Pārśvanātha Āyāgapaṭa
Pārśvanātha āyāgapaṭa, a tablet of homage to Parshvanatha, the 23th Tirthankara of Jainism
TypeAyagapata
MaterialRed sandstone
Size86 by 94 centimetres (34 by 37 in)
Createdcirca 15 CE
Period/cultureNorthern Satraps
DiscoveredJanuary 1891
27°36′00″N 77°39′00″E
PlaceKankali Tila, Mathura, India.
Present locationState Museum Lucknow
ClassificationJain art
Kankali Tila, Mathura, (Discovery) is located in India
Kankali Tila, Mathura, (Discovery)
Kankali Tila, Mathura, (Discovery)

The Pārśvanātha āyāgapaṭa, is a large stone slab discovered in Kankali (area of Mathura) which has an image of Parshvanatha, dating back to reign Sodasa, of Indo-Scythian Northern Satrap, the ruler Sodasa in Mathura.[1] The tablet in the State Museum Lucknow (room J.253).[2][3] It is an important example of Mathura art.

Description

Image of Parshvanatha flanked by two monks in the centre of ayagapata

This votive tablet, which is essentially an ayagapata, though not so called, represents an image of Parshvanatha in the center surrounded by a bunches of lotus.[4] Parshvanatha is depicted in lotus position seated on a pedestal with a seven-hooded sesha hood above his head.[5] The iconography flanked by two ardhaphalaka monks with colapatta draped over left arms, with their hands in añjali mudrā.[6][7] Similar to Dhanamitra ayagapata, Parshvanatha is in dhyāna mudrā with ankle crossed in padmasana position and shrivatsa on the chest.[8][9] The moulding of sawtooth design below the pedestal on which Jina is seated is considered to be a version of Mount Meru type of pedestal, which underscores Jina seated on the axis of the world.[10]

Surrounding the central circle in a larger concentric ring with four nandavarta, between each interstice of nandavarta is a half-opened lotus flanked by two smaller buds. In four spandrels there are carvings of different motifs namely an elephant frolicking with lotuses, a seated lion, honeysuckle, and rearing gryphons with lotus in their mouth. There is a carving of a grapevine growing out of a pot at the median on the left border.[10]

Inscription

The inscription at the base is much mutilated. The characters are of an archaic type before the Kushan era.[5] What is left of the record reads as follows:

Namo arahaňtânâ Sivagho[shaka] sa bhari[yá] ... nâ ... nâ

"Adoration to the Arhats! .... the wife of Sivaghoshaka ...."

— Inscription of the Parsvanatha ayagapata (Translation by Alois Anton Führer)[11]

Date

The Parsvanatha ayagapata was originally dated back to 1st century BCE by Bühler.[12] However, was later identified by Quintanilla to be datable to c. 15 CE during the reign Sodasa, of Indo-Scythian Northern Satrap, the ruler Sodasa in Mathura.[1][3][13]

See also

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 Quintanilla 2007, p. 200.
  2. ↑ Mishra 1999, p. 163.
  3. 1 2 Quintanilla 2007, p. 406.
  4. ↑ Quintanilla 2000, p. 106.
  5. 1 2 Smith 1901, p. 17.
  6. ↑ Quintanilla 2007, p. 131.
  7. ↑ Sethia 2004, p. 211.
  8. ↑ Vyas & Shah 1995, p. 16.
  9. ↑ Shah 1987, p. 171.
  10. 1 2 Quintanilla 2007, p. 123.
  11. ↑ Burgess & Führer 1894, p. 207.
  12. ↑ Smith 1901, p. 5.
  13. ↑ Obbink 1949, p. 244.

Sources

Media related to Parsvanatha ayagapata at Wikimedia Commons

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