Pañca-tīrthika type of Candraprabha sculptures

[Full title: Images of Tīrthaṅkara Candraprabha (2): Pañca-tīrthika type of Candraprabha sculptures]

We have documented five images of Tīrthaṅkara Candraprabha of this variety from our study area. Among them a fine quality image of Tīrthaṅkara Candraprabha is noticed in the Durga temple of Bansgarh, Purulia. Candraprabha (Pl.XXV.B), the mūla-nāyaka stands in kāyotsarga posture on a double-pettaled lotus placed on a triratha pedestal. The centre of the pedestal is adorned with the lāñchana of Candraprabha i.e., the crescent moon which is flanked by a male and a female devotee kneeling in namaskāra-mudrā. Both the corners of this pedestal are decorated with two crouching. This is a pañca-tīrthika type of image. The egge of the back-slab is relieved with miniature figures of four Jinas in kāyotsarga posture, two in either side of the mūla-nāyaka. The important aspect of this image is except the mūla-nāyaka, the artist has also depicted the Tīrthaṅkara Candraprabha as one of the four miniature Jina present in the lower left side of the main image. The other miniatures Tīrthaṅkara are Ṛṣabhanātha, Śāntinātha and Ajitanātha. Their respective lāñchana is carved on the small pedestal placed below them. The facial portion of the mūla-nāyaka is partially defaced. The Jina has elongated ear-lobes and his hair is arranged in schematic curls with a prominent uṣṇīṣa. An ovoidal śiraścakra with leafed edges adorns the head of the Saviour. Above the śiraścakra is a damaged tri-linear chatra flanked by disembodied hands playing on musical instruments and two vidyādharas holding long garlands. The back of the throne consists of posts decorated with mouldings and criss-cross scratched pilasters, supporting a horizontal cross-bar with lightly incised square rhizomes at its ends, above which there are triangular foliated plaques. The deity is flanked by two attendants who are sparsely clad and elegantly jewelled. Their left hands are in kaṭyāvalambita posture and the right hands hold flywhisks. The image measures 47 x 25 x 10 cm.

The site Lakhra also possesses a fine quality image of Tīrthaṅkara Candraprabha, which is a pañca-tirthika type of image. The Jain (Pl.XXV.C) in kāyotsarga posture on a double-petalled lotus is placed on a pañca-ratha pedestal. The image is made of chlorite stone and measures 84 x 38 x 15 cm.The mūla-nāyaka is flanked by two male caūri-bearers standing in ābhaṅga posture on their respective pedestals and their left hands are in kaṭyāvalambita posture and the right hands hold fly-whisks. They are wearing short almost transparent lower garments and simple ornaments including armlets, wristlets and ekavali. The back-slab also depicts four miniature Jinas standing in kāyotsarga posture on double-petalled pedestals, two on either side of the mūla-nāyaka. The finely carved mūla-nāyaka bears a svelte figure, a lucid expression and the yogic or spiritual power is successfully reflected. The arms of the Jina hang down vertically along the stiff torso and the finger tips touch the thigh on either side. The tri-linear chatra is present above the head of the Jina. The śiraścakra is flanked on both sides by disembodied hands playing on drums and a vidyādhara holding long garlands and hovering in the clouds. The central projection of the pedestal depicts the lāñchana of Candraprabha, the crescent moon; below is a pair of lions facing opposite directions, flanked by two figures of devotees (one on either side) in namaskāramudrā. Stylistically, the image reflects the trends apparent from the Jina icons from Pakbirra.

Two Tīrthaṅkara images and broken fragments of Jain icons are presently worshipped in the Dharma temple of Sakra/Sankra. Among the two images one is that of Candraprabha (Pl.XXV.D), about one and a half feet in height. The upper portion of the back-slab of the image is partially damaged. The Jina is attended by two male caūri-bearers wearing succinct lower garments and different ornaments. They stand in ābhaṅga posture on pedestals and their left hands are in kaṭyāvalambita posture while the right hands hold fly-whisks. The Jina figure is flanked by pillar like structural appendages surmounted by triangular entities. Most probably this is a pañca-tīrthika type of image. The broken back-slab reveals only two miniature Tīrthaṅkaras. This icon has a pañca-ratha pedestal at the centre of which is the depiction of the crescent moon lāñchana.

A damaged image (Pl.XXV.E) of Tīrthaṅkara Candraprabha (53 cm x 37 cm x 14 cm) is recorded from the site Baramoshya. This image is broken in two parts i.e. the upper portion including the head of the Jina and the body portion. The Jina is in the usual posture on a double-petalled lotus placed on a pañca-ratha pedestal. The male caūri-bearers flanking the Jina wear deeply incised loin cloths and elaborate jewellery. They standing in tri-bhaṅga posture and their left hands are in kaṭyāvalambita posture while their right hands hold a fly-whisk. The present image is a pañca-tīrthika type of image and both the side of the mūla-nāyaka four figure of miniature Jinas in kāyotsarga posture are depicted (two on the each side). Their respective lāñchana is carved on the small pedestal placed below them, but due to the abrasion none of these are recognizable. The pañca-ratha pedestal of this image is decorated with a crescent moon at the centre flanked by two crouching lions. The head portion of this image is badly damaged and it shows that an ovoidal śiraścakra embellished with rows of lines at the edge has been carved behind the head of the Jina. Above it is a tri-linear chatra, partially smashed, and flanked by vidyādhara holding a long garland and a cymbals struck by disembodied hand.

The well known archaeological site of Pakbirra possesses three images of this Tīrthaṅkara. Among them one is a pañca-tirthika type of image (Bhattacharyya, Mitra & Bhowmick 1986: 152) and unfortunately present location of this image is not known. According to the earlier report the image measures 51 cm x 28 cm x 8 cm and the mūla-nāyaka standing in kāyotsarga posture on a double-petalled lotus placed on a tri-ratha pedestal. At the centre of the pedestal the lāñchana of the Jina i.e. a crescent moon is depict between the two crouching lions. The mūla-nāyaka is flanked by two male caurī-bearers standing in ābhaṅga posture on their respective pedestals and their left hands are in kaṭyāvalambita posture and the right hands hold the flywhisk. An elliptical śiraścakra with dotted border adorns the head of the Saviour. On both side of the śiraścakra is decorated with the figures of vidyādharas holding long garlands. The chatra above the head of the mūla-nāyaka is badly damaged.

The Candraprabha image from Harmasra is made of greyish stone and measures 43 cm x 25 cm. In this image the Jina stands in kāyotsarga pose on a double-petalled lotus under a multi-tiered chatra. He has elongated ears and his hair is arranged in stylized curls with an uṣṇīṣa. There are male caurī-bearers flanking the Jina at the lower corners of the pedestal. The twin vidyādharas are seen at the top of the stele. The central projection of the tri-ratha pedestal bears the crescent lāñchana. On the edge of the semi-rectangular back-slab are the four miniature figures of Tīrthaṅkaras arranged in pairs on each side of the Jina.