Jaina Rock Cut Caves In Western India Part 01

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

Page 88

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Jaina Rock-cut Caves in Western India holding the long staff of the chhatra in both the hands. In most cases she has a single snake-hood above the head, except J24, where she has three-hooded snake. Usually, her figure is as high as Parsvanatha's arms, but sometimes it reaches up to his waist. The figure of Padmavati is absent in both the panels of J2. In most of the panels there are one or two small figures of snake-females with the upper bodies of human and the lower bodies of snake and with snake-hoods above the heads. These figures are depicted near Padmāvati's feet and are shown paying respects to Parsvanatha with hands in añjali mudrā.
The attackers are depicted in a vertical row on each side of Parsvanātha. In J20. there are two rows of attackers to the left of Parsvanātha, instead of one. In one of the panels of J10 and the panel of J18, there are two or three attackers above the head of Parávanāthe also. The number of these figures varies. While the number is two to three in J2, J3 and 125, there is only a single attacker in the small panel of J21. In the rest of the panels, there are four to seven attackers. Of these, a male throwing a stone at Parsvanatha is common to all the panels. In fact, both the attackers in J2 and J3 and solitary attacker in J21 are stone throwers. This figure is carved at the right top of panel. In J14, J21, J23 and J24, this figure is on the left. In most cases a stone is not shown, but the hands are raised up and thus cuiling portion above is treated as the stone. In some cases the part of the pilaster on the side of the panel works as the stone. Another common figure is a male riding a buttalo and holding a dagger in the outer hand. In two panels of J10, J12, J17 and J25, this figure is absent. Usually, this figure is depicted above Padmavati and below the stone thrower. The figure in J13 J14 and J26 is shown attacking Parávanātha with a gada held in both the hands, instead of the dagger. Another figure, which occurs in almost all the panels, except J17, is a male on a lion with a dagger in one of the hands, usually depicted to the left. In J14 and J25, he has a triśūla, instead of the dagger. Apart from this figure, there is another male with a triśūla in one of the panels of J10, Jll, J13, J19, J20 and J26. In all the cases the triśüla is held in the attitude of piercing Parávanātha.
Apart from these common figures, there are few more figures, which are depicted only in some of the panels. In J6, there are two figures, one of which has a lion face on the stomach. One panel of J10 has figures with a sula and a dagger. In J18 J19 and J20, there is another male on a lion. Some of the figures are unique to some panels. In J18, on the left top is a male in the attitude of attacking Parsvanatha with his fist. In J20, there is a female with pendulous breasts, holding a dagger and a sarpa. In the same panel, there are two more curious male figures, one with a danda and another pot-bellied male holding a sarpa. In J20 and J22, there is a bearded figure of a male, who is shown suspended in the air in a sort of dhanurāsana with his legs taken up behind. It is perhaps meant to represent a bhūta or a pisacha. J25 has just a lion face and a lion as attackers.
In most of the panels these figures are turned towards Parsvanātha and are shown charging at him. Most of the figures are shown flying. They are fierce looking with hair spread around the heads. They are fully decked, though the crown is not shown.
The figures of Kamatha and his queen are shown seated near Parsvanatha's feet, on the left. In one panel of J2 and J3 only Kamatha is shown, while the figure of his queen behind him is absent. In another panel of J2, even the figure of Kamatha is absent. Both these figures are in añjali mudrā with heads slightly bent in some cases and fully decked (Plate 41, 42 & 43).