Arhat Parshva and Dharnendra Nexus

SR No.: 002108
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: M A Dhaky
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad
Publication Year: 1997
Total Pages: 204
Language: English, Hindi
Classification: Book_English, Articles, History, Art, E000, & E001
File Size: 8 MB

Page 26

Arhat Pārśva and Dharanendra Nexus
Kamatha as tāpasa or Brahmanical ascetic when he was in human incarnation is known to both traditions, the Svetāmbara is unaware of 'Sambara' and the Digambara does not call him 'Meghamālī’.)
The powerful sculptural representations of the southern narrative is first encountered in the vithikā-forelobby of the rock-cut Nirgrantha temples at Aihole (Minabasadi) and Bädāmī (Cave IV), both stylistically datable to c. late sixth century, Afterwards, it was in Tamil Nadu in the ninth and tenth centuries that this representation is again met with as in the Pāndyan cave at Kaļagumalai (c. 9th cent.)--this being the most impressive portrayal of the episode 14—and as carved figural representation in relief on the large boulder faces at Tirakkolas and some other places. 46
A third version is described in the medieval Digambara author Padmakīrti's Pāsanābacariü (Apabhramśa: A.D. 1077) where the full-fledged fury of Kamatha/ Sambara is graphically projected. The demon here conjured up by his magical power a variety of phenomena, now to frighten, now to lure away Pārśva from his meditation, the narration doubtless is strongly reminiscent of the Māravijaya episode of Buddha.47 Sambara here virtually assumes the role of Māra unknown in the main Svetambara version and only partially appearing in the Digambara narratives as in the Puşpadanta's Uttarapurāņa (Apabhramsa: c. 10th cent.) and Vadirāja's Pārsvanātha-caritra (A.D. 1025). Padmakirti's version, however, finds a close correspondence, indeed strong anticipatory echoes, in several rock-cut sculptural representations in the halls' forelobbies in Ellora Nirgrantha caves (c. 9th cent. A.D.),49 in two similar looking steles in the Pārsvanatha temple in Humca of the śāntara period (c, 10th cent.) in Karnataka, 50 on an image from the collections of Indian Museum (Plate 1: c. late 9th cent.), 1 and a few examples from Eastern India. 52
The upasarga-narratives and corresponding representations doubtless are interesting even when they are somewhat imitative since they follow the paradigms, in one case of the earlier Brahmanical and in the other the Buddhist mythical narrative. In the Nirgrantha context they reflect later perceptions on, and closely corresponding verbal and graphic interpretations for clarifying the association of Pārsva with Dharanendra. Although earlier literary narrative on the upasarga-myth is today unavailable, its sculptural representations of late sixth century in Karnataka anticipate an earlier oral (and perhaps written) tradition. However, much before that, Pārsva images are met along with Dharanendra, but without the upasarga-details. What, in those early days must the motive/notion be of this association, remains unrevealed. Here U.P. Shah's guesses seem to best accord, or more likely, even are pertinent as explanations since more rational. As he has pointed out, the nāgachatra