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Reviews
315
In the last chaptar (5) the author studies the representation of Kroga legends in the sculptures up to the tenth century. He has, for this purpose, included also the representations found in the Lara Jongrang temple at Prambanam in Java. This iconographic study opens with the representations of Krspa and Balarama on the coins of Agathokles discovered at AiKhanum on the Oxus river in Afghanistan in 1970. In his detailed study of the sculptures the author rejects some of the earlier wrong identifications, e. g. of an amorous couple io a sculpture at Pabārpur, Bangladesh (pl. 40), with either Rådba and Krsna or with Rukmini and Krşaa; or be suggests some new identifications, e. g. of the representation of the Pralambasuravadba in the central scene on the pillar at Mandor, now at the Jodhpur Museum in Rajasthan. The author identifies the female figure in this scene (pl. 8) with Radhā which, if accepted, would be her earliest known representation io sculpture (4th century A. D.)
The author's appraisal of the evidence before him is generally strict. He scems to have slightly relaxed his rigour when on p. 36, column 2 bottom, he is willing to take the tradition of a certain Krşma, a hero of the Vrşnis of the Yadava tribc as far back as the Vedic period since the Yadavas (actually Yadus or Yâdva ) and the Bhojas (?) are mcationed in the Rgveda.
The author shows acquaintance with the wide range of literature connected directly or indirectly with the various details of the subject of his research. The author says that he undertook this study at the suggestion of Prof. Basham. Readers will agree that Prof. Basham's suggestion was directed to the right person.
There is an unfortunate slip on p. 125, column 1, line 10, where we find killing of Kļşna' instead of killing of Kamsa'.
M. A. Mehendale
Madhu Vidyā/664
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