Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies Vol 01 Jaina Art and Architecture

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

Page 336

314
Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies
armed Yakṣi with the name Padmāvati given in inscription with her representation with the Pārsvanātha images. stands with the figure of Pārsvanātha carved overhead. In all the examples (mostly datable to 10h and 13th The Yakşi shows varada-mudrā, noose, lotus and shield century A.D.), the Yakṣi with one or five or even more (?). The other important figures of Yakși are found from hooded snake-canopy is seated on lotus with kukkuța Gyaraspur (Mālādevī temple), Deogadh, Khajuraho, vāhana and small figure of Jina Pārsvanātha overhead. Shahdol and Khandagiri (Navamuni and Barabhuji caves). Padmavati, mostly four-armed, invariably holds goad The figures from Deogadh and Khajuraho depict the and noose in her two upper hands while the remaining Yakși mainly with snake canopy and the attributes like two hands exhibit varada-mudrā and fruit (Terdal) or lotus, pitcher, goad, noose and manuscript. The vahana varada and snake or lotus and fruit (Humcha) (Pls. 197in most of the examples is kukkuta. The maximum 198). Some of her exquisitely carved figures are found variety in the forms of Padmavati is noticed at Deogadh from Humcha, Badami and Terdal in Karnataka and where two, four and twelve-armed figures were carved Kalugumalai in Tamil Nadu. A number of figures are during 9th and 12th century A.D. The figures are mostly preserved also in the museums like Prince of Wales carved on the Mānastambha. In one of such examples Museum, Mumbai (three figures), Kannara Research (Mānastambha before Temple No. 11- A.D. 1059), the Institute Museum, Dharwar (two figures) and Manjusha twelve-armed Padmāvati is seated in lalita-mudră with Museum, Dharmasthal (two figures). The south Indian kukkuta-sarpa (Pl. 193). The Yakşi with five-hooded figures as compared to north Indian figures do not show snake canopy shows varada-mudrā, arrow, goad, long variety of forms. stalked lotus, chain, staff, umbrella, thunderbolt, snake. Of the two sculptures in the Manjusha Museum noose, bow and fruit. Another 11th century figure from Dharmasthal (South Kannara, Karnataka), one (15th - Shahdol (M.P.) is now in the Thakur Saheb collection at 16h century A.D.) is particularly interesting since it Shahdol. Surprisingly the mount here is tortoise and the exhibits the primitive form with folkish character to figure of Parsvanātha with seven-hooded snake canopy suggest that Padmavati as a snake-goddess enjoyed is also carved over the head. The Yakși joined by the similar popularity in local-tribal community. The fourfigures of nāga and nägi is shown with varada-mudra, armed Yakși rides directly on a kukkuta of big size, sword, axe, arrow, thunderbolt, disc, shield, mace, goad, (even bigger than the figure of Yakşi) with eightbow, snake and lotus. In Navamuni cave the two-armed hooded snake-canopy (number is also unusual) and the Yakşi sits on lotus with jațămukuta. She has third eye figure of Pārsvanātha overhead. The modelling and on the forehead which reminds us of the tradition of stiffness of the figure remind us of the Indus Valley Bhairava-Padmavati-Kalpa. The kukkuta-sarpa as vāhana terracotta and metal figures. The Yakşi here is endowed and abhaya-mudra and lotus in hands are also to be seen. with trident, snake and lotus, thus the conventional goad In Bārabhuji cave the eight-armed Padmāvati with five- and noose are also not shown here. The other figure hooded snake canopy and the figure of Pārsvanatha (No. 1731) of 15th century stands in samabhanga with above shows varada-mudra, arrow, sword and disc in kukkuta vāhana carved on pedestal. The four-armed right and bow, shield and long stalked lotus (in two) in Padmāvati with three-hooded snake-canopy and left hands (Pl. 202).
figure of Pārsvanātha above, as usual, holds goad, noose In south India, particularly in Karnataka, numerous and fruit in three hands while one hand is in abhayaindependent sculptures of Padmāvati were carved along mudra.
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