Jaina Archaeological Heritage of Tamilnadu

Author(s): A Ekambarnathan
Publisher: Bharat Varshiya Digambar Jain Mahasabha

Page 64

JAINA BRONZES
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lolahastha. Except her lion mount, two sons and attendant are not shown in these specimens.
PADMAVATHI
She is the yakshi of 23rd Tirthankara Parsvanatha. She is the consort of Dharanendra the serpent king and called by various names such as Padma, Padmavadana, Padmahasta and Kamalavati. She is commonly depicted with two arms. Sometimes her two arms hold an umbrella protecting the head of the Jina. In some cases she is in anjali. A serpent hood is seen over her head. Her mount is kukutasarpa. Though the cult of Padmavati was popular in Karnataka, she has not been worshipped widely in Tamilnadu. No bronze image of this yakshi datable to early period is available in Tamilnadu. Only modern bronzes are available in places like Perumugai, Melattipakkam etc. In these places, she is depicted in sukhasana with four hands, the upper hands hold pasa and ankusa and lower hands are in abaya and hold a fruit. There is a five-hooded serpent over the karandamakuta. Her mount kukutasarpa is depicted on the pedestal
JVALAMALINI
Being the yakshi of Chandraprabha, the 8th Tirthankara, the Svetambaras call her Bhirkuti and she is having four arms; cat or swan is said to be her vehicle. The Digambaras consider her as a goddess with eight arms possessing chakra, arrow, pasa, shield, bow and a fish. Buffalo is her vahana. Her worship was popular as early as 9th or 10th cent. A.D. in Karnataka."" However, in Tamilnadu stone sculptures of Jvalamalini appear only from 18th cent.A.D. onwards in places like Ponnur, Nelliyankulam, For Private & Personal Use Only