gupta to the medieval times make the rest of the bulk. Of the 27 Jina images, four represent Jina caumukhi (Pratimā-sarvatobhadrikā) and the remaining single Jina figures. Of the traditional 24, at least eight Jinas are represented in the collection : they are Rşabha (1st), Ajita (2nd), S Supārśva (7th), Candraprabha (8th), śānti (16th), Ariştanemi (22nd), Pārśva (23rd) and Vardhamana Mahāvira (24th).
There are 11 separate figures of Jina Rşabha in the collection; Rşabha being the premier Jina, was held in the highest veneration in all the sects of the Jainas.
Rşabha's earliest image (Acc. No. 23275 : 71 x 54 cms.) (not illustrated) is dateable to c. eighth-ninth century A. D. and is fashioned in black stone. It hails from South India. Rşabhanātha seated cross-legged is not accompanied by any of the prātihāryas (splendour phenomena). The body of the Jina is slim and in fine proportions. Four other Rşabha figures are dateable to c. 10th-11th century A. D. The provenance of these figures, excepting for the one, is unknown; but the images appear to have come somewhere form U. P. or M. P. on the basis of iconographical features and style. One of these figures, beautifully modelled (Acc. No. 274 : 9 x 18 cms) and carved in buff sandstone, is sky-clad; it stands on a carpet in kāyotsarga-mudrā. The figure above the waist is badly mutilated. The central mūlanāyaka figure is flanked by two male fly-whisk bearers. Bull-cognizance is carved on the pedestal. On the left of the bull, is a figure of four-armed Cakreśvari in lalitasana; she holds discs in two upper hands wbile the lower hands show the abhaya-mudra and some indistinct object. To the right of Cakreśvari aypears a kneeling figure of ārādhaka or worshipper with hands in namaskāra-mudrā. The Gomukha Yakşa, however, is here depicted as playing a truant. (Not illustrated)
One other figure of Rşabha in buff sandstone (Acc. No. 176: 53 x 46 cms.) (not illustrated) was procured from Rājaghāț, Vārānasi. Here the Jina is seated in dhyāna-mudrā on a cushion placed over a carpet bearing the figure of bull cognizance. The carpet is spread over the throne supported by two lions with intervening
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dharmacakra. The hair-do of the Jina is after jață with uşnīşa, the lateral strands hanging over the shoulders. The mūlanāyaka is accompanied by five prātihāryas, namely cāmaradharas, trichatra, aśoka-tree, a prostrate figure beating a drum, and flying mālādharas. Two elephants with riders holding a ghața (Hiranyendras) are also shown in the parikara. The figures of four-armed Gomukha and Cakreśvari are also carved. The pot-bellied Gomukha holds abhaya, a flower, and a mongoose skin-purse.4 Cakreśvari rides the garuda in human form and bears abhaya-mudrā, a mace, and a conch in the three surviving hands. Gomukha and Cakreśvari are accompanied by two adorers with folded hands. On each side of the mūlanāyaka there appear eight diminutive figures of the Jinas, both seated and standing. The nudity of the standing Jina figures suggests the Digambara affiliation for the image.
The next two figures (not illustrated) are badly mutilated. On in buff sandstone (Acc. No. 179: 37 x 31 cms.) with its head almost gone, represents Jina Rsabha standing sky-clad on a pedestal with four other standing Jinas, two standing near the feet and two flanking the shoulders, the panca-Jina group forming a very handsome composition (Plate 1). Stylistically, the sculpture cannot be later than the ninth century A. D. It may have hailed from Uttar Pradesh or Madhya Pradesh. The principal figure shows hanging hairlooks over the shoulders, an invariate feature of Jina Rsabha. The Jina is flanked by two figures of standing Jinas and two male camara-bearers on two sides. The triple umbrella is mutilated, but the halo decorated with lotus petals (padmaprabhā), hovering mālādharas, two lions, supporting the simhāsana, and the srivatsa on the chest are extant. The second figure (Acc. No. 307 : 25 x 40 cms.) has only the head and the upper part of the parikara surviving. The next figure—this again is in buff sandstone-shows Rşabha with beautiful, small, oval face revealing a benign smile. The mūlanāyaka with jațājūța is joined by nine small Jinas, two flying garland bearers and two Hiranyendras. The triple parasol topped by a prostrate figure of drum-beater 'and drooping leaves are also extant.
The remaining five figures of Rşabha belong to the c. 12th century A. D.; three of these are unaccessioned. They are fashioned in buff sandstone and seemingly hail somewhere from U. P. and M. P. The first figure, unaccessioned (67 x 29 cms.), depicts him seated in the dhyāna-mudrā. The iconographic details are similar to the above-noted figure (Acc. No. 176). The mūlanayaka, with bull cognizance, jațā and lateral strands, is accompanied by six Jina figures, three on each side. Rşabhanātha is joined by traditional Yakşa-Yaksi pairs. The two-armed Gomukha, on the right, sits in lalita pose; he bears water-vessel in his surviving left hand. The four-armed Cakreśvari on the corresponding left, rides over a garuda and shows the abhaya, mace (or disc) and an indistinct object in her three surviving hands. (Not illustrated).

