________________
102
THE JAINA ANTIQUARY.
[ Vol. V
If tradition is to be believed the history of Śravana-Belgola begins from the third century B.C Chandragupta Maurya is said to have taken a vow of renunciation in his old age and migrated from his capital Pataliputra in the north to Sravana-Belgola and settled there with his guru Bhadrabahu. Five hundred inscriptions collected in and near Śravana-Belgola, which range in date from 600 A. D. until recent times tell us that the place was successively ruled by the Ganga, Rashtrakuta, Chalukya, Hoysala, Vijayanagara and Mysore rulers.
The great statue of Gommatesvara, the object of the Mastakābhishēka was erected in 983 A. D. by Chamunḍarāya, the minister of the Ganga king Rāchamalla IV. According to tradition Gommaţa or Bahubali was the second son of the first Tirthankara Purudeva. Even though he defeated his elder brother Bharata in the war of succession, yet he generously handed over the kingdom of the earth to him, retired from this world and attained eminence as a great ascetic. Bharata set up a statue in honour of this saint in North India. But as this statue came to be surrounded by snakes and as the place where it was situated was difficult to reach, Chamunḍarya set up a statue of Gommata at Śravana Belgola.
The image is nude and stands erect facing north. The face is a remarkable one, with a serene expression; the hair is curled in short spiral ringlets all over the head, while the ears are long and large. The figure is treated conventionally, the shoulders being very broad, the arms hanging straight down the sides, with the thumbs turned outwards The waist is small. From the knee downwards the legs are somewhat dwarfed. Though not elegant, the image is not wanting in majestic and impressive grandeur The figure has no support above the thighs. Up to that point it is represented as surrounded by ant-hills, from which emerge serpents; and a climbing plant twines itself 1ound both legs and both arms, terminating at the upper part of the arms in a cluster of berries or flowers. The pedestal is designed to represent an It is probable that Gommata was cut out of a boulder which rested open lotus. on the spot, as it would have been a work of great difficulty to
"
