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 50

1
ELURA: KAILASA ROCK TEMPLE.
her lion, as at the Seven Pagodas near Madras, and is trampling down the Asura's assistants. while she attacks him with her arrows, several of which have pierced his right arm, with which he wields a heavy club. His left hand and shield are broken away. Above are the Dévas and Maharshis rejoicing over the victory; among the former of whom may be recognised Indra on his elephant, Agui on the ram. Yama on the buffalo with mace and noose, Vishnu on Garuda; the fourth and the last in the upper row are probably Sâni or Saturu and Varuna, and below the latter is Śiva on Nandi. The remainder of the lower line consists of other superhuman beings, Rishis, Gandharvas, and Apsaras. Below the panel are some other figures, too much abraded to be identified.
On the right or south side of the entrance into the court, in a panel with a pediment over it, is another representation of this scene, in which the Asura is represented between the body and the head of the buffalo.
On the front of the mandapa, to the north of the entrance, is a panel about 6 feet by 5 (plate xxvi, fig. 1), in which we easily recognise Śiva, four-armed, and standing on the back of a kneeling figure, with Umâ or Pârvati at his left side; he holds with one of his right hands what seems to be a long lock of hair, or else a cord coming out of the top of his headdress, and at the same time apparently supports a Naga-like female, perhaps intended for Ganga, the widening tail representing the stream in its descent. Lower it reaches an ascetic Jahnu, and (being drunk up by him) it again issues from his ear and descends among rocks, and is visited by an elephant and a goat. Beneath are seven half figures, possibly the Sapta-sindhava. The ascetic above standing on one leg may perhaps represent Bhagiratha, who by his asceticism prevailed on Siva to bring down the Viyad-Ganga to the earth.
Two other panels are represented in plate xxv, figs. 2 and 3,-the first, from the east side of the south porch, and the other from the west side of the same. The first is doubtless intended to represent some scene from the Ramayana, and the two men in the lower right corner may be Rama and Lakshmana. In the other a divinity is carrying off a chariot and its rider while a bird is pecking at him.
THE CORRIDOR IN THE COURT.
The corridor round the back of the temple, extending across the end of the court and nearly 120 feet along the south and north sides, contains quite a pantheon itself, the back wall being divided by pilasters into a series of large panels, each filled with a separate sculpture. The corridor at the east end of the south side measures 118 feet in length, and contains twelve of these panels, containing the following sculptures:-(1) Perhaps Annapárna, a form of Durga, with four arms, holding a pot, a rosary, a spike or bad, and with her hair in the jatâ or ascetic style; it may possibly, however, be a form of Lakshmi. (2) The next is known as Balaji, a form of Siva who slew Indrajit or Meghanada, the son of Ravana. One version of the Ramayana ascribes this feat to Lakshmana, and this figure, like Vishnu, is four-armed, with club, chakra or discus, silk or conch; and a suppliant and small female figure appear in front of his club. (3) Vishnu as Krishna, four-armed, with the sankh and sword, having his foot on the throat of the serpent Kaliya, and holding it
1 A representation of the descent of the Ganges and Jamna is found at Udayagiri in Bhopal. See Cunningham's Arch. Survey Reports, vol. x, p. 48, and plate xviii.