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Another but smaller image (Acc. No. 484 : 32 x 34 cms.) shows Ķşabha as seated on a lotus seat. The image's head and the upper section of the parikara are broken; but the hanging hair-locks are still discernible on the shoulders. The Jina is flanked by two standing male fly-whisk bearers, surmounted by two small seated Jina figures. On the pedestal, to the right of the dharmacakra, appears bull cognizance with a kneeling worshipper with folded hands. (Not illustrated). The third figure (Acc. No. 22073 : 78 x 47 cms.), seated cross-legged on a cushion with bull cognizance hails from Khajurāho (Plate 2). Rşabhanātha sitting on a simhāsana and with two fly-whisk bearing attendants, two female attendants, the trichatra topped by a drum beater; drooping (caitya-vrksa) leaves, was originally accompanied by 23 small Jina figures, a few of which have now disappeared. The fourth figure (Plate 3) shows sky-clad Rşabha (Acc. No. 24050, 65 x 35 cms.) as standing in kāyotsarga on a triratha pedestal. The Jina, marked on the chest with śrīvatsa, is here not provided with the usual trichatra and the drum-beater. The hair do shows curls with an uşnişa and hanging hair-locks. The rather short body of the Jina is accompanied by the customary male camaradharas. Besides, there also appear four small standing Jina figures above the camaradharas.
The two other unaccessioned figures fashioned in buff sandstone, dateable to c. 13th century probably come from some sites in Central India. The first of the two (39 x 21 cms.) shows Rşabha seated cross-legged on a bhadrâsana, the dharmacakra is flanked by two standing bull figures, hair combed back with locks hanging on the shoulders, the head shows a central protuberance. Of the aşta-mahāprātihāryas, only the hovering malādharas are carved in the present instance. The second Rşabha again without aşta-prātiharyas, shows sky-clad (75 x 28 cms.), it stands in kāyotsarga on a simple pedestal with two camaradharas. (Not illustrated).
Ajitanatha
The small eroded stele (Acc. No. 24047, 40 x 28 cms.) shows Jina Ajitanātha seated in dhyāna-mudrā on a simhāsana (Plate 4). Below the seat two elephant figures are carved as cognizance on the two sides of the dharmacakra which is reminiscent of an earlier tradition of representing the cognizance in practice at Rājgir, Vārānasi, and Mathurā during the Gupta period. The stele also contains the figures of two-armed standing aștagrahas with their right hand in abhaya while the left one bears some indistinct object. Sürya bears lotuses in two hands and Rāhu, as usual is ürdhvakāya. The Yaksa-Yaksi figures are absent. The figure cannot be later than the earlier part of the sixth century A. D. In view of its early date it may have pertained to the Svetämbara sect.
Supārsvanātha
A mutilated head of Jina Supārsvanātha canopied by five hooded cobra (back basalt, Acc. No. 176 : 39 x 34 cms.) is dateable to c. 10th century A. D. The pro

