Jignasa Journal Of History Of Ideas And Culture Part 02

Author(s): Vibha Upadhyaya and Others
Publisher: University of Rajasthan

Page 44

260 / Jijñāsā
depicted at Caita, always shown as a component of simhasana. All the sasanadevată figures are badly mutilated and damaged. Among the yakși figures, Padmavati of tīrthamkara Pārsvanatha (figure 11), Ambika of tīrthamkara Neminatha (figure 12) and Kāli of tīrthamkara Suparśvanatha (figure 13) are numerous which show their popularity at Caita.
Yakṣi Padmavati is, in general, shown on simhasana, on the lower part of the pillars of mandapikā and on the pilaster of gallery of the temple 5 in the traditional form. Two handed yakṣi grasps one of her child in left arm and right hand holds a bunch of mango tree. The branches of mango tree are also shown over the head of the yakṣi. Her other son is depicted standing on the pedestal at right or left side and her mount lion shown at opposite side of the child. There is an independent example of Ambika image in tribhanga pose. But her lower portion from the waist is now totally disappeared and rest portion also damaged at several places. She has two hands and grasps one of her son in left arm while the right arm is now broken. Above the head of Ambika a miniature tirthankara image is shown in padmasana.
Yakşi Kali is presented with four arms either in tribhanga posture or in nṛtya-mudrā, holding ankusa and pāśa respectively in her upper right and left hands, while lower left hand bears fruit and right hand is depicted in varada-mudra. Her mount vṛṣabha or bull is shown seated on the pedestal either at right or left side.
Apart from the aforementioned yakși figures, there are several fragments of yakṣis sculptures but they could not be identified due to badly damaged nature. Sarasvati is highly venerated and carved on the lower parts of the pillars of the manḍapikā in tribhanga posture with four arms. On the basis of the holding objects, the figure of Sarasvati might be divided into two groups. In the first, she holds padma or lotus and pothi or manuscript respectively in her upper right and left hands and kamandalu in lower left hand while lower right hand is shown in varada-mudra. In the second form, she holds padma in her upper right hand, pothi in lower left hand and grasps vīņā in other two hands (figure 14). In both the forms her mount peacock is depicted on the pedestal, and the first form represents her as the goddess of Jaina scriptures while the other as the goddess of music.
The yakṣi and Sarasvati figures of Caita are adorned with traditional garments and ornaments. Of them, the common ornaments are pearled lasses or kesa-bandha, big circular kundala, vanamālā, hära or necklace with many pearled strings, stanahāra, armlets, kankaṇa, multi-strings girdle or mekhala, nupura, etc. The vanamālā is simple made of two or three plain strings. The pearls of the ornaments are prominently shown.
There is a total lack of independent images of yakṣas at Caita. They are represented only as a component of simhasana and their proper identification is not possible due to the mutilated condition. In most of the examples, they are generally shown with two arms and stand in tribhanga posture. They holds flower in their left hand while right hand is in katyāvalamita-position or rests on the waist. Only in one example, yakṣa Gomedha is shown with his consort Ambika on the simhasana. Here, Gomukha is four handed and illustrated in standing posture. He holds mudgara and money bag in his right and left hands respectively and the objects of two other hands are not clear. Probably upper left hand holds a caṣaka. The yakṣas are normally adorned with simple necklace and vanamālā. On the whole, it seems that the artisans of Caita were not interested in making the yakṣa figures in varied and beautiful forms in comparison with yakşi figures.