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Images and Temples of Pārśva in Central India
81
A very interesting image (Plate 11) of Pārsvanātha in the Indian Museum Calcutta (No. A 2541) and originally from some site possibly in Madhya Pradesh, is remarkable in that it portrays, with due elaboration, the upasanga of Sambara or Meghamālī. The central figure of Pārsvanātha in kāyotsargā-mudrā is being attacked by the demon Meghamāli from both sides with the help of the bhūtas, vetālas and other evil spirits, while Dharanendra is shown protecting the Jina, adjusting as he does his coiled body from the back and seven-hooded canopy over his head. On the right side of the Pārsva, Yakși Padmavatī, the companion in this context of Dharanendra, is standing on a snake with a serpent canopy over her head and holding a chatra-parasol in her hands. On stylistic grounds, the date of the image has been fixed to c. sixth or early seventh century A.D. but possibly it is later.
Gopagiri-Maurya According to the medieval Svetāmbara (quasi-historical) biographical narratives on Bhadrakīrtti alias Bappabhatti Sūri (active c. A.D. 770-839), a king Ama, the son and successor of Maurya Yaśovarma of Kanauj (A.D. 725-752), is said to have built temples to Jinas at Gopagiri and Känyakubja under the influence of the Sūri. Thus, during the late eighth and early ninth century, Jainism had some weight in the Gwalior territory.
Gwalior Fort, famous for the rock-cut Jaina images of the Tomara period, has also a remarkable early sculpture of Pārsvanātha (Plate 12) now set up at the northeastern corner on the gate of the open theatre of Scindia School in the Fort. The head of the Jina bears the character of earlier art; the elongated eyes, however, mark the beginnings of the medieval period. Above the serpent-hood, nāgas in halfhuman form bearing water-pots in their hands, pour libations over the deity. Two garland-bearing vidyadharas float in the air at the top-flanks. Taking in anatomical features, hair style, ekāvali of the celestial beings and the form of the nāgas — all these reflecting the persistence of some of the classical characteristics of the Gupta art. Meister dates the image to c. eighth century.
An image of Pārsva (Plate 13). from Amrol (a village south-east of Gwalior), assign-able to ninth century, shows a seven-hooded nāga protecting the Jina and also has an umbrella above. Two elephants standing on lotus flowers are also shown pouring water from pots by way of abhiseka to the Jina. Below this, on either side, the nägīs sitting on lotus flowers pass water up from their positions to the elephants above for the lustration of the Jina. Garand-bearers are also present on either side of the näga hood.?
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