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The other Excavated Artefacts of Mathura
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renounce the world, four types of deities reached the palace where he was meditating63. The Bhavanapati deity arrived from different heaven while three deities-Vanavantara, Jyotişka and Vimānavāsī together came to adore Vardhamana. Here on the right top a single deity and to the left three deities together adoring the royalty with folded hands. In the lower register three ascetics wear lower linen and standing with folded hands. Here all eleven devotees are standing with folded hands. The person with crown could be recognised as brother of Vardhamana. The standing woman behind the king is beyond recognition. Therefore the image might be of Vardhamana. in meditation before he renounced the world as per scripture.
The story of Candanbālā is beautifully carved showing her as hungry. A fragment of torana (fig. 119, 120) obtained from the site of K. T. is worth mentioning as it conveys her story. Accordingly the princess and queen mother left the palace to save their lives as the king was defeated. In a jungle one soldier tried to molest her mother, but she killed herself while the girl was sold by him. The Dhannaśreṣthin brought the same girl to his home out of pity and named her Candana. When once Dhanna came home from the work, Candana washed his feet and her long hair became wet and was held by him. This incident made the wife so jealous that when the Seth was out of town, she locked the girl in a dark room binding her feet with iron rope after cutting her beautiful hair. When Dhanna returned, he didn't see the girl. When he found her, she was hungry so he offered her a variety of Udad grain. She waited at entrance to offer the food to any saint before eating. She succeeded in presenting 'food/bhikṣa' to Mahāvīra, who fasted nearly for six months. In the sculptural bracket64, on obverse side, a waiting girl and a man suggests the story of Candana and Dhannā Seth. Here it is carved with detailed description of both. A girl seems to be young and sad from her face. She holds an offering in left arm while her right hand on stomach shows that she is hungry. A scarf on her head represents her shaved head. The Seth is displayed as if he
63 अभिनिष्क्रमण महोत्सव के लिए देवों का आगमन
७५३- ततो णं समणस्स भगवतो महावीरस्स अभिनिक्खमणाभिप्पायं जाणित्ता भवणवतिवाणमंतर-जोतिसिय- विमाणवासिणो देवा य देवीओ य सएहिं २ रुवेहिं, सएहिं २ णेवत्थेहिं, सएहिं २ चिंधेहिं, सव्विड्ढीए सव्वजुतीए सव्वबलसमुदएणं सयाई २ जाणविमाणाई दुरुहंतिAcaranga 2nd Srutaskandha, Gatha -753.
64 Smith, op. cit., 1900, pl. XXXIII, fig.1.
