Jaina Rock Cut Caves In Western India Part 01

Author(s): Viraj Shah
Publisher: Agam Kala Prakashan

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Jaina Rock-cut Caves in Western India has plain head, long ears that do not touch the shoulders and each stands on a two-tiered square pedestal. There is no usanisa or srivatsa. Above the head is triple chhatra.
9. Panchatirthika: 0.91m by 0.51m
On the back wall of the hall, between the two cells to the right of the shrine is kept a loose slab. It has a larger image of Rsabhanātha seated in the centre and flanked by two smaller seated Jinas, one above the other on each side.
Rşabhanatha is seated in ardhapadmasana and dhyāna mudra with a round halo and double chhatra. On his head, the hair is shown in curls. On each of his shoulders are shown three curls, which testify that the image is of Rsabhanatha. He has trivali grivā and long ears touching the shoulders. On the chest is a diamond-shaped śrivatsa. There are three lines on the stomach. The other Jina figures are crudely carved without depiction of any minor details.
Above the small Jina is a standing chauri bearer on each side. They stand in tribhanga and hold chauris in the outer hands, while the inner hands are on the hips. Each wears a crown, necklace, sacred thread and a lower garment.
Below the small Jina figure to the right is a small, seated female devotee with hands in anjali; while below the Jina to left are two seated male devotees also in anjali mudra. The lower portion of the panel has a bull-faced Gomukha yakṣa on extreme right and a yaksi on extreme left. They are very small and crude, so the details are not clear. It makes the identification of yakşi difficult. On the inner side of the each is a seated male devotee. The central portion of the rock below the panel is projected a little. On this projected portion are seven seated male devotees.
Near the third pillar from the back wall of the hall, of the right row of the outer square are kept the three loose chaumukhas (Plate 9).
10. Chaumukha: 0.48m (extant portion) by 0.45m
On each face was a figure of Jina, standing on a throne. But the upper part of the slab is broken with only the lower portions of the Jina figures extant. The eastern face carried the figure of Rşabhanatha. It is completely destroyed except the feet. Below the feet, on the upper bar of the throne is engraved a bull in profile, the lañchhana of Rsabhanatha. The throne has three compartments divided by pilaster with square shaft on a square base with triangular plate. The central compartment has a wheel set edgewise, while the right one has a seated female devotee with hands in anjali and facing front. In the left compartment is a male devotee, seated facing the Jina with a garland in both the hands. To the right of the Jina is a small figure of Jina seated in padmasana with long ears and oval halo. On the left of Jina's feet are two pairs of feet, most probably of devotees.
On the northern face was a standing figure of Parsvanatha, which too is destroyed. Now only the legs of Jina and the coil and tail of the snake remain. Below the feet is a throne, similar to that on the eastern face. Here the left compartment has a seated devotee couple, while the female has a garland in her hands. In the right compartment is a female, holding a fruit. She has a large bun behind the head.
On the southern face, only the legs of the Jina figure remain. In the side compartments of the throne are devotee couples. The male in the left compartment holds