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Chandra Images From Rajasthan
By R. C. Agrawala
Director, Archaeology & Museums, Jaipur. Some early images of Chandra ( Moon ), one of the prominent planets (grahas ), have already been published by Dr. M. R. Majmudar. These include an excellent Gupta stone head from Vidiśā (M. P.) and now preserved in Gwalior Museum; the male head therein is provided with a typical Gupta crown and a halfmoon (ardhachandra) mark behind; the portion below the neck is missing. Earlier representations of moon are of course not reported so far. Standing Chandra from Pahārpur (Bengal) holds a beaded rosary in the right hand, a nectar-pot (Kundikā) in the left, as also enjoined by the Agni Purāņa. The utter absence of any vehicle in the Pahārpur Chandra image is very important (Fig. 1); he is provided with the matted locks (jața) on the head while the prominent half-moon (ardha Chandra) mark appears just above the head. This led some scholars to interpret the Pahārpur relief as Chandra Sekhara Sivamūrti but the mistake was duly corrected by Majmudar 4 and Saraswati.5 Dr. Majmudar has also published a mediaeval (12-13th century) marble relief from Vadnagar,& depicting Chandra and Sürya standing side by side. The latter, appearing to right, carries two lotus-stalks in his hands whereas Chandra (to left) holds a water-pot in the stretched left hand, the right hand having been raised up to carry the beaded rosary; the crescent mark behind his head suggests identification with Chandra, the Moon-god,
The Vishnudharmottara Purana” refers to four-armed Chandra, seated on a chariot driven by 10 horses, a form which is depicted in a rather very late statue in Nagpur Museum.8 Contemporary or mediaeval icons referring to this aspect of Chandra have of course not been reported so far. A few independent carvings
1. M. R. Majmudar, Annals of Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Poona,
XXIII, 1942, pp. 262-70 and plates. 2. Ibid, plate V. 3. Ibid, plate II. 4. Ibid, pp. 267-70. 5. S. K. Saraswati, Journal of the Deptt. of Letters, Calcutta, pp. 66-7. 6. M. R. Majmudar, op. cit., plate IV. It is situated in North Gujarat. 7. Book III, edited by Dr, P. B. Shah in G. O. Series, Baroda. Vols. I (1958-text
and II (1961-notes). Chapter 68, verse 5. 8. M. R. Majmudar, op. cit., plate VI.
४४ : अगरचन्द नाहटा अभिनन्दन-ग्रन्थ
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