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JAINA STORIES IN STONE
AT ABU AND KUMBHARIA"
Dr. Umakant P. Shah, M.A., Ph.D.
A ceiling near the Bhamatī to the left of the Rangamandapa of the Lunavasahi, Abu, contains an elaborate Nativity Scene. It may be the Nativity of Krishna as suggested by Muni Shri Jayantavijayaji (Holy Abu, p. 118) or it may be nativity of a Jina or any Salākā- purusa. The whole relief is divided into
four concentric squares. The innermost or the smallest square (Fig. 1) shows a Mother lying on a cot with a child by her side and attended upon by four females, two of whom hold fans, while another lady carries a cup or a bowl. Below the cot are placed, in a row, nine vessels which may be vardhamanahas, powder-boxes, or the nine nidhis. The three other squares show 4 gates in each of them ; in the space intervening bet
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(*Continued from Jaina Yuga, Sept. 1959)
Fig. 2 SCENE OF KRISHNA SUBDUING THE KALIYA SNAKE
VIMALA VASAHI, ABU Photo : Dr. Umakant P. Shah)
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