|
The Indian Analyst
|
|
South Indian Inscriptions |
RELIGION deva I changed their religious creed and became Saivas. The last of them, mentioned in the Rewa stone inscription dated K. 800, whose name is unfortunately lost, constructed a temple of an imposing height probably at Gurgi, which he dedicated to Siva1Vappulla, a brave general of Karna, who had distinguished himself is several battles, built a temple of the pañchayatana type, in which the central shrine was surrounded by four small devakulis The image installed in one of them was of Lakshmi-Narayana. The names of the images in the other three are unfortunately lost.2 Besides Vishnu and Siva Ganesa also seems to have been worshipped in this period. He is invoked in the beginning of some records records of the Chedi country. The same is true of Karttikeya.4 Sculputres of both the gods have, however, been found in abundance at Tripuri and other places. Ambika was regarded as a guardian deity and her image was installed when a new work like a ghat was constructed.5 Images of the sun also have been found at Masaun and Bhera-Ghat but there is no mention of any temple dedicated to him.6 A beautiful bronze image of Revanata, son of the sun, was found at Tripuri and is now in the possession of the former Malguzar of the village.
Buddhism and Jainism also were flourishing in the Chedi county. At Saranth, Mamaka, the wife of Dharmesvara, who was a follower of the Mahayana, caused a copy of the Ashtasahasrikaprajña to be written, which she made over to the order of the Venerable Monks of the Mahabodhi Mahavuhara, where the Buddha had turned the wheel of the Law by his first sermon. At Gopalur, about 3 miles from Bhera-Ghat were discovered five Buddhist images. Four of these were of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, while the fifth was of his consort Tara. From the inscription on one of them, it seems that the image was the gift of a woman named Dhenuva. Who was a gate-keeper of one Satka. Son of lay worShipper named Subhata Kayastha. She was a follower of the Mahayana school. These images appear to be of the Magadha school7 The inscription shows that there were some Buddhists living in peace and prosperity near the Kalachuri capital Tripuri.8 At Tewar itself was found the beautiful image of a Bodhisattva of the Mahayana school, seated in the Vajrasana posture, with his two hands in the attitude of teaching.9 The Buddha had come to be included among the ten incarnations Vishnu and is figured on the Prabhavali of the images of that god.10 That Jainism also was flourishing in the Kalachuri dominion is shown by the Bahuribandh inscription of the reign of Gayakarna. It records the construction of a temple
of the Jaina Trithankara Santinatha by one Mahabhoja, son of Sarvadhara.11The
1No. 51, 1.28.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
