Book Title: Jaina Rock Cut Caves In Western India Part 01
Author(s): Viraj Shah
Publisher: Agam Kala Prakashan

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Page 181
________________ 155 Description and Chronology of Caves the three larger figures completed the twenty-four Jinas (Nasik District Gazetteer 1975: 877). At present, twenty-one small Jinas have disappeared. The figure of Rsabhanatha is seated in padmāsana and dhyana mudrā on a double lotus. Below the lotus is a bull seated sideways with a cloth on the back and bells around the neck and shown within a frame. A small, male figure holding a staff flanks the bull. To each side of Rşabhanātha is a seated figure of a Jina on a lotus with a long stalk, which emerges from the lotus of Rsabhanātha. All the three Jinas have a flower-shaped srivatsa. Each has hair shown in dots with a pointed uşaņişa. All Jinas have a halo, which has a flower like design. There is a single, elongated chhatra above the head of each Jina. Over the chhatra of Rsabhanatha is a female seated on a lion and holding a sankha and gada in the right and the left hands respectively and with halo. She is draped in saree and blouse. Flanking her is a flying figure holding a trumpet. 4. Seated Parsvanatha: The figure of Parsvanātha is seated in padmāsana and dhyāna mudra. He has a srivatsa on the chest. His head is plain except three lines of dots in the front and a small usanisa. Above his head is seven-hooded snake. He was reported to have triple chhatra held over the snake-hood by vidyadhāras, but these figures have disappeared. A chauri bearer standing at the level of the elbow and reaching to the snake-hoods of the Jina flanks Parsvanātha. Each chauri bearer stands on a triangular pedestal and holds a chauri in the outer hand, which rests on the shoulder. The inner hand rests on the waist. They wear long dhoti and a long upper garment, a crown and a necklace. 5. Sarvānubhūti: The figure of Sarvānubhūti is seated in Vāmalalitasana on an elephant eated in profile. The right hand of Sarvānubhūti is kept on the thigh and the left hand is on the knee. There are no objects in his hands. He wears a dress similar to that of the chauri bearers of Parsvanatha, has a halo with flower like design and wears crown and wristlets. 6. Seated Parsvanātha: This is the main icon seated in the centre of the back wall. As reported by earlier scholars, the figure is 0.9m high. He was reported to have three lions on the throne. But now the throne is plain. In other details this figure is similar to the aforementioned Parśvanātha figure except that here unlike other cases, the chauri bearers are shown in the attitude of fanning the Jina with the chauri, instead of keeping it on the shoulder. 7. Ambika: The figure of Ambikā is seated in Vāmalalitāsana on her vahana lion, shown in profile with head turned to front. Her right hand is on her stomach and the left one is on the knee. She has a halo similar to that of Sarvānubhūti. She wears a saree-blouse and other ornaments. 8. Seated Parsvanatha: This figure is similar to the Parsvanātha figure on the right end of the back wall.

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