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Kusāņa Art in Mathurā
57
Śiva
Numerous finds suggest that Mathurā was a seat of the Saiva cult also. The depiction of Śiva with Nandi on some of the coins and the epithet of Māheśvara' used by Vema Kadphises indicate that some of the Kuşāņa rulers were the followers of Saivism.
Śiva in Kuşāņa period is represented in two forms viz. Linga (phallus form with the nut portion projecting from the shaft and fastened with a flat band, (Mathurā Museum No. 83.3) and Purusa (anthropomorphic form). Quite often a combined aspect is also seen and in this case the linga is shown with one face, two faces, four faces or five faces, The heads known as tatpurusa, aghora, vamadeva, sadyojāta iśāna face east, south, west, north and upper direction respectively. The Ardhanārīśvara form (composite figure of Siva and his spouse Pārvati) is also met with from the early Kuşāņa period. In this form the right half is generally represented as male with matted hair, half-vertical third eye and the organ in upward position (ürdhvaretas). The left female half is shown graceful with earring, anklet etc, (Mathurā Museum No.3-1.2520. first deity). Kārtikeya
Skanda or Kārtikeya was also a favourite deity in the Kusāņa iconography at Mathura. The texts ascribe him as son of Siva' and also of Agni." He is known as god of war and commander of the divine army (devasenāni). In the Kuşāņa period he is shown as two-armed youngman wearing a crown or turban holding a long spear in the left hand and the right hand in the protection pose (Lucknou Muscum No. 57.458). An image of this deity in the Mathurā Museum (No.42.2949) dated in the year 11 levels Kārtikeyasya pratimā.
He is sometimes shown with a cock or a peacock (Mathurā Muscum No.33.2332). A bronze plaque unearthed from the excavations at Sonkh could be identified as Kārtikeya.' His nativity is also sometimes shown with one or more mother goddesses (mātļkās), holding a child and with a jar (Lucknow Museum No.0.250).
Gaņeśa, the younger brother of Kārtikeya appears late on art but a post Kuşāņa period statuette represents him, an elephant headed nude dwarf wearing a snake thread (vyāla Yajñopavita) and cating the sweet balls (laddūs) with his trunk (Mathurā Museum No.15.758). Surya
The Sun god (Sürya) in Kuşāņa period is seen squatting in car drawn by two horses and wearing a coat with embroidery work, trousers, urban and shoes and holding a stalked lotus bud in right and a dagger in the left hand. The whole appearance suggests an alien treatment as marked on the contemporary royal portraits (Mathurā Museum No.12. 269). These tight features are subsequently relaxed and the number of horses also increases from two to four (No.D.46). Here the nimbus looking like the disc of the sun is also added. The wings on the shoulders remind us of the early Vedic concept of the sun-bird Garuda." Yaksas
The dominating Yakșa cult of earlier age at Mathurā was subdued with the emergence of other popular deities in the Kuşāņa period hence the Yakşas were made grotesque, dwarfish with pot belly (Mathurā Museum No.C.3) and serving as attendants. Their mundane and lower nature is indicated by the depiction of excessive drinking (No.C.2) sometimes explained as Bacchanalian scenes suggesting a Greek impact through