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venance is Rājghāt, Várāṇasi. The drum-beaters and two elephants with riders holding vases are extant. (Not illustrated).
Candraprabha
There is, in the collection, a solitary figure of Jina Candraprabha (Acc. No. 23961 : 52 x 31 cms.). The figure in basalt is dateable to c. 11th-12th century A.D. and probably comes from Bihar. The Jina is seated on a cushion with crescent, his cognizance, carved below the seat. The cushion is placed below the simhasana supported by two lions. The Jina flanked by two usual male câmaradharas holding fly-whisk in the inner hand and a flower in the outer one, is provided with trichatra, drooping leaves and gliding malādharas. (Not illustrated).
Santinātha
A small image of Jina Šāntinātha, carved in black stone (Acc. No. 23271), is in the museum, assignable to c. ninth century A. D. The Jina standing sky-clad in the kāyotsarga, the deer cognizance carved in the centre of the simhāsana, is accompanied by two camaradharas. He is also provided with trichatra, flying mālādharas and a halo. The four small seated graha figures are also carved in the parikara.
Aristanemi
A beautiful figure of Ariştanemi (or Neminātha) (wrongly labelled Mahāvira) in the Museum, (Acc. No. 212 : 44 x 37 cms.) is in sandstone and deteable to c. seventh century A. D. It hails from Rājghāt, Vārāṇasī. Although the cognizance is not carved, the rendering of Sarvānubhūti and Ambikā may be taken to indicate Neminātha 6 The Jina is seated on a lotus seat below which is carved a tree, possibly a palm tree, with a human figure on it. On the left of the tree is two-armed Ambikā with a child in left hand and a lotus in the right. The two-armed Yakşa holds a pot, probably representing nidhi, in left hand and a lotus in the right.
Pārsvanātha
The Museum possesses four detached heads and one full figure of Jina Pārsvanātha. Of the four heads two are from Mathurā and dateable the Kuşāņa period (Acc. Nos. 356 : 15 x 15 cms.; 20748 : 31 x 47 cms.) and must, therefore, belong to the Svetāmbara sect; while the third one (Acc. No. 23759) is from Central India and dateable to c. 11th century A. D. Pārsvanātha, in all these cases, is provided with seven-hooded snake canopy overhead. However, in one instance, trichatra with drooping leaves, drum-beater, hovering mālādharas, and four small Jina figures are also carved. The fourth figure (Acc. No. 23991 : 128 x 43 cms.) in grey sandstone is ascribed to c. 10th-11th century A. D. Pārsvanátha, standing as sky-clad on a simple pedestal with a seven-hooded snake canopy overhead, is accompanied by usual male attendants (Plate 5). The trichatra, drum-beater, droop

