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Jaina Iconography of Orissa
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Kalinga. But in view of the Jaina affiliation of the carves it is to be identified with the elephant which Trisala saw in her first dream. The high status and sanctity of the elephant are brought out by its central position and the lotus worship offered to it. The four tusks of the elephant leave no room for doubt that the artist had in the mind the first dream of Trisala since it was in this form that the elephant appeared in the dream. Again Alakāpuri Gumphā, in its upper cell depicts a four tusked elephant in one of the inner brackets of the verandah. The high status of the elephant is evident from the fact that it is attended upon by two other elephants, one holding a chhatra (umbrella) and the other a chámara (fly-whisk). In this particular case also the elephant distinguished by its four tusks, could be taken for the noble elephant seen by Trisala in her first dream.
The second tympanum of Ananta-Gumphā depicts a royal personage on a chariot drawn by four horses. In the back ground are shown the sun and the moon. Scholars generally identify the figure with the sun God but this interpretation is less certain since the sun God is shown in the disc form in the relief. N.K. Sahu also doubts the identification. Therefore it does not seem justified to associate this royal figure with sun worship. It is possible that the main aim of the artist was to depict a Vimana or an aerial chariot in the relief. The sun and the moon seem to indicate the stellar world. The Jainas use the Vimāna in the sense of celestial abode. However, the word "Vimāna" for chariot is commonly used in the Buddhist literature. In the inscriptions of Asoka, the same word occurs and it is generally translated as "aerial chariot", "cars of the Gods." To take it as a celestial palace only is to limit its meaning.
Thus in the panel we get representations of the sun, the moon and the aerial chariot. In addition, the artist has shown a metal jar and a banner, for in the right hand corner. a pot bellied dwarf holds a spouted water jar in his left hand and seems to carry a banner in the right hand. As already noted these are associated with the dreams of Trisala
The subject matter of the third tympanum is the anointing of the Goddess. Sri and the lotus lake. In the relief Sri is shown standing on the lotus lake anointed with the water from the strong and large trunks of guardian elephants." The lotuses in the lake are licked by gay birds.
The door-way arches of Ananta-Gumpha are relieved with lions and bulls and lions as capitals. Thus it is possible to identify some of the dreams of Trisala in the art of the caves. The simplicity and directness of expression lend further charm to the scenes.
The asta-mangalas, familiar to both the sects, are known to Jaina worship from ancient times. There are a few variations in the Svetāmbara and Digambara Jists of these obiects. According to the Svetambara canonical text Aupapātika Sutra, they are, svastika, Srivatsa, nadyavrata, vandhamānka (powder flask), the full vase, darpana (mirror) and matsya (or matsya-yugma, a pair of fish). These are often referred to in Jaina texts including canonical works, as decorating tops of architraves or ramparts or placed on chaitva trees and platforms, or painted on walls and so on. The asta-mangala symbols are interesting since they are supported by evidence on āyagāpațas of the Kushana age.
