Nirgrantha-3

Author(s): M A Dhaky, Jitendra B Shah
Publisher: Shardaben Chimanbhai Educational Research Centre

Page 97

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Maruti Nandan....
Nirgrantha
Sarvästrāmahājvālā and Mänavī are conspicuous by their absence 10. The first Mahavidyā Rohiņi is represented in Osiäñ by ten examples, two on the Main temple and the remaining on the devakulikās'lThe goddess, in all examples, is shown four armed and rides a cow. The figures on the main temple hold an arrow (?), abhaya (or vyākhyāna-cum-rosary), a bow12 and a conch (or a kamandalu) (Plate. 3)13, while those on the devakulikās show the abhaya, an arrow, a bow and a fruit (or a conch). However, in one instance, carved on the doorway of the devakulikā No. 1, she holds an arrow, a sword, a trident and a bow. The Caturvimśatikā and the Nirvāņakalikā conceive the four-armed Rohiņi with a cow as mount, holding as she does an arrow, a rosary, a bow and a conch. It is hence apparent that the carvers have followed the prescriptions of the Svetāmbara texts more faithfully for the devakulikā figures15 The second Mahāvidyā, Prajñapti, represented by nine instances 16 (occurring only on the devakulikās), is either two- or four-armed. The figure on the devakulikā No. 3 is a solitary instance representing the goddess with two arms, riding on a peacock and holding a śūla, her distinguishing attribute, in her right hand. In the remaining instances, she invariably rides a peacock and holds a sakti (spear) in each of her two upper hands and the varada or abhaya-mudrā (or a fruit) and a fruit (or a watervessel) in the lower ones. The above-noted figures correspond with the available Śvetāmbara dhyānas wherein Prajñapti, alternatively called Saktikarā, is conceived as riding a peacock and holding varada, sakti, fruit and sakti”. The figure on the doorframe of devakulikā No. 1, perhaps shows the goddess with lotuses in two upper hands. (However, the late work Acaradinakara (A. D. 1412) provides Prajñapti with lotus along with sakti 18.) The third Mahāvidyā Vajraśnkhalā, shown always seated in lalitāsana on a lotus, is represented by seven instances, of which one is carved on the mukhacatuski of the main temple and the remaining on the devakulikās. She is depicted either two- or four-armed. The two-armed figures, represented by only two instances, are carved respectively on the main temple and the vedibandha of the devakulikā No. 2. The goddess in the former case holds a chain and a manuscript20 (Plate 3) while in the latter a long chain (śråkhalā)-an invariate feature of the goddess—in both the hands. The four-armed figures show the abhaya- or varada-mudra and a fruit (or water-vessel) in lower right and left hands while the upper ones carry, as usual, a long chain. The four-armed figures known from Kumbhāriā, Delvāļā (Vimala vasahi) and other svetāmbara sites likewise bear a long chain in two upper hands, while the lower ones show varada and a fruit, sometimes a mace. The Caturvimśatikā, the Nirvāņakalikā, and the Mantrādhirajakalpa (c. 15th century A. D.) also visualise Vajraśrókhalā with a lotus seat, and carrying a long chain (in two hands), the varadamudrā and a lotus21. Vajraśộnkhalā at Osiāñ has a bearing on the iconography of the yakṣī of Jina Munisuvrata on the temple No. 12 at Deogarh. The four-armed Yaksī, with the appellation 'Sidhai', stands on a lotus and holds a chain, the abhaya-cum