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Description and Chronology of Caves
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and appear to be a standardized set. Thus, on the west is Varuna on makara, on southwest is Nrutti on man or corpse, on south is Yama on bull that could very well be buffalo, on south-east is Agni on ram, on east is Indra on elephant, on north-east is Isana on bull, on north is Kubera on elephant and on northwest is Vayu on bull. Although Vayu's vahana is deer, here the figure on northwest is on bull, which is either a mistake or depicts less-known tradition. However, these figures are so small and unclear on the dark ceiling that it is difficult to identify the animal clearly. The only figure that does not tally with the available literary traditions is the couple on horse as none of the dikpalas are known to have horse as vahana, though one of the dikpalas in the earlier representation at Ellora is also on horse. The male deities are difficult to identify individually, but a fourarmed on garuda can be Jaina counterpart of Brahmanical god Visnu.
On the back wall of the hall, flanking the antechamber is a large panel. On the right is a standing figure of Santinatha, while on the left is the scene depicting Kamatha's attack on Parsvanatha. Beyond each panel is a niche. The niche on right is 0.83m by 0.59m and is 0.58m deep, while the niche on the left is 1.15m by 1.12m and is 0.54m deep.
The antechamber is 3m by 1.25m with a niche on sidewalls. The right niche is 0.98m by 0.61m and is 0.4m deep. The left niche is 0.75m by 0.61m and is 0.36m deep. The shrine doorway has two śakhas. The outer sakha is plain, while the inner śakha is a ratna śakha, carved with the design of lozenge alternating with a circle. There are no figures on the pedya and the uttaranga is also not carved. On the lintel. there is a figure of a seated Jina. The mandaraka, decorated with lozenges, is flanked by kirtimukhas. There is a chandraśila in front.
The shrine is 3.75m by 3.5m. There is a throne, measuring 2m by 1.5m. in the centre. Around the throne is a vyala. In front of the throne, on the floor is cut a water chute. There is no icon on the throne. Behind the throne on the left was a room cut in the floor. It was 2.75m by 2.5m. Now, it has been closed. This underground room had an icon of Jina, obviously kept there to protect it from iconoclasts.
Sculptures
1. Sarvanubhuti: 2.84m by 1.85m.
The panel is highly damaged. The pot-bellied figure of Sarvanubhuti, measuring around 1.95m by 1.08m, is seated on his vahana, elephant, which is in profile with head turned to face front. The asana is not clear as the rock has weathered away, but it seems to be vamalalitäsana. The hands are on the lap, though the objects held in the hands are not clear. Sarvanubhuti is flanked by a chauri bearer and garland bearer. The figures to his right are damaged.
As in Cave II, the panel is within a niche formed by pilasters. The right pilaster is destroyed. The pilasters, the makara torana, the banyan tree above the head of Sarvanubhuti and the peacock near the head of Sarvanubhūti are similar to those in Cave II. Here the seated Jina on the tree is absent.
Above the left pilaster is a female standing in dvibhanga. Her right hand is on the hip. while the left hand is on the head of a small male standing to her left. To her right is a
