Tīrthaṅkara Pārśvanātha with Planetary deities and Dikpālas type

[Full title: Images of Tīrthaṅkara Pārśvanātha (5): Tīrthaṅkara Pārśvanātha with Planetary deities and Dikpālas type sculpture]

From zone IV a single image of this Jina showing iconographic variation has been reported from Khansama (Pl.XXXIII.A) (presently housed in the Dinajpur Museum, Bangladesh). The iconographic variation apparent from the former specimen is the portrayal of all the dikpālas in aggressive poses (Mevissen 2001:125). According to the Jain tradition Kamatha accompanied by demons and evil spirit had attacked Pārśvanātha. This episode has been vividly portrayed by the carvers.

In this image mūla-nāyaka stands in kāyotsarga pose, backed by a canopy of seven snake-hoods, each crowned with a jewel. Garland-bearing vidyādharas are floating on clouds. The pointed arch of the slab is decorated with a triple parasol, from which issue two stalks of flowers. The umbrellas also cover the heads of two musicians playing a drum and cymbals.

The back-slab of the image is highly decorated with a story i.e. the attack of Kamaṭha (Pl.XXXIII.B1). In this sculpture the attacking army exclusively consists of Dikpālas, all riding their respective vāhanas. On the proper right we see six Dikpālas, on the left four. The ones on the right are (from top to bottom) Varuṇa on a goose, Indra on an elephant, Kubera or Nairṛta on a man, Īśāna on a bull, Vāyu on a deer, and Yama on a buffalo. All Dikpālas are portrayed in aggressive poses while accompanying the attacking Kamaṭha, who is shown on a chariot below, vigorously standing in ālīḍha pose and aiming his bow at the Jina. A small seated female figure at his back seems to spur him. The chariot is depicted frontally, as is suggested by the horizontal axle visible below; it is thus shown in approaching movement.

On the opposite the scene has changed dramatically. Kamaṭha, again on his chariot, which is now shown in profile, i.e. departing, is seated, bowing and resting his head in sorrow on his hand; he thus acknowledges his defeat. The lady at his back has got up and is going away. Another female figure kneels in front of him, presenting her dishevelled tresses in despair. Of the formerly six Dikpālas only four have survived: Varuṇa, Indra, Nairṛta or Kubera, and Īśāna, all moving away from the Jina on their vehicles and greeting with their right hands. The fact that Yama and Vāyu are absent here is quite significant: It implies that the gods of Death and Storm have been absorbed by the deep and steadfast meditation of Pārśva. He is attended by two stiff and robust looking cauri-bearers, profusely bejewelled, with their left hands 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 triple umbrella is slightly tilted to the right, indicating that it is fastened to the shaft that is obliquely held by a small nāginī figure standing behind the attendant on the proper right. She is Padmāvatī, the queen of the nāga king Dharaṇendra, who is depicted on the opposite. The sheltering of Pārśva by a parasol refers to the upasarga episode during which Pārśva's enemy Kamaṭha conjured up a cloud burst, intending to drown Pārśva. The nāga Dharaṇendra appeared on the stage to protect Pārśva from the torrential rains, and his queen Padmāvatī helped him by holding up an umbrella. Both figures have a three-hooded snake canopy above their heads and stand on separate viśvapadmas.

The centre of the sapta-ratha pedestal (Pl.XXXIII.B2) of this image is occupied by an eight-armed form of the Yakṣī Padmāvatī having a canopy of five snake-hoods. She is flanked by two female figures; one on her right is dancing and approaching her in a seductive pose, with her garment slipping off. The other one on the left, properly dressed, greets her with the right hand while the left rests on a staff, as if going away.

At the lower most section of the pedestal is the depiction of the navagrahas in a row. The planetary gods too were employed by Kamaṭha in the upasargas. Here they are accompanied by Gaṇeśā at the beginning, as often found in navagraha panels from Bengal. This Jina figure is iconographically most innovative and unparalleled in the entire repertoire of Jain sculptures of ancient Bengal. On either side of the base we see a worshipper, a male holding a garland and a female in adoring pose, possibly representing the donor couple. If so, they deserve to be credited with having commissioned a unique and iconographically most innovative piece of sculpture, unparalleled in the whole array of Jain works of art.

