Report On Elura Cave Temples and Bramhanical and Jaina Caves in Western India

SR No.: 011091
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jas Burgess
Publisher: Trubner and Company London
Publication Year: 1883
Total Pages: 209
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 14 MB

Page 44

ELIRI: D.IS VITARA CAVE
The other side of the cave is similarly sculptured. On the right of the shrine-loor is Lakshmi, with four elephants pouring water ou her. She is seated, similarly to the figure on the other side, on a lutus upheld by figures below, and holds at lutus and a cu-tard-apple in her hands. Two four-armeil attendants offer jars of water, and hold the sound:h, chukue, and lotus. On the right end of the antechuber is il figure of Vislimu, with his trisula ut lotus, attended by a large birl, which eats from his right hand, and it dwarf stands at his luft.
On the back wall is a figure of Siva inside a great pillar or linya, from the sides of which issue flames (plate xxi, fig. 3). On the right hann Vilmu is represented worshipping it, and again as Varáha digging down to try and find the bottom of it. On the other side is Bralima worshipping, and also flying up to try to discover its summit. The leren bere referred to is well known amouy the Lingayats. The next compartment contains Siva alse, represented in a chariot with shield, sword, and bow, while Brahma drives the four horses (the l'elas) yoked to it.
The south wall is devoted to Vislinu, and the back compartment contrins that goed is Krishna with six arms, holding up Gurarillan Hill above the flocks of Vraj. The next is the usual representation of Naravana resting on Sesla, who has liere a human head, with seven scated figures below. The third is Visliņu riding on Garudal. The fourth niche contains a l'edi or pedestal for an image; the fifth has Variha bearing Prithvi; the sixth is the Trivikrania or Våmana avatara, represented as at Badami; and the seventh is Narusimha wrestling with Hiranyakaśipu (plate xxii, fir. 1), who is armed with sword and shield. Outside the cave on the wall is a gigantic Saiva d wårapala, with long curly locks, two cherubs above.
The mandap in the front of the court is about 31 feet widely 26 feet der am 10.! feet high, the roof being supported by four square pillars with plain square lorackets and moulded lases. It had a porch, in front of a perforated window, on the west side, supported by two pillars in front, but the right-hand or south pillar, with most of the roof, is broken awar. Over this window are the remains of an inscription in fourteen long lines, containing twenty-nine and a half verses, now much abraled, lut which has been partially cliplert by Pandit Bhagvânlal Indraji,' and from which is made out a nealogy of the Rashtra kuţa dynasty, which ruled over the Dekhan from about A.D. 600 till towards the end of the tenth century. The names here cnumerated are:
1. Dantivarna I. (cir. 1.1). 600-630). ... Indraraja I., his son (630-650). 3. Govindaraja I., son of Indraraj. (650-677). 1. Karkarija I. (or Kakka), son of Govin.la (07.--700). 5. Indmraja II., son of Karka (700-750). 6. Dantidurga (or antivarmi II) Khasivalika, 11 of In Ira II., 1.1). 753," who overome Vallah,
the Western Chalukva kiny, Kirttivarma II.
Nothing is made out respecting the construction of the temple, but the inscription may be taken as proving that it was finished, or at least in an advanced condition, when Dantidurga visited Elurů in the middle of the cightli century; and it is not improbable that he had
I Cam Towple Inwriptions (Domlar, 1881), 92: seal o below. ]. 19.
• Vile rent, vol. jii, p. 31-33: Im Int., vol. vi. pp. 59-72: vol. I, p. 205; vol. v, p. 141: anl vol. xi, 1. 108; Jwr. . S. D.wl., vol. viii, 1. 292: Flut's iesis of the kom . District, sect. v.
% This is the late of the Sun d ant. Inl. Ant., vol. xi. 1. 110.