Studies in Jaina Art

Author(s): Umakant P Shah
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 20

A BRIEF SURVEY OF JAINA ART IN THE NORTH
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bhuji and the Trisula caves. To these sectarian differences are due, as shown by Marshall, many distinctive features of architecture, including among others, the entire absence of Caitya halls. In the lower storey of the Mañchapuri cave, probably next to the Hāthigumphā in chronological order, are relief sculptures, 1 on a frieze, of poor workmanship, but in the depth of relief and plastic treatment of figures, showing a decided advance on Bhārhut. Of the other caves, the Ananta, Rāņi and Gaņeśa gumphās, probably date from 150 to 50 B. C. Pendiment sculptures on door ways of Ananta cave include a four-horsed Sungod, a tree enclosed in railing (chaitya-výkşa) and a figure of the so-called Māyā-devi lustrated by two elephants. Such figures, variously recognised as Nativity of Buddha, or Gaja-Lakşmi in Brahmanical specimens, are now correctly identified as Sri-devi or Padma-Śri by Coomaraswamy and Moticandra. She is the same as the Sirimā devatā of Bhārhut railings, the Sri of the Vedic Śri-sūkta and one of the fourteen dreams described in the Jaina Kalpa-sūtra. Each door-way of the Ananta is adorned with a pair of three-hooded snakes on its arch. This is interesting because of the possible association of Pārsvanatha (whose association with a cobra is well known in Jaina art and literature ) with Kalinga, as suggested in the various lives of this Jina written by monks of both the sects. According to Marshail, this cave belongs to a date not much earlier than the first century B. C., while the Rāņi-gumphā (fig. 81 ), showing a further stage in the development of this rock-cut architecture, is the most spacious and elaborately carved of all Orissan caves. The façades of its cells, enriched with pillasters and highly ornate friezes, illustrate scenes like hunting of a winged deer (fig 4.), fighting, carrying off of a woman and so on, which, according to some, refer to incidents from the life of Párśvanātha ? who is said to have rescued and married Prabhāvati, abducted by a Yavana ruler of Kalinga. Dr. Agrawala has now offered a much better explanation of the reliefs as referring to Väsa vadattā and Sakuntalā.The style of friezes in the upper storey is
i Ramachandran, T. N., The Mañcapuri Cave, Indian Historical Quarterly, Vol. XXVII. 2, pp. 103-108.
2 Shah C. J., Jainism in North India, p. 155. King Prasenajit, son of Narvarman, the ruler of Kuśasthala, had a beautiful daughter called Prabhāvati who, upon hearing the virtues of Pārsvanātha, fell fn love with him. Her parents agreed but kings of neighbouring states of Kalinga and others, desiring to have the Princess, attacked Kuśasthala and besieged it. Pārsvanātha, upon request from Prasenajit ran to his rescue, subdued the opponents and married Prabhāvati. According to Hemcandra, the ruler of Kalinga was a Yavana King (vide Trişaşti, parva 9. 3.99 ff. pp. 198 ff.). It is indeed interesting to note that the snake which is a special cognizance of Pārsvanātha figures on the archways of Anantagumphā, Khaņdagiri, Orissa, and that two Yavana warriors are also carved in relief in the Rāņi Gumpha, Orissa,
3 JISOA., Vol. XIV (1946), pp. 102-109.