Book Title: Indian Antiquary Vol 58
Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications
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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[JANUARY, 1929
Sanyasa, Sanaka, Sanatkumara. Brahma should be made to take hold of the uplifted foot of the Tsvikrama with one of his hands and wash it with water flowing from a kamandala held in the other hand; and the water flowing down from the washed foot of Trvikrama should be shown as being of a snow-white colour. Siva should be sculptured with his hands in the anjali pose and as sitting somewhere in space above the height of the navel of Trvikrama. Near the leg upon which Trvikrama stands, there should be the figure of Namuchi, a rakshasa, in the attitude of bowing in reverence to the great god Trvikrama. On the left Garuda should be shewn as taking hold of Sukra, the guru of the rikshasas, with a view to belabour him for obstructing Bali in giving the gift asked for by the Brahmanical boy Vâmana ; on the right Vamana himself should be made to stand with an umbrella in his hand and ready to receive the promised grant of three feet of space. Near him and opposite to him Bali should be shown as standing golden in hue and adorned with ornaments and carrying in his hands a golden vessel to indicate that he is ready to pour the water ceremonially in proof of his gift. Behind the emperor Bali there should be his queen. Above the head of Trvikrama the figure of Jambav&n should be shown as sounding the drum, called bhêri in Sanskrit, so as to exhibit the joy of the celestial beings at their coming delivery from the rule of the asura emperor Bali. So says, the Vaikhanasdgama. (Op. cit., pp. 164-7).
Plate 16 represents a huge panel, about eight feet by six in size, carved on the north wall of the rock-cut shrine situated to the south of what is called Ganesa Ratha at Mahabalipuram. In this group of images the central figure is that of Trvikrama. It has eight hands; three of the right hands carry the chakra, the gada, and the khadga, and the remaining right hand is held up with the palm turned upside, as required by the Vaikhanasdgama. Three of the left hands carry the tankha (conch), the kitaka (shield), and dhanus (bow), and the fourth left hand is stretched out parallel to the uplifted leg. This leg itself is raised up to the level of the forehead. Near the foot of the leg stretched out to measure the heaven-world, Brahma is shown as seated on a padmdsana (a form of squatting) and as offering with one of his right hands púja (worship) to that foot. His image is given four hands and is made to wear the jața-makuta (coiffure of matted hair) and karna-kundalas (ear-pendants). In the corresponding position to the right of Trvikrama we see Siva also seated in padmasana. His imago also has four arms, one of which is held in the pose of praise. It is also adorned with tho jata-makuta and kundalas. Immediately below Siva is Surya, the sun-god, with a halo. The way in which the legs of this god and also of Chandra, the moon-god, are worked out, suggests that they are both residing up in the hcavenly world without any terrestrial support. This sun-god has only a pair of hands, both of which he holds stretched out in the act of praising Trvikrama. Chandra is sculptured below the shield of Trvikrama, with a halo round the head, and is also shown to be in the attitude of praising Trvikrama. In the space between the head of Trvikrama and Brahma there may be noticed a peculiar figure turned towards Brahma. It has the face of a boar and is made to carry what is evidently a drum. This figure is obviously that of old Jámba vân, sounding the drum in joy due to the victory of the Devas over the Dänavas. At the foot of Trvikrama sits Namuchi to the right; and the other three figures, that are to be seen, are perhaps representations of Bali and some other prominent asuras. There is one other figure shown as if cutting somersaults in the air, and carrying something like a staff in the right hand. It is not possible to say whom this figure is intended to represent. The Brahmandapuriņa states that when Vâmana grew to be gigantic in size, and became Trvikrama, some of the DAnavas were hurled up into the air as if by a hurricane. This figure is perhaps one of the Dänavas 50 tossed up.
These two, as also several others of the figures of gods and goddesses in the locality, conform to the norms of Iconography as laid down in the Vaikanaságama and shew
