Studies in Jaina Art

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

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STUDIES IN JAINA ART
This Āyaga pața (J. 249, Lucknow Museum, size 2' X 1'- 11) is assignable to a period not later than I A.D., and is noteworthy for the typical pillars in the Persian-Achemenian style surmounted by the Dharma-cakra and the elephant capitals.
Tablet VI. Set up by Sivamitra. This tablet is noteworthy for its inscription which shows that it was set up by Sivamitrā of Kausika family, wife of Gotiputra (Gautamiputra), a black serpent to the Pothayas and Sakas. According to Smith, the inscription isincised in "archaic characters, apparently anterior to the Kuşāņa period.").
The tablet is recovered in only a fragment which shows the leg of the crossed-stand of the type of object shown in the row of auspicious objects on the tablet of Sihanādika discussed above. The object looks like a representation of sthāpanācārya, or sthāpanā, and is identified as Indrayaști or Vaijayanti by Dr. Agrawal. It also had a pair of fishes of which one is still visible.
This further confirms the inference drawn here that the ayāgapatas generally represented one or more of the Jaina (eight) auspicious object or symbols.
The tablet is very important in another way. According to the Panca. Kalpa-Bhāşya and Panca-Kalpa.Cürņi ( both in mss. ), a Sātavāhana king asked a question to the famous Kālakācārya (well versed in Nimittaśāstra ) about Mathurā. He asked when Mathurā will fall or whether it will fall or not. This tablet speaks of a Gautamiputra defeating Sakas and Pothayas. Was he the Sātavāhana who put the question ?_especially when we find his queen setting up a tablet at Mathurā and describing Gotiputra 'as a “Black Serpent to the Sakas etc."
Tablet VII. Set up by Lonaśobhika. (Fig. 14B) This tablet of homage Q. 2; Mathura Museum, (2-4" X I'-9") is especially noteworthy as it is carved with a complete Stūpa, reached by a flight of steps, and flanked by two pillars in the Persepolitan style. According
1 Smith, op. cit., pl. XIII. p. 20; Ep. Ind., I, op. cit., inscr, no. 33. The Pothayas, mentioned along with the Sakas, is interesting. Probably it is a corrupt prakrit for the Parthians.
And was he the Vikrama who defeated the Sakas and started the era of 57 B.C.?
3 Agrawala, Catalogue of the Mathurā Museum, JUPHS., Vol. XXIII, Pts. 1-2, pp. 69 ff. Smith, Jaina Stupa, pl. CIII. p. 61; Smith, History of Fine Art, (2nd ed.), p. 40, pl. 15 B; Coomaraswamy, HIIA, pl. 19, p. 72, Vogel, La Sculpture de Mathura, p. 93, pl. V b; Bachhofer, op. cit., Vol. I, p. 58, Vol. II. pl, 91.