Book Title: Jain Thought and Culture
Author(s): G C Pandey
Publisher: University of Rajasthan

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Page 126
________________ 108 Jain Thought and Culture dering pattern of creepers, ent wining various scenes The meandering pattern is missing on the proper right jamb On the proper left jamb it shows from below (1) an acrobat riding a lion, (2) vidyadhara couple, the male holding sword, (3) a group of three devotees, (4) suparnas carrying lotus stalk, (5) a bird couple, (6) elephant (7) a naga couple, (8) acrobat riding a lion, (9) a human couple, and (10) is indistinct The right extremity of the lintel shows mithunas bearing garlands and a standing four-armed Vidyadevi holding varada, book, book and water-vessel On the corresponding left extremity we find a defaced image of four-armed standing Sarasvati carrying vina On the door-jambs occur Ganga and Yamuna, each flanked by a pair of dvarapalas, as on the door way of the mandapa The dvarapalas, facing east, carry a gada in one of their hands Sanctum There are only three central pillars inside the sunctum, the fourth being not needed, as the low-rock-ceiling is securely supported in the north-west, on the walls of the sanctum The pilasters are quite plain More than three-fourth of the ceiling of the sanctum is rock-cut, which is further supported by pillars and lintels Inside the sanctum the main deity now enshrined is a seated mediaeval image of Jina placed on a high pedestal Loose images of one seated and three standing mediaeval Jinas are also kept in the sanctum Inner ambulatory The inner ambulatory is entered on each side by a doorway decorated on the lintels and architraves with miniature shrines and figures The southern door way of the ambulatory shows on the lalalabimba of its lintel a flying figure of a vidyadhara (can he represent garuda, the vahana of Cakresvart ?) with folded hands The archi trave surmounting the lintel is elaborate and shows three registers, the lower showing nine standing figures, of which seven are Jinas and two are female devotees The middle register shows four Tirthankaras and the uppermost seven Tirthankaras The door-jambas show river goddesses flanked by dvarapalas and surmounted by kneeling nagas.

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