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Jain Sculptures in Bharat Kala Bhavan
91
Another but smaller image (Acc. No. 484 : 32 x 34 cms.) shows Ķşabha as seated on a lotus seat. The image's head and the upper section of the parikara are broken; but the hanging hair-locks are still discernible on the shoulders. The Jina is flanked by two standing male fly-whisk bearers, surmounted by two small seated Jina figures. On the pedestal, to the right of the dharmacakra, appears bull cognizance with a kneeling worshipper with folded hands. (Not illustrated). The third figure (Acc. No. 22073 : 78 x 47 cms.), seated cross-legged on a cushion with bull cognizance hails from Khajurāho (Plate 2). Rşabhanātha sitting on a simhāsana and with two fly-whisk bearing attendants, two female attendants, the trichatra topped by a drum beater; drooping (caitya-vrksa) leaves, was originally accompanied by 23 small Jina figures, a few of which have now disappeared. The fourth figure (Plate 3) shows sky-clad Rşabha (Acc. No. 24050, 65 x 35 cms.) as standing in kāyotsarga on a triratha pedestal. The Jina, marked on the chest with śrīvatsa, is here not provided with the usual trichatra and the drum-beater. The hair do shows curls with an uşnişa and hanging hair-locks. The rather short body of the Jina is accompanied by the customary male camaradharas. Besides, there also appear four small standing Jina figures above the camaradharas.
The two other unaccessioned figures fashioned in buff sandstone, dateable to c. 13th century probably come from some sites in Central India. The first of the two (39 x 21 cms.) shows Rşabha seated cross-legged on a bhadrâsana, the dharmacakra is flanked by two standing bull figures, hair combed back with locks hanging on the shoulders, the head shows a central protuberance. Of the aşta-mahāprātihāryas, only the hovering malādharas are carved in the present instance. The second Rşabha again without aşta-prātiharyas, shows sky-clad (75 x 28 cms.), it stands in kāyotsarga on a simple pedestal with two camaradharas. (Not illustrated).
Ajitanatha
The small eroded stele (Acc. No. 24047, 40 x 28 cms.) shows Jina Ajitanātha seated in dhyāna-mudrā on a simhāsana (Plate 4). Below the seat two elephant figures are carved as cognizance on the two sides of the dharmacakra which is reminiscent of an earlier tradition of representing the cognizance in practice at Rājgir, Vārānasi, and Mathurā during the Gupta period. The stele also contains the figures of two-armed standing aștagrahas with their right hand in abhaya while the left one bears some indistinct object. Sürya bears lotuses in two hands and Rāhu, as usual is ürdhvakāya. The Yaksa-Yaksi figures are absent. The figure cannot be later than the earlier part of the sixth century A. D. In view of its early date it may have pertained to the Svetämbara sect.
Supārsvanātha
A mutilated head of Jina Supārsvanātha canopied by five hooded cobra (back basalt, Acc. No. 176 : 39 x 34 cms.) is dateable to c. 10th century A. D. The pro
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