Indian Antiquary Vol 46

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

Page 62

THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
(MARCH, 1917
of giving the Pasupata to Arjuna as one of the more prominent acts of beneficence by Sival. The inscriptions on the Rathas and the caves make it absolutely clear that Narasim havarman laboured to make them Siva shrines and make a Faiva centre of the place, Inscriptions Nos. 17 & 18 on the Dharmaraja Ratha make it clear that it was intended to be called 'Atyantakama Pallavesvara.'14 The same name occurs in the so-called Ganesa Ratha and in the Ramanuja Mapapam. This Atyantakama was no other than Paramêśvaravarman, the grandson of Narasimhavarman I. and father of Narasimhavarman II, Rajasinia ha. The larger number of buildings in rock therefore began to be excavated by Narasimhavarman I, and reached their completion if they ever reached it at all under Narasimha II, Rajasiniha, Saiva sovereigns in a Saiva age. These naturally made the bas-relief represent one of the most popular of Siva's acts of beneficence to humanity which both the Téváram hymners refer to very often in the course of their works. This is the more natural seeing that the other bas-relief has reference to one of Krishna's achievements, the holding up of the hill, Govardhana, to protect the cowherds and cattle from a shower of stones. We shall revert to this later ; but must mention here that this place finds no mention in the T'éváram as a place holy to Siva, though these hymners refer to Tirukalukkunpam; nor is the place included among those peculiarly sacred to Siva now. It seems to be then beyond the possibility of doubt that this bas-relief represents Arjuna's Penance, not as an incident in the Mahabhrata but as a representation of one of Siva's many acts of beneficence to humanity, perhaps because it is so depicted in the hymns of the Têváram.
This interpretation finds unlooked for support in the archaeological remains of a few pillars recently unearthed at Chandimau in the Behar District of the Patna Division. These are sculptures that exhibit the same incident and the monument belongs, according to Mr. R. D. Banerjee, to the 5th or the 6th Century A. D. as the inscriptions found on the pillars are of the Gupta characters.15
Another point in regard to this bas-relief is whether it is the work of foreigners. That foreign workmen from other parts of India and outside did do work in this part of the country on occasions, is in evidence in the Tamil classics.16 Jewellers from Magadha,
13 ஓரியல் பல்லா வுருவமதாகி யொண்டிறல்வே
டன துருவது கொண்டு, காரிகை காணத்தனஞ் சயன் தன்னைக் கறுத்
தவற் களித்துடன் காதல் செய் பெருமான். திருவெங்குரு. 3. '
(சம்பந்தர்) பாடகஞ்சேர் மெல்லடி நற்பாவை யாளும்
நீயும் போய்ப்பார்த் தனது பலத்தைக் காண்பான்
வேடனாய் வில்வாங்கி யெய்ததாளோ. திருவாரூர்த் திருத்தாண்டகம், 3. -
(அப்பர்) 14 Epigraphia Indica, X. p. 8.
15 A. S. R. For 1911-12 p. 162-et, 90q. 14 மகதவினை ஞரும்மராட்டக் கம்மரும்
மவத்திக் கொல்லரும் யவனத்தச் சருஞ் தண்டமிழ் வினைஞர் தம்மொடு கூடிச் கொண்டி னிதியற்றிய கண்கவர் செய்வினைப் பவளத்தி ரள்காற் பன்மணிப் போதிகை,
Manimdkhalai'XIX 107-110. யவனத் தசசரும் மவந்திக் கொல்லரு மகதத்துப் பிறந்தமணி வினைக்கா ரரும்
"............ பசும்பொன் வினைஞருங் கோசலத் தியன்ற ஓவியத் தொழிலரும்
வத்த நாட்டு வண்ணக் கம்மரும், Perungadai, Unjaikkandam, passagesquoted under above in Pundit Saminatha Aiyar's edition
of Mamimdkhalal.