Jain Journal 1980 04

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 51

162
JAIN JOURNAL
dalagra-sparsita-mudra vama-dese susobhane/422/ dakhina-pada tad parsve dandakare manohare dakhina-tribhuja-bahu-lambini d ala-malik a/423/
Let me attempt a translation, commencing with the last line. 'Dala malika is a figure who is attached is a free swinging pose with her arm (to the branch of a tree) to the right triangle.
Under the divisor dividing the whole surface into three portions attractively the head is in profile (line 1). Above it is the right forearm conforming to the branch of the tree (line 2), (or) as well the right arm resting on one side of the right triangle i.e. the right arm can alternatively also hang down not touching the branch of the tree (line 3), the spot above the hip and below the flank is linked (in one horizontal line) to the centre of the navel (line 4), the left arm goes somewhat downwards having the form of a danda-line i.e. vertical (line 5), (or alternatively)
f touching the tip of the branch can also take place in the left beautiful region of the picture surface (line 6), (i.e. alternatively the left hand can also be depicted as seizing the branch of a tree), the is given in profile in the lovely form of the danda-line i.e. verticle line, (line 7).'
Based on this description I would translate dala-malika as follows : ‘carving of a female who performs a garland in line with the branch of a tree.'
This passage has made it clear that we are permitted to understand both the terms madamalika and dalamalika as synonyms of salabhanjika.
Both the terms 'mada' and 'dala' are of greatest interest to us as they convey something else than salabhanjika does : an aesthetic impression of the woman-tree pose ! Salabhanjika only denotes the act of bending down the branch of a tree, madamalika and dalamalika show how the people of India looked at it. They must have been struck by the complete artistic unity which this motif could attain in the hands of great masters.
It has become clear now that the garland is the underlying aesthetic concept of this motif executed by the graceful pose of a woman flowing into a tree.