Book Title: Lord Mahavira Vol 01
Author(s): S C Rampuria
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati Institute

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Page 271
________________ 262 Lord Mahavira 16/93 of the Department of Archaeology of the old Gwalior State, the sculpture seems to date from C. tenth century A.D. The two-armed variety of Siddayini images seems to have been quite popular in Southern India. A sculpture of a standing Jina, identified as Mahâvîra due to the miniature figure of his lion-cognizance carved on the pedestal is preserved, in the Prince of Wales Museum, Bombay. The yaksa and the yaksi, shown on two sides near the legs of the Jina, are in a standing pose. Both are two-armed. The yaksi holds the book in her left lower hand, while the symbol of her right hand is not distinct. In the ceiling of the Santinatha Basti, Kambadahalli, Mandya distict, Mysore State, is a beautiful central panel, carved in bold relief, showing Mahâvîra sitting on a simhasana with his lion cognizance shown in the centre and attended by four fly-whisk bearers and flying demi-gods. To the right of the throne is the Matanga-yaksa on an elephant, while the yaksi Siddhayini, sitting in the lalita pose on her lion-mount is shown on the left end. The goddess is two-armed and carries the lotus in her right hand while her left hand holds the citron. She wears a crown and several ornaments. The beautiful sculpture, carved in fine minute detail, is an interesting specimen of Gangavadi style of C. 1130 A.D. Another beautiful sculpture also hails from Kambadahalli, Pancakuta Basti. On the big ornate crown of the goddess is a miniature of Mahâvîra. The goddess sits on a pedestal in front of which is shown her lion vehicle with two figures riding on it. It would seem that these two are the sons of Ambika-yaksi and that the sculpture represents the yaksini Ambika. But here the goddess does not sit under a mango tree (which is invariably shown in reliefs of Ambika) and hence it might be better to identify her tentatively as Siddhayini holding the citron in her left hand. The upper part of the symbol held in her right hand is mutilated. This was either a book (palm-leaf ms.) or a fly-whisk. Boldly conceived and carved with every mintue detail of her costly heavy ornaments and a lower garment with numerous folds, the sculpture shows Cola influence and perhaps dates from the eleventh century. P. B. Desai18 has referred to a two-armed goddess carved on a rock surface at Anaimalai Hill near Madura. She carries the

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