Ambika on Jaina Art and Literature

Author(s): Maruti Nandan Prasad Tiwari
Publisher: Bharatiya Gyanpith

Page 85

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Deogarh (Lalitpur, U.P.), 10th century
is conspicuous by its absence in these instances (Figs. 25 to 29). These figures, belonging to the 11th century A.D., are preserved respectively in the Sahu Jaina Museum (Fig. 30) at Deogarh and on the enclosure wall (northern) of the temple No. 12. Close to Ambika is carved her mount lion. In other examples to her right is usually sculptured the second son, standing and touching the amra-lumbi held by Ambika. In some examples, specially those on the free-standing pillars (stambhas) the second son of Ambika is not shown. Sometimes, the Yakṣi is attended by two fly-whisk bearers at the flanks and the two hovering mälädharas at the top. However, the two images, exhibited in the Sahu Jaina Museum Deogarh, also contain figures of Jina Supārsvanatha with fivehooded snake canopy overhead and the four-armed goddesses, bearing the abhaya-mudra, lotus, fly-whisk and kalasa, in the parikara. Thus the two-armed figures of Ambika at Deogarh apparently correspond to the injunctions of the Digambara
texts.
The earliest image of Ambikā at Deogarh is carved on the facade of the temple No. 12, also known as the Santinātha temple (A.D. 862). The four-armed Ambika here is shown in the group of 24
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