Jain Journal 1984 04

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

Page 61

166
JAIN JOURNAL
vidyadharas holding long garlands and marks of heavenly musical instruments, namely, tammata (drum) and jaya-ghata (cymbal). On the two lateral margins of the back slab four rows of standing Tirthankaras, three in a row are discernible. The middle of the pedestal bears a line of inscription,2 a few letters of which are partly defaced and hence makes problem of decipherment. The image is assignable to about 10th century A.D.
2.
Supärsvanātha (81.0 cms. X 51.5 cms.) at Hatuyara
Suparsvanatha (fig. 2) with circular halo and samapada pose stands upright on a seat of five petalled bloomed lotus. Flying vidyadhara carrying long garland and hatthagabeating drum is noticeable on the right upper corner of the rectangular stele, while flying vidyādhara on the left. Left side musical instrument is not viewed as a portion of the left corner of the stele is broken out. The image represents a canopy of five snake hoods of a cobra spread over his head from back readily distinguishing the seventh Tirthankara Suparsvanatha. Over the hoods a chatra of Sirisa (Acacia sirisha) tree makes its appearance. Cauribearers, one on each side of Bhagavan Suparsvanatha holding cāmara by right and left hands resting on waist stand in dvibhanga pose. Between them and the Tirthankara as well as on the pedestal snakes are carved, the emblem of Suparsvanatha. On right side of the image, on stele4 there are Surya, Mangala, Brhaspati and Sani Grahas below each, while on the left are Candra, Budha, Sukra and Rahu arranged in single file, just to pay reverence. Absence of Ketu is of great importance from the chronological point of view. Ketu is a later addition in Indian art (Banerjea : 1974 : 444). The head of the lower most jyotiska deva of the right side is broken away either for vendalism or for dalliance. The triratha pedestal represents male and female donors with añjali mudrā, on right and left side respectively in the upper register, while nägini and nāga figures in the lower register. General crudity of the sculpture in question assigns it to c. 8th century A.D. The Hindu populace of the nearby villages worships the image as Parvati on Asvin (September-October) months during Durgā Pūjā. The image is installed open on a cemented base near a Siva temple and is highly abraded.
* For eye-copy of the inscription, see, Subhas Chandra Mukhopadhyay, Glimpses
of the History of Manbhum, Calcutta, 1983, Inscription No. 6. Dr. D. C. Sircar
reads the first word as Danapati 3 Hatthaga means mark of the palm. • The introduction of Grahas on stele on two sides of the mula nayaka seems a tradition of the Eastern School. In the west Grahas were placed on pedestal of the Tirthankara. See, U. P. Shah, Studies in Jaina Art, Banaras, 1955, p. 19.