________________
ELURA: INDRA SABHA JAIXA CAVE.
of it being covered with sculpture in an exceedingly good state of preservation. The right half of the rock below is excavated in two storeys and the left in one, and between the upper of the two on the right and the one on the left is a vertical belt of carving; at the bottom of it is represented a fight, in which over three prostrate bodies other three are contending with four. Over this is a smaller panel, in which two females kneel on the left and two males on the right of a sort of stool. And over this again is a figure of Parsvanatha seated cross-legged on a simhasana or lion-throne, with the wheel in front, a small worshipper at the right corner, a chauri-bearer with high cap on each side, and the great seven-hooded snake behind him canopying his head. Above on the left is an object that may be intended to represent a structural chaitya or a dagoba.
The lowest storey on the right has lately been cleaned of earth, and has two neat pillars in front (plate xxxviii, fig. 2). On the back wall are figures of Indra and Ambika, both particularly well cut, and in good preservation when excavated. Pârsvanatha occupies the left end, and Gomateśvara the right, with deer and dogs at his feet; farther back and seated cross legged is a Tirthankara. In the shrine is Mahavira with chauri-bearers, il triple umbrella and foliage behind the head. Over this is another chapel with Parsvanatha on the left side, two small cross-legged Tirthakaras on the upper half of the right side, Indra and Ambika in recesses on each side the shrine door, and a Jina inside with chauribearers seated cross-legged on a simhasana with the wheel in front. In this chapel Gómateśvara is carved at the front between it and the facade of the principal cave.
To the left (west) of these two, and nearly as high as both together, is a hall about 30 feet wide by 25 deep, having a screen wall in front, over which rises a pillar on each side the entrance. The upper part of this screen, which, as in temples of the tenth to twelfth centuries, forms the back of a seat inside, is carved with water-vases in small panels, each separated by two colonnettes, and the lower portion, like that of the upper storey, is carved with elephants' heads separated by slender pilasters, and each playing with or feeding on flowers: it differs only in height from the one above and iu no sirdulus being represented. Inside are four pillars with high square bases and cushion capitals, the front ones only having much carving. In the central compartment on the west wall is Parsvanatha,' with female chhatri-bearer, the snake behind him overshadowing his head with its hoods, and at his feet two Naganis and two richly dressed worshippers, while round him are numerous demons trying to disturb his meditations, as the emissaries of Mara attacked Buddha. In the next compartment is a repetition of the same on a smaller scale, with a cross-legged Jina above.
On the east wall Gomateśvara is represented in the central compartment with deer and perhaps a dog at his feet, and female attendants (plate sli, fig. 3). Above him are Gandharvas, one with a large drum just over the umbrella, and others with cymbals and garlands. In the compartment to the right of this is a smaller Parsvanatha, and in that to the left a standing figure half split off, with figures of deer, makara, elephant, ram, &c., by the sides. Above it is a small cross-legged Jina, and on the back wall were Indra and Ambika, now much defaced, with an ascetic bearing a chhatri and holding up one hand to her left. Two stiff Jaina dwârapâlas guard the shrine door, inside which is a Jina on a suihúsuna with the wheel in front. He has two attendants and triple umbrella, with Gandharvas making music to him and bearing garlands.
1 Care Temples, pl. lxxxvi.
Cave Temples, Pp. 328, 345, and l. li.