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Parsvanatha is seen in standing posture as kayotsarga or khadgasana with his stretched hands hanging straight, and not touching the body. Unfortunately the head of the Tirthankara is missing. The cognisance of the Tirthankara is mainly a snake with seven heads. In the Museum's example the hood (slightly chipped oft) of the snake tops the Tirthankara. The sasanadeva or yaksha of Parsvanatha is Dharanindra where as Padmavati is his yakshini or sasanadevi. The yaksha and yakshini are seen on either side near the foot of the image of Parsvanatha, and near his left shoulder there is a human figure caning a garland in its hands. The Tirthankara is carved in standing posture as if he preaches his devotees, the observance of penance.
The sculpture is assignable to the tenth century C.E. It is assumed that the provenance of the sculpture is Karnataka (i.e., Mysore State), a region under the control of late Rashtrakutas or the Kalyani Chalukyas who greatly patronised Jainism in the South. The sculpture was acquired by the Museum in 1987 for Rs. 8,000/- from Brig. Kulwanth Singh from Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh.
II. Sculpture of 12th Century C.E. (Deccan)
The nude figure of standing Parsvanatha in kayotsarga pose is rich in disclosing its iconographical details (see plate 2.). A figure of snake coiling from down shades with its seven heads tops the canopy of the twenty-third Tirthankara, Parsvanatha. An umbrella with ornamental pattern is carved over the heads of the snake. Twenty-three miniature Tirthankaras, seated in meditation posture, in individual circle designs over the yaksha and yakshini are carved in fine relief on the circular ring of the sculpture. A flywhisk (camara) carved on either side is seen near the shoulder of the image. Two armed figures of snake are also seen at both the right and left ends on the pedestal.
The associated seated sasanadevatas, Dharanindra (yaksha), with snake's hood on top and Padmavati (vakshini) with chatri on top are seen near the feet of the Parsvanatha, The sasanadevi is seen in ardhaparyankasana (lalitasana) with varada hasta and with her vehicle, serpent and usual emblems such as the goad in her hands. Dharanidra is seen seated as lalitasana with goad, snake etc.
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