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ILLUSTRATIONS OF MYTHOLOGY AND ART IN INDIA - Complete Book

English

WY vO APDAKAATA + voy aM XYYYMWY KRKRALAA YI & LAYY RY a ROR) PILLARS v A SCALE 1 INGH TO I Foor. DESCRIPTION OF PLATES, 209 PLATES LXXXVIE; LXXXVIIL, ann LXXXIX. Tnxsz three Plates contain representations of various details, some of considerable interest, but which do not belong to either of the Rails, and to which, except the lions, we cannot at present assign any definite posititn in the pulang: They are. all to the scale of 1 inch to 1 foot. No..1. Plate LXXXVII. is a figure of Buddha, as, he: is usually represented in - the fifth and sixth centuries. It is of no especial merit, and probably is among the “most modern sculptures of the Dae ee with the fragments of the ‘frieze (Plate LXXXIV.). <i eS Fig. 2. represents a fragment of a frieze of the Trisul emblem, of, the best age and very good execution. It did not belong to either of the Rails, nor to any building of which we have now any knowledge.. Fig. 3. represents the, sacred feet of Buddha, probably of the same age, and it may be from the same building as the last. In the centre of the soles is the Chakra ;* above it the Trisul emblem reversed, ‘with a swastika on each side. Below the Chakra is the swastika again, with an ornament like the crux ansata on each side. On the great toe is the Trisul, on each of the others a swastika. The whole, however, is in such low relief that itis extremely difficult-to bring it out in the photograph.* Fig. 4. is the Chakra, with thé swastika and foliage, all of very elegant sculpture. Fig. 5. is one side of*the abacus of a pillar, meant to bear a lion or some other emblem. The: representation on it is one we have frequently met with before . of two. elephants bringing offerings to the Dagoba. ‘This is not only a favourite subject: of Indian sculptors, but of Indian legends. Fa-Hian, for instance, tells the following legend of a Dagoba at Rama GrAma, about twenty miles eastward from Buddha’s birthplace. The place being sterile, and there being no inhabitants, troops _of elephants were continually seen bringing- water in their trunks to moisten the earth, and gathering all sorts of flowers and perfumes to perform the service of the tower or Dagoba, which, by the way, was guarded by an enormous Dragon or Naga. The legend goes on-to say that certain followers of the doctrine of Tao-sse were so struck by the reverential behaviour of the elephants, that they were converted to Buddhism.t ; Fig. 6. represents a seven-headed Né aga of 3 more than ordinary. perfection. of sculpture. . : a Figs. 7. 8. and 9.—An architectural fragment of great . elegance, . but. which could not belong to any building we now know. These, with other ‘sculptures in the collection, suffice to prove that there. must have been several different edifices within the enclosure, which have been-so utterly swept away that it is impossible to say now what they may have pee: * The worship of the sacred feet, or pore is one of the favourite forms of Vishnuism at the present day. At Gaya the Vishnu pud is the principal temple, and wholly devoted to this form, It succeeds Buddhism in its original seat as Juggernath superseded the Tooth relic at Puri. } Foé-Koué-Ki, p. 227. (4799.) DD 210 THE TOPE AT AMRAVATL PLATE LXXXVIIL Figs. 1. and 2. in this Plate are curious as being exact elevations of the outer face of the great Rail, used evidently as a-frieze to some building in the enclosure. On comparing it with the elevation in Plate XLVIIL., it will be seen at once how exactly they tally. The pillars-are octagon, with a central complete lotus disc, and a half-circle at top and bottgm. Between the pillars are three Rails, each with a complete foliated disc or circle. Above them is the roll ornament, and below the Zéophorus or animal frieze. With such pictures the TesigraHiony, ‘though sometimes puzzling, becomes when. done perfectly authentic. Fig. 3. is made up of fragments of one of those curious columns on which ‘the Chakra is usually placed. A similar one, but much smaller, is shown in Plate LXXV., and another from the Mackenzie Collection is lithographed in Plate XCVIII. Four other representations of similar columns exist in that collection, all differing, but all equally fantastic. They all commence at the bottom, with the throne and the relics upon it. Behind them rises a central column of varied and fantastic design, and on each side are men. riding on horses, lions, oxen, giraffes, and human-headed monsters of most varied design. This one, Ms complete, must have been about 13 feet in height. Figs. 4. and 5. represent two of the lions that aducsisils the portals of the great Rail. If we may trust the bas-reliefs, there must originally have been four to each Gateway, or sixteen to each Rail. PLATE