Mahavira and his Teaching

Author(s): C C Shah, Rishabhdas Ranka, Dalsukh Malvania
Publisher: Bhagwan Mahavir 2500th Nirvan Mahotsava Samiti

Page 417

JAINA METAL IMAGES IN THE STATE MUSEUM. LUCKNOW 399
Tirthankara Figures: (Fig. 1)
1. Adinatha
(acc. No. 0.97, Size 28 x 18 cm., Sam. 1216 1159 A.D.)
Brass image of Tirthankara Adinatha seated in dhyāna mudrā. Effigy of bull, his lanchana, appears on the pedestal of the seat. On the left of the seat stands Gomukha Yakṣa and on the right the goddess Cakreśvari. By the side of the Jina, Bharata and Bahubali appear as Chauri bearers. Apart from the usual decorative motifs such as gaja, śārdūla, and makarī on the back slab, the figures of the twenty three Tirthankaras cover the entire field. On one of the lower most tiers of the seat are to be seen the miniature figures of the nine planets. Therein Ketu, the last one, appears as a snake which is a Digambara practice.
The image was originally moulded in several pieces which were finally put together.
On the back side of it there appears a Devanagari inscription with three lines, Its middle portion is badly worn out. Rest can be read as follows
सं. १२१६ आषाढ व ९ जनि श्रेष्ठीन प्रणमति चतुर्वंशतिकम् ।
ज्याय साम्नाय भूषणः । कुलचन्द्रो त तस्य भार्या लखुमा तत्सुताः सूप
.
The image which closely follows contemporary stone sculptures comes from Haridvāra and had been acquired for the museum on 10-10-1913.
2. Candraprabha (Figs. 2-3)
(Acc. No. 50.55; Size 12 x 7.5 cm., Sam. 1225 = 1168 A.D.)—
Brass image of Candra-prabha bearing a Chatra on head and seated on a cushioned seat supported by the two lions. In between them appears a crescent, the lanchhana of the deity. On the back slab are to be seen four Tirthankara figures. By the side of the lion-throne are seated the attendant deities
namely Śyāma and Jvalini. On the lowermost platform in front
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