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CHAPTER 16]
CENTRAL INDIA
below the lotus-seat. The goddess may represent Manovega, the Yaksi of the sixth Tirthankara.
The niche on the western recess of the southern bhadra shows two-armed Yaks! Padmavati standing under a canopy of serpent-hoods. The miniature niches on the adjoining lateral faces also show each an image of a goddess seated in lalitasana.
Niche 9 on the west face is empty, while the only niche in the recess of the western bhadra shows an image of two-armed Padmavati standing under a canopy of serpent-hoods, carrying blue lotus in the right hand, the left hand resting over a staff. In the adjoining miniature niche is placed an image of a four-armed goddess seated in lalitäsana with a crocodile-mount below. She holds flower in the lower right hand, while her upper right hand is placed on the simanta, her upper left carries mirror and the lower left hand is kept over her lap.
Niches 10-11 on the west face and 12-13 on the north face were never built since the north-west corner of the temple consisted of the rocky ledge of the hill.
Niche 14 on the north projection of the antarala shows a standing image of two-armed Kubera carrying skull-cup and purse, the latter placed on a pair of jars representing nidhis. In the niche below niche 14 occurs a four-armed standing goddess carrying abhaya, lotus-flower, blue lotus and probably a mirror.
Niche 15 below the north balcony of the maha-mandapa harbours the image of a twelve-armed goddess seated in lalitasana. She carries sword, mirror, flower, cakra and vajra in the five surviving right hands, while the two surviving left hands hold lotus-flower and fruit. A defaced animal resembling boar is depicted as mount.
Niche 16 on the north projection of the mandapa shows a two-armed image of Indra seated in lalitäsana over an elephant-mount. He carries vajra in his left hand, while his right hand is broken.
Below niche 16 the basement niche contains image of a twelve-armed goddess seated in lalitasana on a wheeled iron cart. She carries abhaya, trisula, cakra, shield, bow, toilet-box and fruit in the left hands. From the wheeled iron cart (lohasana), the goddess may be identified as Ajita or Rohini, the Yaksi of the second Tirthankara.
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