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JAIN JOURNAL
pertains to a scene from the Ramakathā wherein Sita is sitting in AśokaVātikā and Hanumana stands to her front, and imparting the message and ring of Rama to her.?
The earliest instances of the rendering of Balarama and KrsnaVasudeva with Neminatha, belong to the Kusana period. These figu are known from the Kankali Tila, Mathura.8 A few later images of Neminatha, belonging to c. 10th-11th century A.D., also exhibit the figures of Balarama and Krsna in the parikara. During the early medieval period, narratives from the life of Krsna were also carved, the instances of which are in the ceillings of the Jaina temples at Kumbharia (Banaskantha, Gujarat)10 and Dilwara11 (Vimala-vasahi and the Luna-vasahi, Mt. Abu, Sirohi, Rajasthan). An instance showing the episode of Yamalarjuna, is also carved on the southern facade of the Parsvanatha temple at Khajuraho.
The present paper endeavours to deal with Vaisnava themes represented in the Vimala-vasahi (1031 A.D.)12 and the Luna-vasahi (1230 A.D.), 13 the most magnificent of all the existing temples in western India. Of all such temples showing Vaisnava themes, the Vimala-vasahi and the Luna-vasahi undoubtedly are the most important ones. They not only show the figures of Balarama and Krsna in the narratives pertaining to the life of Neminatha but also the independent renderings from Krsnalila and some other significant Vaisnavite themes, such as
e story of Bali and Vamana, samudramanthana and above all the figure of Narasimha, an incarnatory of Visnu. Some of the representations in these temples, namely Krsna playing ball on the bank of river Yamuna, the Narasimha incarnation of Visnu, scene of holi and
7 Tiwari, Maruti Nandan Prasad., Elements of Jaina Iconography, Varanasi,
1983, pp. 115-116. 8 The figures are in the State Museum, Lucknow (ACC. No. J. 47, J. 121) and the
Archaeological Museum, Mathura (Acc. No. 2502). . Such figures are in the State Museum, Lucknow (Acc. No. J. 793, 66,53), the Archaeological Museum, Mathura (Acc. No. 37; 2738, B77) and the Temple No. 2
at Deogarh (Lalitpur, U.P.). 10 The Mahavira temple (11th century A.D.) in its aisle ceiling, showing narratives
from the life of Neminatha, contains the episode of Neminatha entering the ayudhasala of Krsna and demonstrating his physical superiority over Krsna by blowing
his powerful conch. 11 Also called Delvada, medieval Deulavada-grama. 12 Although the main image in the sanctum was consecrated in V.S. 1088 (c. 1031-32
A.D.), the rangamandapa, bhramika and the devakulikas were carved at a later
date and may be assigned between c. 1145-89-A.D. 18 The consecration ceremony was held in V.S. 1287 (c. 1230-31 A.D.). The images
and the devakulikas have inscriptions ranging in date between 1230 and 1240 A.D.
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