Inscriptions found on the Free-standing Images

A number of inscriptions are noticed in Jaina sculptures. Few of them are deciphered earlier by scholars while three more fresh inscriptions noticed by the present scholar which are still not deciphered. These are described and discussed below.

(a) Inscription on the Risabhanatha image, Podasingidi, Keonjhar

The inscription is engraved on the right side of stele which depicted the Tirthankara seated in dhyanamudra. The inscription is consisting of fifteen letters and engraved in four lines^[1]. The 1^st line of the inscription is blurred and hence it is difficult to decipher. Line 2 is clearly read as “pratibimbi” which definitely means an image, or statue or figure. Line 3 contains the name of the image Risabha as inscribed as “Rusabhabha”, who is regarded as the founder of Jaina religion. The line 4 read as “taraka” but scholar added the last letter of 3^rd line into the fourth one, hence it becomes the word “bhattaraka” means ‘the god’ in Sanskrit. The language of the short inscription is Sanskrit and script is kutila. Hence, paleographically, it can be dated to circa 8^th century CE. Thus, the inscription enables to fix the date not only of the image but also of the site too.

(b) Inscription on the Risabhanatha image (bronze), Kakatpur, Puri

The Risabhanatha image is a fine example of metal workmanship and he is carved standing in kayotsarga posture over a double petalled lotus pedestal supported by a square pedestal with legs. It bears an inscription recoding that it was the gift of one rikara^[2].

(c) Inscription in an image of Parsvanatha, Pratapanagari Jaina Heritage Museum, Cuttack.

This is the most elaborated, decorated and developed style of image of Parsvanatha so far reported in Odisha. It is one of the master pieces of Jaina sculpture in Odisha in spite of its partially disfigurement. The Tirthankara stands in kayotsarga posture, with seven hooded snake canopy at the back over a lotus pedestal supported by two rampart lions. The place below the chauri bearers flanked by the Tirthankara is engraved with four line inscription at the pedestal on either side of the image. The first inscription which contains two lines is engraved at the right side of the pedestal. The second and third inscriptions are written on one line each. The fourth inscription contains eight letters in two lines. The script of the inscription is eastern variety of northern class of alphabet and language is Sanskrit which is assignable about to the 11^th century CE^[3].

The first inscription on the right proper of the deity reads the name of the preceptor as Acharya Padmanandin, the guru. The second inscription on the left proper of the deity states the installation (of the image) by Indraracho(jo). The third inscription on the left proper of the main deity Parsvanatha below the figure of an attendant reads the name of another preceptor Acharya Sri-Kumaranandin. The fourth inscription reads this image is the installation of (by) Indraraja which is same as the second inscription. But, it appears to be written by a different hand as the calligraphy style differs in both the inscriptions.

(d) Inscription in a Chaumukha, Kartara, Jajpur

The Jaina chaumukha is placed in front of a Budhi Jagulei shrine whose presiding deity is none other than an image of Ambika. The chaumukha is fashioned in form of a miniature tri-ratha rekha style temple out of a single khandolite stone block. The votive temple is buried up to its half of bada portion. Risabhanatha, the first Tirthankara is engraved in low relief on a rectangular niche at the raha paga of the shrine, particularly at the bada portion. His lanchana bull is depicted in the pedestal below his feet. But the most interesting thing is the presence of an epigraphical record of four letters in the raha paga, above the image at gandi portion^[4], particularly in raha projection. The record deciphered as “Udabat” probably the donor of the shrine and paleographically datable to the circa 6^th /7^th century CE.

(e) Inscription in an image of Padmaprabha, Diagambara Jaina Temple, Cuttack.

The image of Padmaprabha is placed in the central niche of the inner wall of the Jagamohana. The Tirthankara stands on kayotsarga posture on lotus pedestal, flanked by chauri bearers on either side. His mark of cognizance lotus is represented on the space below the pedestal along with a four letters’ short inscription on the right in kutila (?) script and four lines proto-Odia inscription at the left. The inscription first time noticed by the scholar which is yet to be deciphered and now open for scholars.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

A. Joshi, “A unique sabha Image from Po si gidi”, OHRJ, Vol. X, No.1, pp-74-76.

[2]:

R.P. Mohapatra, op.cit., p.74.

[3]:

S. Tripathy, DTCOI, op.cit., pp.156-157.

[4]:

A.R. Sahoo, “Archaeological Remains in and around Jajpur” (un-published P.G. Dissertation of Utkal University), 2003, p.79.