Indian Antiquary Vol 46

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 60

54
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[MAJCH. 1917
What this bas-relief represents has been agitating the minds of archæologists very much. Their doubts that this does not represent Arjuna's Penance has shown itself in protean forms. Fergusson has it in his Cave Temples of India (P. 1556): "It was popularly known as Arjuna's Penance from the figure of a Sannyâ si standing on one leg, and holding his arms over his head, which is generally assumed to represent that hero of the Mahabharata, but without more authority than that which applies his name with that of his brothers and sister 10 to the Ratha above described."
"In the centre on a projecting ledge, between the two great masses of rock, once stood the statue of the great Nâ garâja, who was the principal personage for whose honour this great bas-relief was designed." This opinion is apparently shared by Burgess who collaborated with him in the publication of his standard work, the Cave Temples of India. These doubts, however, are thus summarised by a recent archaeologist in the following words
“Concerning the latter bas-relief, it is well to recollect that we cannot any more call it Arjuna's Penance.'” The merit of having given a satisfactory explanation of this scene goes to Mr. Victor Goloubew? who has proved (Journal Asiatique, 11th series, Vol. IV. July August 1914) -
1. That the principal object in the scene is the vertical crevice in the rock, for it is towards it that all the personages are turned ;
2. That the presence of nagas in the crevice proves the presence of water.
In that case all is clear. During the Pallava epoch the rain water flowed through the crevice. This cascade then represented the Ganges descending to the earth from the heights of Kailasa. On the rock Siva is seen giving an ear to the prayers of Bhagiratha. Thus the personage who has so long been mistaken for Arjuna is no other than Bhagiratha, and this grand sight must be called not Arjuna's Penance', but Bhagiratha's Penance '. 11
This authority, who is no other than my friend Prof. Jouveau-Dubreuil of Pondicherry, whose methodical work in this branch of Archaeology has my sincere admiration, refuses to accept the popular designation of the relief and recognises that it represents Bhagiratha's Penance.
The bas-relief has to be carefully examined alongside of the story of Arjuna's Penance in the Mahabharata to accept or reject the popular name. The new suggestion has to be equally critically examined to establish a superior appropriateness. We shall prove by such an examination that the now prevalent name is the correct one, and the one suggested is hardly appropriate ; and, as a consequence no further suggestion of a name is called for. The story of Arjuna's Penance, as described in the Kairâta sarga of tue Mahabharata, is briefly as follows :
Arjuna, wbile in exile with his brothers and their wife Draupadi, was advised, as a measure of necessary preparation for the war then almost certain, to go to the Himalayas,
. 1 htain from him tha Paunata, the 10 This was no sister but the common wife of the five brothers. 11 Prof. G. Jouveau-Dubreuil's Pallava Antiquities, Vol. I, page 66.
* This was no sister but the common wife of the five brothers. 11 Prof. G. Jouveau-Dubreuil's Pallava Antiquities, Vol. I, page 66.