Dravya Sangraha

Author(s): Nemichandra Siddhant Chakravarti, Saratchandra Ghoshal
Publisher: ZZZ Unknown

Page 41

INTRODUCTION.
XXXV
There is one more legend connected with the image of Gommateśvara which describes how the pride of Châmunda Raya for establishing such a figure was humbled. The story is as follows:
"Châmunda Râya, after having established the worship of this image, became proud and elated, at placing this God by his own authority at so vast an expense of money and labour. Soon after this, when lie performed in honour of the God the ceremony of Parīchamrita snana (or washing the image with five liquids--milk, curds, butter, honey and sugar), vast quantities of these things were expended in many hundred pots; but, through the wonderful power of the God, the liquor descended not lower than the navel, to check the pride and vanity of the worshipper. Châmunda Râya, not knowing the cause, was filled with grief that his intention was frustrated of cleaning the image completely with this ablution. While be was in this situation, the celestial nymph, Padmavati, by order of the God, having transformed herself into the likeness of an aged poor woman, appeared, holding in her hand the five amritas in a Beliya Gola (or small silver pot) for washing the statue : and signified her intention to Chamunda Râya, who laughed at the absurdity of this proposal, of accomplishing what it had not been in his power to effect. Out of curiosity, however, he permitted her to attempt it; when, to the great surprise of the beholders, she washed the image with the liquor brought in the little silver vase. Châmunda Râya, repenting his sinful arrogance, performed a second time, with profound respect, his ablution, on which they formerly wasted so much valuable liquids, and washed completely the body of the image. From that time this place is named after the silver vase (or Beliya Gola), which was held in Padmâvati's hand." We shall now try to ascertain the probable date on which the image
the of Gommateśvara was erected by Châmunda Râya. construction of the We have already seen that Châmunda Raya image.
was the minister of Marasimha II and Rachamalla or Rajamalla II. It was during the reign of Rajamalla that the tradition ascribes the establishment of the image of Gommatesvara. We have found that during the reign of Marasimha II, Chamunda Raya distinguished himself as a valiant warrior, and in an inscription in
* Asiatic Researches, Vol. IX, page 266. In the above account a quite different explanation of the name of Sravaņa Belgola has been given. Recently the Jainas performed an anointing ceremony of Gommatesvara, a picture of which with the scaffoldings erected, is reproduced here. (See the illustration facing this page]