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Jain Sculptures in Bharat Kala Bhavan
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ing leaves and two couples of flying mālādharas are also carved. Above the shoulder of Pārsvanātha, there appears, on each side, Jina standing as sky-clad. The slim and elongated body of the mülonāyaka is well proportioned.
Mahāvira
A solitary figure of Mahāvira, provenence Varanasi, in the Museum (Acc. No, 161 : 126 x 66 cms.) is assignable to the Gupta period and its importance lies in its being the second earliest Jina image showing the cognizance. The Jina accompanied by two fly-whisk bearers is provided with a nimbus and hovering celestial beings. Flanking the dharmacakra are carved two lions, the cognizance of Mahāvira. Further, at the two extremities of the pedestal, are carved two seated Jina figures in place of the usual lions, suuggesting simhasana. (Not illustrated.)
Unidentified Jina figures
There are three Jina figures in the Museum which remain unidentified for the want of the cognizances. The first (Acc. No. K 48 : 50 x 40 cms.), assignable to c. ninth century A. D., represents a sky-clad Jina in the kāyotsarga-mudrā without the usual cortege of symbols. The second figure (Acc. No. 94 : 53 x 42 cms.), assignable to c. 10th century A. D., is a seated Jina figure. The third figure (Acc. No. 298 : 35 x 28 cms.), dateable to c. 13th century A. D., represents a Jina seated in dhyāna-mudra with the usual accompaniment of the aştamahāprātiharyas and the dharmacakra. The figures of the Yakşa-Yakşi pair are conspicuous by their absence. However, rendering of two-armed goddesses, eight in number, in lalitāsana merit attention since they probably represent aştamātņkās, whose association with Jaina images is otherwise unknown (Plate 6). Although the attributes held by these goddesses are not distinctively identifiable, in some cases they show the abhaya and a fruit.
Jina Caumukhi or Pratimā Sarvatobhadrikā
The Museum has four examples of Jina caumukhi dateable between c. seventh and 11th century A. D., all fashioned in buff sandstone and showing sky-clad Jinas in the kāyotsarga-mudra standing as they all do on simple pedestals. In earliest example belonging to c. seventh-eight century A. D. (Acc. No. 77 : 138 x 58 cms.) exhibit the figures of four Jinas without any identifying mark (Plate 7).' Close to the feet of principal Jina on each side, the figures of two other Jinas, seated in dhyānā-mudrā, are carved. Thus the present caumukhi contains, in aggregate, the figures of 12 Jinas. The second caumukhi (Acc. No. 85: 87 x 33 cms.) of about eighth-ninth century A. D. contains the figures of four different Jinas, bearing bull, elephant, deer (?) and lion cognizances and hence identifiable with Ķşabhanātha Ajitanātha, śāntinātha (?) and Mahāvira. The heads of the three Jinas, however, are damaged. Rşabhanātha is provided with long jasa hanging up to the knees (Plate 8). The elephant cognizance of Ajitanātha is carved in pair,

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flanking the dharmacakra (Plate 9). The third figure (Acc. No. 24048 : 84 x 20 cms.), is dateable to c. 10th century A. D. Of the four, only Rşabhanātha and Pārsvanātha may be identified on the testimony of hanging hair-locks and sevenhooded snake canopy (Plates 10-11). All the Jinas with śrīvatsa are shown with haloes, drooping leaves, trichatra and a drum-beater. The fourth figure (Acc. No. 691 : 32 x 18 cms.) attributable to c. 11th century A. D., likewise show identifying marks of only two of the four Jinas-Rşabhanātha and Pārsvanātha. The Jina figures are accompanied by the usual maladharas, gliding in air, and prabhā. mandala.
Cakreśvari
This is a solitary instance of its kind (Acc. No. 24049 : 69 x 38 cms.) in the Museum (Plate 12). The figure is of Cakreśvari, the Yakși of Rşabhanātha. The figure, by virtue of its style, seems to have been carved probably in the Cedi country in M. P. and is dateable to c. 10th century A. D. The eight-armed Cakreśvari here rides a garuda in human form and holds the varada, vyākhyāna-cumrosary, disc, and conch in her surviving hands. She has a halo. Her garland bearing female attendants wear tall kiritamukuța with a small Jina figure at the crown-front. The body of the goddess is slim, balanced and proportionate and the face is oval.
Architectural Fragments
The Museum has four architectural fragments which mainly contain the figures of the Jinas. The first piece (Acc. No. 50: 75 x 20 cms.) of c. 10th-11th century A. D. is a detached part of a pilaster exhibiting eight Jina figures. Of the eight one is standing as sky-clad while the others are sitting. The remaining three pieces in buff sandstone is assignable to c. 11th-12th century A. D. The second piece is a fragmentary portion of an śikharika (Acc. No. 86) which shows a standing Jina on one side, while the other side shows the branches of a mango tree topped by three small figure which is suggestive of the representation of the Yakşi Ambikā, now lost. Of the three small figures, the central one is of a seated Jina flanked by two maladharas. Third piece (Acc. No. 401 : 34 x 55 cms.), a fragment of door-lintel, shows three seated Jina figures, each flanked by two male atteadants. (Not illustrated.)
The fourth piece (Acc. No. 264) is of special importance since it shows Jina figures on two sides and the figures of Ambikā Yakși and a Jaina couple on the remaining two sides (Plates 13-14). The piece forms the lower portion of a pillar. On one side there stands a sky-clad Jina with snake coils running all along his body which helps us to identify the figure with Pārsvanātha, although the snake canopy over head is damaged now. Pārsvanātha is joined by two usual camaradharas. On other side, there appears a scated Jina figure although badly mutilated,

