Indian Antiquary Vol 47

SR No.: 032539
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 386
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 15 MB

Page 230

214
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
(AUGUST, 1918
Nagakanyás, and the figure of Lakshmi on the lintel seem only to indicate that like that of Makara in Hindu ornaments, in Toranas (gateways) and water-spouts (Annual Report of Archeological Survey of India, 1903-4, p. 227), the use of these arebitectural devices extended far back into the Buddhist age. In the mediaval period these conventional ornaments and decorations seem to have been adopted by architects in southem and south-eastern part of India. Similarly in some Buddhist stúpas miniature productions of these sacred structures are found in the ornamental pilasters. It would be as safe to ascribe the existence of a temple to Buddhist influence because of the existence of the Barájhánji decoration, goose-friezes or elephant friezes as it would be to attempt to lay at the door of Buddhism the type of Saiva temple of the Bengal School (of 17th century) which are still to be found in some parts of Nadia and other Bengal districts-simply because the pilasters of these buildings contain reproductions of temples in miniature.
The sculptural representation of trees found in the plinth have been taken to stand for the sacred Bodhi-Tree of the Buddhists. In the Jaina caves at Khaņdagiri, trees enclosed in railings are also found carved in relief. Tree-worship is prevalent among the Hindus to this very day. Kalpadruma, the legendary Tree of Desire described in sacred literature, the model of which used to be constructed in gold and given away as Maha-dana, may also have some influence in determining the motif of such architectural ornaments. That . Kalpadrums existed at Konarak like the Valesrara at Puri appears clear from the Kapila Samhita from which the following translation of an extract is given in Dr. Mitra's work. "There exists an all-granting tree named Arka-Vata adorned by numerous birds and at its foot dwell many saints and whoever goes to the salvation-giving banian tree becomes, for certain, indestructible. For the good of animated beings Suryya himself has become the tree and those who recite the excellent mantras of Súryya under its shade in three fortnights attain perfection." (Ant. Orissa, Vol. I, p. 147.) Under the cireumstance these trees, should, I think, be taken as conventional decorations only. As regards the semi-ophide Någa and Nagini figures represented singly and in couples, usually forming part of the beautiful scroll work and said to be an evidence of Buddhist Architecture (Konarka, p. 86), Mr. M. Ganguly in his work on Orissa has pointed out (Ganguly's Ori88a, p. 177-78), that in the Mahabharata Adiparba, mention is made of the thousand Nagas, the ofisprings of Kasyapa. Even to this day when performing prija of the Serpent Goddess Manasa, the name of the principal eight Nagas-Vasuki, Padma, Mahapadma, Takshaka, Kulira, Karkata Sankha, &c.--are duly recited. Mr. Ganguly holds- I think with the majority of Hindu opinion in his favour-that these demigod-like Nâgas were probably borrowed by Buddhism from Hindu sources. At any rate there is no reason to suppose that every Någa representation found in Hindu temple should be the outcome of Buddhist cult, simply because there is mention of Nagas in Buddhist sacred books. this does not in any way militate againt the generally accepted opinion that a certain amount of resemblance is noticed among the Buddhist Naga figures as represented on the lopes of Sanchi and Bharhut, and the Nâga representations of the later Brahminical period as found in the south-eastern (Orissa) temples.
Mr. R. K. Mukerji, referring to this class of temples in the chapter on Building and Carving" in his Foundation of Indian Economics, observes: " In the older.brick temples the spaces between the curved lines and roof-base and on the sides are covered with carvings......there are also mixed panel of rosettes or geometrical patterns and in some instances miniature temples are piled one above the other along the arched openings" (p. 247). A temple of this kind has been clegoribed by the present writer in his article on the remains at Brinagar (Nadia) in the Journal of the Sahitya Parishad (Vol. XIII, p. 259)