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Vol. III, 1997-2002
Jaina Mahavidyās in Osian
blossom and a lotus in three hands, while one is resting on thigh22.
The fourth Mahavidya Vajränkuśā is represented by six examples, one on the mukhacatuski of the main temple and the remaining ones on the devakulikäs. She invariably rides an elephant and possesses either two or four hands. The solitary instance of a two-armed goddess is on the main temple; she shows some mudra with the right hand while the left holds a water-vessel24. The four-armed goddess shows the abhaya- or varada-mudra, and holds a thunderbolt, a goad, and a fruit (or watervessel). However, in one case, carved on the doorframe of devakulika No. 4, the thunderbolt is replaced by a spear. The Svetämbara works invariably conceive the goddess as riding on an elephant with an arm in varada, the rest holding a vajra, an ankusa and a fruit25. The devakulikā figures, according with the Svetambara works, show that the form of the goddess was standardised at the site. The figures in the Säntinātha temple (Kumbhäriä), and in the Vimala vasahi (Delvāḍā) also portray Vajránkuśă, accompanied by an elephant, with varadakṣa, an ankuša, a vajra and a fruit. The association of elephant together with a goad and a thunderbolt with the goddess at once reminds of the Brahminical mätṛkā Aindri.
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Apraticakra, also called Cakreśvari, the fifth Mahavidyā, is represented by as many as 13 examples at the site, two on the mukhamandapa and the güdhamandapa-wall of the main temple and the remaining on the devakulikäs. The goddess is always shown fourarmed and rides a garuda represented in human form. Barring two examples, where she stands in tribhanga she is always seated in lalitäsana". The goddess, in conformity with the Svetambara tradition", usually holds discs (sometimes shown as ring) in all her four hands (Plates 4-5). However, Apraticakra in the set of 16 Mahavidyas at the Sāntinātha temple, Kumbhäriä, bears the varada, two discs (in two upper hands) and a conch. In two instances at Osian also, carved on the devakulikā Nos. 2 and 4, the disc in lower left hand is replaced by a conch. In a solitary instance, on the devakulikā No. 4, the goddess shows the varadākṣa and a water-vessel in the lower right and left hands, while the upper ones carry discs. Still in one other instance, on the doorway of devakulikā No. 4, the goddess holds the varada-mudra, a mace, an indistinct object, and a conch. The inclusion of mace and conch in addition to the usual disc and the garuda as vähana, not envisaged by the texts, is reminiscent of Brahminical Vaiṣṇavī (Cakreśvari, carved on the temple No. 12 at Deogarh as the Yaksi of Ṛṣabhanatha, accompanied by garuda, (Plate 6) shows discs in all her four hands which suggests the influence of the Mahavidya Apraticakra at Osian. (Plates 4-5)"
The sixth Mahavidyā Puruṣadattā, or Naradattă, is represented by seven figures on the devakulikās. She is always shown two-armed with a sole exception, carved on the vedibandha of the south wall of devakulikā No. 4, showing her with four arms. The two-armed goddess, invariably riding a buffalo-her traditional mount holds a sword and a shield in right and left hands. Sometimes, sword has been replaced by a sula or a cup". The four-armed goddess, however, bears the varada-mudra, a shield, and a water-vessel in her surviving hands. It is rather surprising to find the figures of
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