Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies Vol 01 Jaina Art and Architecture

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

Page 346

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Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies
temple, where the four-armed goddess stands with arrow (?), sword, shield and bow in hands and the horse carved as her mount alongside. The devakulikā figures exhibit identical details as noticed in case of the main temple, excepting a solitary instance, carved on the doorway of the devakulika No. 2, where she is depicted as six-armed. Sometimes, the attributes are juxtaposed. In three examples, the lower two arms show abhaya and fruit (or water-vessel). However, in one case, carved on the doorway of the devakulikā No. 3, she surprisingly holds rein, which together with the horse is reminiscent of Brahmanical demigod Revanta, son of Surya. The six-armed figure carries the varada, sword, arrow, shield, bow and fruit. The four-armed Acchuptā, in the group of sixteen Mahāvidyās in the sāntinātha temple, Kumbharia, shows identical attributes as in the figure on main temple. However, the sword and shield are replaced by the varadaksa and water-vessel in the instance of the rangamandapa ceiling of Vimalavasahi. (The figure of Mahavidya Acchupta at Osian has influenced the form of Yakși of Padmaprabha on Temple No. 12 at Deogadh, where she is called Sulocanā. Here the four-armed Yakṣī, accompanied by horse, holds arrow and bow in her two hands).
Mānasi, the 15th Mahāvidyā, is represented by a solitary instance at the site, carved on the northern vedībandha of the devakulikā No. 4. The two-armed goddess here rides a harsa and holds a thunderbolt in the right hand, while the corresponding left one is resting on thigh. The figure agrees with the tradition in respect of vāhana and vajra. The Svetāmbara works notice her either with two or four arms and invariably riding a harsa. The goddess, when two-armed, holds varada and thunderbolt, while the goddess with four- arms carries two vajras in two upper hands and the varada and rosary in the lower ones. It may be recalled that Mānasi does not find representation on the main temple, simply because the earliest tradition, referring to Mānasi, conceives her as riding a hamsa and holding flames, thus combining the features of the two
Mahāvidyās, Mānasi and Mahājvālā, in one.
The 164 Mahāvidyā Mahāmānasi is represented by twelve examples, two over the mukhacatuṣki and the gūdhamandapa of the main temple, while the remaining ones are on the devakulikās. The goddess thus claims the highest popularity at the site and her form shows greater variety with two, four or six arms. Like Rohiņi, Apraticakrā, and Acchupta, the iconography of Mahāmānasi was settled at the site in c. eighth century A.D., which is revealed by her figures on the main temple. The figures follow the Svetāmbara tradition which conceives the four-armed goddess with a lion as vāhana and holding sword, shield, water-vessel and the abhaya or varada-mudrā (or maņi). The figures on the main temple are four-armed and show the goddess as riding a lion and bearing the abhaya-mudrā, sword, shield and fruit. Barring two figures, carved on the eastern and southern vedībandha of the devakulikā Nos. 1 and 2 where the vāhana is conspicuous by its absence, all other figures are invariably accompanied by a lion. The two-armed Mahāmānasi, bearing sword and shield, is represented by two examples. The four-armed goddess, represented as she is by five instances, always rides a lion, excepting a solitary instance, carved on the eastern vedībandha of the devakulikā No. 1, where she sits on a bhadrāsana. In conformity with the Svetämbara texts, the goddess shows the abhaya-mudrā (or sword), sword (or lotus), shield and fruit (or water-vassel). Mahämänasi in the collective representation at Vimalavasahī also shows the identical features, excepting for fruit replaced by rosary.
The six-armed figures, represented by three instances, show her as riding a lion and carrying the varada (or abhaya-mudrā, sword, arrow, shield, bow and fruit (or water-vessel). The rendering of the goddess with six arms, not known from any texts, further suggests the exalted position enjoyed by the goddess. (The form of Mahāmānasi at Osian has influenced the rendering of the Yakși of Jina Candraprabha, called Sumālini, at the Temple No. 12 at Deogadh. The four-armed Yaksi,
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