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JAINA EPIGRAPHS: PART I
189 been a product of the Chalukyan school of architecture, and there is evidence to gurmise that it has undergone more than one renovation during the subsequent centuries.
The images under worship in the central shrine were reported to be Pūrśvanātha and Vardhamāna. Insufficiency of light stood in the way of my examining them carefully. But there seems to be no reason to doubt the veracity of the information. Epigraphical evidence, however, indicates that this must only be halftruth. The contents of the inscription standing in the verandah of this temple, which has been edited elsewhere (Part II, No. 2), speak of the erection of the temple in honour of Pārsvanātha and the consecration of the image. It is likely that the same original image of Pārsvanātha has been preserved to the present day. The epigraph incidentally refers to another collateral deity, viz., śāntinātba. It is not known when and under what circumstances the latter was replaced by Vardhamāna.
Now, we may scrutinize the icons placed in the verandah of the temple : i) Two of these are the Sāsanadēvatās of Pārsvanātha, viz. Dharaņēndra and Padmāvati. The Yaksha couple resembles each other in having the serpent hood and four arms with their common attributes. The objects held in the four hands are as follows: right upper, a goad; right lower, a lotus bud; left upper, à noose; left lower, a fruit. Padmavati, though a secondary deity, assumed importance in course of time and was worshipped with great popularity. This fact explains the prominence attained by her in this place. ii) The third image is that of Kāli, locally known as Kālamma. This divinity is to be identified with the Vidyādovi of the Jaina pantheon. She has four hands which bear the following attributes: right upper, Varada; right lower, sword; left upper, shield; left lower, fruit. iii) Another sculpture is the representation of two monks in seated posture with the miniature figure of the Jinu overhead. A similar sculpture was noticed at Bankûr, the identity of which has been discussed in an earlier paragraph. iv) Images of Hanumān and Gaņāśa were also noticed by the side of the above deity Kāļamma. These point to the influence of popular Hindu religion on the Jaina followers during the later period.
In the same verandah was noticed an inscription on a stone tablet. This record has been edited in full, in Part II ( No. 2). The epigraph refers to a monk named Arhanandi Bettada Dēvaru who was an ancestor of the line of spiritual teachers of Rakkasayya. Another preceptor who bore
1 As an outstanding instance of the prominanoe gained by this deity we may refer to the
temple dedicated to Padunávatí at Humchcha in the Shiinoga District, Mysore State.
