Sambodhi 1973 Vol 02

Author(s): Dalsukh Malvania, H C Bhayani
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 19

I conographic Data at Kumbharia
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adjoining wall of a door opening towards the western face of the temple. In the ceiling of Rangamandapa is carved the scene of Cyavana (descend of Jina from the heaven into the womb of mother) kalyāņaka which may be connected with that of Nemidatba on the basis that the temple is attributed to Neminatba
Figures are also carved on the east and west exteriors of the Dera. kulikās. The figures on the eastern wall comprise Lakşmi, Indra, Vajraśnkhalā; and those on the west Dikpala Varuņa, Mahakali, Padmāvati Yakşi (carrying lotus bud, noose, goad, fruit, and riding a kukkuța sarpa), Kali, Dikpala Norrta, Padmavati (See fig. II) (with varadakşa goad, noose and fruit in four baods. She riding a kukkua sai pa, bas been provided with five-booded cobra overhead), Sarasvati (See fig. III) (betraying yaradaksa, spiral lotus, vīņā, and manuscript rides over a hamsa), Lakşmi (25 figs ), and a goddess (with varada, goad, noose, fruit; aud vahana elephant, who may be Vajrānkusa).
The fifth temple, of Sambhavanatba, is a thirteenth century construction. The figures on the facades - starting from the east - show Vajrankuša (2 figs.), Mahākāli, Robini, Cakreśvari, an unidentified goddess (carrying varada, mace or sruka, thunderbolt, fruit) and Sarasvati. The niched figures of the goddesses carved on the basement of the temple - perambulating from east to west - show Vajränkuśa, Sarvastra - Mabājvālā (bearing jvalapatra in two upper hands with meșa carved below), Cakreśvari (kırița-mukuta) and a goddess seemingly feinale counterpart of Yakşa Sarvānubbūti (holding yarada, purse, goad, broken). Two fifteeoth century figures of Parsvanatha with seven-headed cobra overhead are installed in the Güd hamanda pa. The Jina figure in the sanctum is of a subsequent date.
After getting the readers acquainted with the iconic content of the Kumbbāria temples, I would like to note some concluding points in the following lines. First and the most important of all is that even at such a developed stage of the Jaina iconography the artists at Kumbbāria and so also eleswhere in the Western India, omitted the representation of all the Yakşa-Yakşi figures independently or with their respective Jinas. Barriog a few instances of Rşabhanātha and Pārsvanātha where the accompanying rakṣa-rakṣz figures are those canonically associated with them, the Sarvãoublüt rakşa, and Ambikā rakst, enjoying undoubtedly the highest position in the group of the 24 Yakşa-Yaksi pairs, were represented as the rakṣa-Yakşi figures of all the Jioas. The popularity of the aforesaid rakşa-Yaksi pair is further evidenced by their frequent
1. For further details consult, Tiwall, Maruti Nandan Prasad, 'Kumbhāria ke
Sambhavanātha Mandır ki Jaina Deviyan,' Hindi Anekānta, Yr. 25, No. 3, July August 1972, pp. 101-103.