A Unique Image of Rsabhanatha in the State Museum, Lucknow
By Maruti Nandan Prasad Tiwari
Summary
In this detailed iconographic study, Maruti Nandan Prasad Tiwari discusses a remarkable Jaina sculpture (acc. no. 16.0.178) in the State Museum, Lucknow. The buff‑coloured sandstone image was found at Orai in Jalaun district, Uttar Pradesh and measures 47.6 × 36.3 inches. The central figure is Ṛṣabhanātha, the first tirthankara, seated cross‑legged in meditation on a lotus cushion over a triratha pedestal supported by two lions; his hands rest in dhyāna‑mudrā, his palms and soles are marked with cakra symbols and a śrīvatsa mark adorns his chest. His hair is arranged in spiral curls with a tall uṣṇīṣa and unplaited lateral strands falling on each shoulder. Below the seat a bull, his cognisance, is carved and the throne’s corners hold the yakṣa–yakṣi pair. Tiwari emphasises that the composition is fully developed early‑medieval Jina iconography, but the image is unusual because a dharmacakra with suspended ribbons and two Jaina goddesses appears above the throne, one identifiable as Ambikā and the other possibly as Lakṣmī. Such a triad of goddesses is rarely associated with Ṛṣabhanātha and suggests assimilation of local goddess cults. The article compares this sculpture to Gupta‑ and early‑medieval images from Mathurā and notes features like the presence of muktā‑varāla (jeweled lozenges) on the seat, the ornate cushion and the bull cognisance. The author concludes that the piece probably dates to the 11th century and adds significantly to our understanding of regional variations in Jaina art.
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Conclusion
Tiwari shows that the Orai Ṛṣabhanātha image is both typical and unique: it follows the standard early‑medieval formula for Jina icons yet incorporates an unusual dharmacakra flanked by two goddesses, probably Ambikā and Lakṣmī. This unexpected motif indicates regional influences and enriches our knowledge of Jaina iconography. Its detailed carving and large size underline the importance accorded to Ṛṣabhanātha in the Jalaun region during the 11th century.