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J. Pañca-Jina standing,
c. 9th cent. A. D.
2. Rşabha caturvimsatipatta,
Khajurāho, c. 12th cent. A. D.
vase

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3. Standing Jina Rşabha in Panca-Jina
group, c. 10th cent. A. D.
4. Ajitanātha seated,
C. early 6th cent. A. D.

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5. Pārsvanātha standing,
c. 10th-11th cent. A. D.
6. Jina seated. c. 13th cent A. D.

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7. Pratimā sarvatobhadrikā,
c. 7th-8th cent. A. D.
8. Pratimā sarvatobhadrikā, Rsabha
standing. C. 8th-9th cent. A. D.

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9. Pratimā-sarvatobhadrikā,
Ajitanātha standing. C. 8th-9th
10. Pratima-sarvatobhadrikā Jina
Rşabha standing. C. 10th Cent. A. D.

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11. Pratimā-sarvatobhadrikā,
Jina Pārsvanātha standing. C. 10th cent.A.D.
2. Yakşi Cakreśvari, Cedi style.
C. 10th cent. A.D.

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13. Yakși Ambikā on pillar-kum
bhikā. C. 9th cent. A. D.
14. Jaina couple in a narrative,
pillar-kumbhikā. C. 9th cent. A D

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Jain Sculptures in Bharat Kala Bhavan 95 but identifiable with Rsabhanatha on the strength of a bull carved over the head of the Jina. The niche on third side is occupied by two-armed Ambika, the Yaksi of Neminatha. The Ambika in concurrence with Digambara tradition possesses two hands and rides a lion and holds a bunch of mangoes in her right hand while with the left she supports a child seated in the lap. Another figure, on the right and close by Ambika is perhaps the second son of Ambika. The branches of mango tree are also spread over the head of Ambika. The only remaining side shows in the centre two seated figures accompanied by several other figures all around. The upper portion, however, is damaged and the remaining figures are also much defaced. The central figure probably represents the parent of some Jina. Four tall figures standing nearby, probably represent some deities who are present here for celebrating an auspicious occasion (kalyanaka) related with the life of a Jina. Of the four, one figure with a child in her left lap is a female and represents some goddess. One of these remaining male figures, standing on an elephant is probably Indra who used to visit the earth on the occasion of the janma-abhiseka of every Jina. Above these figures were carved celestial figures with their one hand in abhaya-mudra, suggesting thus their divine status. The central scene may be related with the representation of the anointation of some Jina after birth whose figure is shown probably in the lap of the goddess, standing to the left of the parent of the Jina. Notes and References 1. Of the Jaina sculptures in the Museum, only a few has been published, first by U. P. Shah, "A Few Jaina Images in the Bharat Kala Bhavan, Varanasi", Chhavi : Golden Jubilee Volume (Ed. Anand Krishna), Varanasi, 1971; and next by M. N. P. Tiwari, Jaina Pratima Vijnana, Varanasi 1981, pp. 51, 52, 96, 109. 2. A few Kusana heads with seven-hooded snake canopy may be identified with Parsvanatha. 3. However, Ajita is here represented only in the Jaina caumukhi (Acc. No. 85). 4. The attributes here and elsewhere are reckoned clockwise starting from the lower right hand. 5. Tiwari, "A Note on the Identification of a Tirthankara Images at Bharat Kala Bhavan, Varanasi", Jaina Journal, Vol. VI, No. 1, July 1971, pp. 41-43. 6. Shah, p. 234; Tiwari, "An Unpublished Jaina Image in the Bharat Kala Bhayan, Varanasi", Visvesvaranand Indological Journal, Vol. VI, No. 3, Jan. 1972, pp. 122-23. 7. Tiwari, Jaina Pratima., p. 150,