Indian Antiquary Vol 58

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 258

22
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[ JANUARY, 1929
CoreT.
lay figure should be that of Narasimha I, as we have already indicated,a' He probably made the relief on the rock not far off represent one of the most popular of Siva's ats of beneficence to humanity, which both the Têvdram hymners refer to very oiten in the course of their works, the more so as Bharavi's Királdrjuniya must then have been in great vogue at Kanchi in his time. 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 Tevaram as a place holy to Siva, though these hymners refer to Tirukalukkunram; 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 Mahabharata but as a representation of one of Siva's many acts of beneficence to humanity, perhaps because it formed the subject of the Kirát. arjuniya; not so much that it is so depicted in the hymns of the T'évaram.
This interpretation finds unlooked for support in the archæological 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 in the Gupta characters.30
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.81 Jewellers from Magadha, smiths from Mahåråtta, blacksmiths from Avanti (Malva), carpenters from Yavana, laboured with the artisans of the Tamil land.
Admitting this possible co-operation, it requires more to prove borrowing either the inspiration or the execution. None of the details of these works seem foreign either to the locality or to the prevalent notions of indigenous art. The suspected “Cornucopia " held in the hand by one of the figures at the bottom of the central water-course is none other than
29 Plate 7 is from a photograph taken by my colleague, Mr. 8. S. Suryanarayana Sastri, Reader in Indian Philosophy. That this might be the statue of Narasimha T, I investigated by a detailed examination of the figures in the Ratha, when I took Professor Franklin Edgerton of the Yale Uni. versity to see the place, and he kindly took a photograph for me and sent me a copy. This was lent to Mr. T. G. Aravamuthan, M.A., B.L., who wanted a loan of it for making a block. The photograph was not returned to me, and I understood subsequently that he had lost it. I found it necessary, therefore, to make another arrangement, and in the course of another visit to the place with my friend, Dr. Kalidas Nax of the Calcutta University, I took Mr. Suryanarayana Sastri also. The photograph of Narasimha and the small one representing the hermitage in Arjuna's Penance are both of them taken by him, The boy in shorts standing in the middle of the group is my son, and obviously does not belong to the group). I regret the loss of Professor Edgerton's photograph, as it was taken with a view to the epigraph over head coming out clearly.
30 ASR., for 1911-12, p. 162, et seq. 21 மகதவினை ஞரும்மராட்டக் சம்மரும்
மவர்திக் கொல்லரும் யவனத்தச் சருர் தண்டமிழ் வினைஞர் தம்மொடு கூடிக் கொண்டி னிதியற்றிய கண்கவர் செய்வினைப் பவளத்தி ரள்காற் பன்மணிப் போதிகை.
Manimékholai, XIX, 107-110. யவனத் தச்சரும் மவந்திக் கொல்லரு மகதத்துப் பிறந்தமணி வினைக்கா ரரும் .....................UFL Qures a r கோசலத் தியன்ற ஓவியத் தொழிலரும்
வத்த நாட்டு வண்ணக் கம்மரும், Perungadai, Unjaikkândam, passage quoted under above in Pandit Svaminatha Aiyar's edition of Manimékhalai.