LXXXIX. This Plate represents four faces of a very beautiful octagonal pillar that once ‘stood probably within the enclosure, and supported a statue or an emblem; most. probably the former, as all the principal emblems are’on its faces. There is the sacred tree in its circular enclosure, and easily ‘distinguished as a Pipal. from the form of its leaves. The wheel on its pillar is a square one,—-the le and a Dagoba. The foliage on three sides is the flowing . -lotus pattern, executed with great delicacy and elegance. On the side with the wheel it is different and more compli- cated, but equally beautiful. It seems, however, that the wheel should always crown. a ee ccd arrangement of this sort, but from what motive we do. not now know. Above the emblems the pillar changed into a polygon of sixteen sides, and may have been as high again—it is now about eight feet a terminating with the capital, on which the crowning object stood. The inscription merely records that it is the gift of Hagha of Gadhika, together with his son and daughter. (See Appendix E., No. V.) sa KV RTI ig 7 ¥ * FIG 8 Al Y, XY Yyvymo Ys YY ¥ al a Bk COVURN KS Ox PILES. SCALE 1 INGH TO 1 Foor. RMR Ye EI: | PLATE XC. - |" —— ' : | } | | ) : t | > ne ‘| PP APHID Ee OM OE OP ener ‘ > eer AIA + i | | | | : i} 5 | ’ 1 } ! , ‘ & - Se Se = ee ee Sa ae | ott e : | = paKeumans OF SeULPTURx. “Scare L INCH TOJ Foor — 4 lf 2 > AMRAVETI, I | i i = : > ie. 4 f i ’ ih ; Ws] \ } 'f j in , : ; pera FRAGMENTS OF. SCULPTURE, . SCALE 1 InGH’*TO 1 Foor. DESCRIPTION OF PLATES, 211 5 “> eee .- ; mie @ . ~ *- _ PLATES XC., XCI., aAnp XC. ‘PLATE Xo, weer seven fragments of other pillars and one base. ‘Pwo of them, the first and last, have. inscriptions, but so faint that it is difficult to make them out. Fig.°2, has an inscription at the top, the letters of which are beauti- fully legible, but unfortunately it is split down the middle, so as to be utterly unintelligible. It is not easy to say whether these are fragments of the five steles which ornamented each face of the great Dagoba, or whether.they were ‘‘ Stambas,” _ bearing emblems which may have stood in various places inthe enclosure. From > their form and style, aswellias the minute character) of the inscriptions, which could “ “ace “occupied a st position. not have been seen at that height, it would seem probable that they may have stood on the ground. On the other hand, however, the position of the inscription on the columns of the Dagoba, Plate LXXVII; would favour the idea that they o i. oy. a | Sat So nen PLATE, XCI. Contains four. Faget of esne ames interest, hough it is at present impossible to say what position aie “of them’ may have “poeupiod in the buildings within the ~enclosure. _ ' The. first, is a Dagoba divided into compartments by pilasters, with double Lion capitals of a curious Persepolitan ‘type, but altogether of considerable elegance. The pillars. themselves, however, are of the same form as” tho ose used_in the Rails, with one central circular ise, and two half circles at. top and bottom. The cushion capital also recalls what we find. afterwards at Elephanta and Ellora. Between them, in the place of honour, is: ‘the five-headed Naga; on the right the ‘Wheel, and on the left the Tree. ‘With the Dagoba, these form the four principal objects of adoration in this place.” Were it’not for the very wooden form of the Tee, I fancy this sculpture would be of comparatively modern date. No. 2. is simpler, but cer tainly more modern. The Naga here reigns supremo on the Dagoba, without any compeer. . The crowd of “umbrellas that crown the Tee is a curious ebullition of Hindu fancy. © .. The upper eh of Fig. 3. is so defaced that it is difficult to make out whom it represents. It is probably, however, the same scéne as recurs in Plate XCV. Fig. 1. Whatever his mame may be, he is a man. who possesses two wives, two friends, a horse, and an elephant, and is probably meant to be contrasted with the Raja as in the lower compartment of the Das-relief, who is a Chakravarti Raja possessed of the seven. precious things which constitute human greatness, according to the Lalita-Vistara,*—the treasure of the Wheel, the treasure of the Elephant, the treasure oS (2 GI ie >) Ae Se me a * Foucaux’s Translation, pid, and plate IL, where this subject is éngraved. DD 2 = "tre Si : "te vo tem Ste x \ 212 : pk A ie eke nae rs ‘ CREA tekire ec as) “Sada glia, eae Tene AT AMRA poene home of the Horse, the treasure of a Wife, ‘the treast ; Pee ous, but. Major Domo, and of a Counsellor, — The se uence is but. chara a Fig. 4. is another edition of a legend mars frequently repeated than a ost: any other in Buddhist scriptures. As_ mentioned abov it was the Sas ve, it was with their art : A HUhCie An Le ea ae ae ea great a favourite as the Annunciation and Nativity With € pa 4 iy . .