An impressive image of the twenty-third Tīrthaṅkara Pārśvanātha (Pl.XXXIII.C) is kept in a temporary shed of Suisa village (Chakrabarti 1993: 126). It measures 110 x 60 x 30 cm. The Jina is in the usual kāyotsarga posture on a doublepetalled lotus-pedestal placed on a highly ornamented pañca-ratha pedestal under a canopy of seven snake hoods. The canopy is minutely carved and is of high relief. The Jina is attended by two male caurī-bearers, unfortunately left one is completely damaged and the head of the right caurī-bearer is missing. The right one wearing succinct lower garment and different ornaments like necklaces, keyūra, and kuṇḍala. They stand in ābhaṅga posture on pedestals and their left hands are in kaṭyāvalambita posture while the right hands hold fly-whisks. The Jina’s face is more or less damaged. The edge of the back-slab of this image is minutely carved by the mythical story as well as small Tīrthaṅkaras and eight dikpālas. The twenty four miniature Tīrthaṅkaras are carved at the edge of the back-slab and they standing in kāyotsarga posture with their respective lāñchanas depicted on their lotus seats. They are arranged in six horizontal lines of two each on either side of the Jina.

In this image the Jina is shown as installed within shrine which is fronted by a trefoil arch and surmounted by a curvilinear śikhara (in a descending order) flowed by a neatly carved āmalaka above which probably a kalasa was fixed but unfortunately it is missing now. On both the side of the āmalaka depicts the usual vidyādhara couple, the prātihāryas of heavenly hands playing on musical instruments. The entire composition gives the visual impression of an enshrined Jina, i.e., this elaborate carving looks like a śikhara temple within which the main Tīrthaṅkara figure was carved. The pillars of this temple like structure consists the depiction of gajaśārdūla just above the head of the caurī-bearers.

In this image Kamatha episode has been vividly portrayed by the carvers on the back slab like the earlier image, however due to weathered condition of this image it is very difficult to study the iconic details of this episode properly.

The back-slab of the image is highly decorated with a story i.e. the attack of Kamaṭha. Further up on both sides are carved eight figures riding on their vehicles (vāhana), four on the right and four on the left. Although the photo is not very clear, by their vahanas and some other details they can be identified as members of the dikpāla-group of gods. The four gods on the right are all shown riding towards Pārśva with their right hands raised in threatening or fighting attitude, some of them hurling indistinct attributes, thus joining the attack on Pārśva. The ones on the right are (from top to bottom) Indra (east) on his elephant (Airāvata), Nairṛta on a man, Yama on a buffalo and Vāyu.

The four gods on the left are shown riding in the same direction as the four figures onthe opposite side. The top of the left side started with the depiction of Īśāna on bull, Agni (Southeast) on a ram, Kubera and Varuṇa on a goose. All Dikpālas are portrayed in aggressive poses while accompanying the attacking Kamaṭha, who is shown on a chariot below, vigorously standing in ālīḍha pose and aiming his bow at the Jaina. A small seated female figure at his back seems to spur him. The chariot is depicted frontally, as is suggested by the horizontal axle visible below; it is thus shown in approaching movement.

The triple umbrella is slightly tilted to the right, indicating that it is fastened to the shaft that is obliquely held by a small nāginī figure standing behind the attendant on the proper left. She is Padmāvatī, the queen of the nāga king Dharaṇendra. A tiny little figure of a devotee in namaskāra occupies just behind the Padmāvatī figure, possibly representing the donor. The sheltering of Pārśva by a parasol refers to the upasarga episode during which Pārśva's enemy Kamaṭha conjured up a cloud burst, intending to drown Pārśva.

The pedestal of this image is highly decorated with the depiction of the navagrahas. The planetary gods too were employed by Kamaṭha in the upasargas. It is very interesting to mention here that all the navagrahas (except Rāhu and Ketu) riding on their vehicles (vāhana). On the pedestal, on a projected frame, are miniature figures of nine planets arranged in two vertical row of four on right side and five on the left side. Those on the dexter side appear to be Sūrya, Maṅgala, Bṛhaspati and Śani; while those on the sinister side are Soma, Buddha, Śukra, Rāhu and Ketu. The nine planetary deities are holding their respective attributes in both the hands. The figures of the nine planetary deities are not possible to study with minute iconic details due to their defaced condition.A nāga couple with their tails inter-coiled springs gracefully and rhythmically from the central projection of the pedestal just below the feet of the Jina. The nāga holds a water-vessel while the nāgi plays on a musical instrument. The pedestal is further embellished with a pair of crouching lions placed on the extreme corner of the pedestal.