Jaina Mahavidyas in Osian

Author(s): Maruti Nandan Prasad Tiwari, Kamalgiri
Publisher: Z_Nirgrantha_1_022701.pdf and Nirgrantha_2_022702.pdf and Nirgrantha_3_022703.pdf

Page 6

Vol. III, 1997-2002
Jaina Mahavidyās in Osian
a fruit in right and left hands (Plate 8). However, in the devakulikd examples the goddess is both two and four-armed and always rides an iguana. The two-armed goddess bears long-stalked lotuses in both hands, whereas the four-armed goddess, carved on the devakulika No. 3, carries a lotus, a manuscript and a fruit in three surviving hands. The figures correspond to the Svetämbara texts only in respect of the vahana-iguana-and lotus. The figures on the devakulikās, however, follow the earlier Svetambara tradition enjoined by the Caturvimsatika and the Nirvanakalika, which depict the goddess with iguana and bearing the varada-mudra, a musala (or danda), a lotus and a rosary. One of the figures on the main temple, however, appears to have followed the Manträdhirajakalpa, wherein she is described as riding on a bull". The association of bull with Gauri is reminiscent of Brahminical Siva. This is further reinforced by the instance carved in the rangamandpa ceiling at Vimala vasahi, where the four-armed Gauri is provided with bull and the varadākṣa, lotus (twice) and a fruit as attributes48
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The tenth Mahavidya Gandhari, represented here by four figures", invariably sits on a lotus and possesses two hands. The goddess, in conformity with the Svetambara tradition, holds a vajra and a musala respectively in the right and left hands, which, however, in one example, are juxtaposed. The later works visualise Gändhär! as fourarmed and carrying the varada and the abhaya-mudra in addition to the usual vajra and musala $2
Vairoty, the 13th Mahavidyà, appears to have enjoyed a favoured position in Jainism, who also is conceived as the yakşi of Vimalanatha. The goddess, always shown fourarmed, is represented by eight examples at the site, of which two are carved on the mukhamandapa and the güdhamandapa of the main temple, whereas the remaining ones are on the devakulikās. She invariably rides a snakes. The figure on the mukhamandapa of the main temple bears a sword, two snakes (in two hands) and a shield (Plate 8), while the figure on the gudhamandapa shows a shield and a snake in the upper and lower left arms, with lower right resting on thighs. The devakulikā figures are identical with the figures on the main temple. However, in one solitary instance, carved on the doorway of the devakulika No.1, the goddess holds snake in all her four arms, which is not supported by any of the available dhyanas. It appears that the iconographic form of the goddess was standardised at the site in c. eighth century A. D., which corresponds with the available dhyanas". It is interesting to find that Vairotyä, in the group of the 16 Mahavidyas at the Santinätha temple, Kumbhäriä, also holds the same set of attributes which are noticed in case of the figures of the gudhamandapa of main temple. The example from the rangamandapa ceiling of the Vimala vasahi also shows similar attributes excepting for the fruit substituting a snake. The 14th Mahavidya Acchuptâ, in 11 examples, one on the north façade of the güḍhamandapa and the remaining on the devakulikäs, happens to be one of the most favoured Mahavidyās at the site. Her iconographic form, fully corresponding with the Śvetāmbara tradition 59, was standardised at the site in the eighth century A. D., as is