Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies Vol 01 Jaina Art and Architecture

Author(s): Sagarmal Jain, Others
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 334

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Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies
enemy of Pārsvanātha for several existences and who caused upasargas during his penance.
The independent figures of the Yakşa, belonging to both the traditions and datable between 8th and 13th century A.D., are found mainly from Osian (Mahāvīra temple - gth century A.D.), Gyaraspur (Māladevī temple), Delvada (Lūņa-vasahi - 13h century A.D.) and Humcha (Pārsvanātha Basti, Shimoga, Karnataka - 12th century A.D.). The renderings of Yakșa with Pārsvanātha images are also found from about goh century A.D. at almost all the sites of importance. In all the examples the figures follow the textual injunctions mainly in respect of snake canopy (one, three or five hoods) and snake shown in one or two hands. However, in the instances from south India, specially Karnataka, the rendering of goad, noose and fruit with Dharanendra are based on textual injunctions, although the same set of attributes could also be seen with the Yaksi Padmăvati in Karnataka. One hand of the Yaksa as usual shows varada- or abhaya-mudra.
In the figures from Osian (two examples), the two- armed Pārsva Yaksa with three (or seven)-hooded snake canopy holds flower and snake. In the example from Lūņavasahi (southern entrance of gudhamandapa) the four-armed Yaksa shows snakes in his three hands and varada-cum-rosary in the fourth one.
In an image (10h-11h century A.D.) of the Kannara Research Institute, Dharwar (S.C. 53), the four-armed Yaksa with snake canopy holds Jotus, noose, axe and fruit. In two independent sculptures of 12th century from Karnataka, preserved in the Prince of Wales Museum, Mumbai, the four-armed seated Yaksa has three-hooded snake canopy. In one instance the Yaksa riding a tortoise shows varada-mudrā, snake (in two hands) and noose. The other figure without mount shows lotus, mace, noose and varada-mudra.
The two figures from Humca (12th century) with three-hooded snake canopy depict the Yakșa as seated
on lotus (Pl. 191). In one case two-armed Yaksa holds lotus and fruit while the other figure shows four-armed Yaksa with varada-mudrā, goad, noose and fruit. Apparently the above two images are witness to the prevalence of south Indian textual tradition which conceives the Yakşa both with two and four arms. In two beautifully carved 12th century stone images of Parsvanātha from Gulbarga (Karnataka), Dharanendra and Padmăvati with single-hooded snake canopy exhibit identical features. Both, seated in lalitäsana, are fourarmed and carry goad and noose in upper hands while lower hands show lotus (or varada-mudrā) and fruit. These images, preserved in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (Acc. Nos. 931 (IS) and 937 (IS)) are superb in smoothness, modelling and also the dexterity so far as the ornamentation of Yakşa-Yakşi figures are concerned.
On north Indian Digambara Jaina sites, the images of Pārsvanātha, besides the figures of Yakşa-Yaksi on throne extremities, sometimes also contain the twoarmed figures of Dharana and Padmavati standing on two sides of the Jina to suggest the episode of the upasarga of Pārsvanātha. In such instances, known from Mathura, Deogadh, Khajuraho, Ellora and other places, Dharana with snake canopy stands with folded hands while Padmavati with snake canopy holds long parasol, the top of which is shown above the head of Jina. The parasol also covers the hoods of Dharana Yaksa which is shown to protect Pärsvanätha from torrential rain caused by Kamatha. Sometimes Yaksa is present only in theriomorphic form as a snake (seven-hooded) covering the entire body of Pārsvanatha. While at throne extremity Dharana Yakṣa is shown with snake canopy. When two-armed, Yaksa shows varada (or abhaya) - mudrā or lotus and fruit and when four-armed, shows varada (or abhaya)-mudrā, snake, noose (or lotus) and water-vessel (or fruit). Thus we find different traditions of the rendering of Pārsva (or Dharaṇendra)
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