Image Of Buddhavatara Of Visnu At Badami

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Image of Buddhavatara of Visnu at Badami" by B.V. Shetti, based on the provided pages:

Overview of the Text:

The article by B.V. Shetti focuses on a significant sculpture located in Badami (ancient Vātāpi), the capital of the early Western Chalukyas. This image, locally known as "Kostharāya" or the "leper king," is situated in a natural cavern beneath a collapsed rock formation near the Agastya Tirtha lake. The author delves into the local legends surrounding the sculpture, historical interpretations by scholars, and ultimately proposes a definitive identification for the image based on its iconographic elements.

Local Legends and their Critique:

• Legend 1 (Fictitious): A king from Varanasi suffering from leprosy was cured by bathing in the Agastya Tirtha at Badami. An image of this king was subsequently carved and became known as "Kostharāya."
• Legend 2 (More Plausible): Govinda, a relative of the Chalukya royal family, was also cured of leprosy by bathing in the Agastya Tirtha, and the image represents him.

Shetti critiques both legends. He finds the first version unlikely, as it's improbable that an image of a foreign king would be carved and venerated locally during the Chalukya reign. While the second version mentions a Govinda connected to the Chalukyas, he notes that historical inscriptions mention Pulakesin II defeating a Govinda, making the idea of a sculpture of this defeated Govinda being commissioned by his successors improbable.

Scholarly Interpretations and Iconographic Analysis:

• H. Cousens: The first scholar to draw attention to the sculpture, described it as a "portrait statue" seated in a "Buddha-like attitude" but neither Buddha nor a Jina.
• A. Sundara: Identified the image as a portrait of Kirtivarman I, carved by his brother Mangaleśa.
• A.M. Annigeri: Believed "Kostharaya" was a Treasury Officer who later became an ascetic.
• Carol Radcliffe Bolon: Considered the date and identity of the image "enigmatic."

Shetti then provides a detailed iconographic analysis of the sculpture:

• Adornments: The image is heavily bejeweled with earrings, necklace, armlets, bracelets, finger rings, chest band, and anklets. Notably, it wears a yajñopavīta (sacred thread).
• Head and Hair: The hair is in curly knots, lacking the uṣṇiṣa (cranial bump) typical of Buddha images. Instead, it resembles a Jina's head.
• Posture: The figure is seated in padmāsana (lotus posture). The right hand is in abhayamudrā (gesture of fearlessness) and holds a rosary. The left hand rests in the lap in dhyānamudrā (gesture of meditation).
• Throne: It is seated on a simhāsana (lion-throne) with three compartments, each featuring a lion, similar to pre-medieval and medieval Jina thrones in Karnataka.
• Attendants: Flanking the central figure are two male cāmara-bearers (fly-whisk bearers), wearing kirīṭa-mukuṭas (crowns) and gem-set ornaments.
• Throne Back: The throne back is decorated with vyāla (mythical creatures) and makara (sea monsters). Engraved line drawings depict a deer and a śankha (conch shell) on the left, and a cakra (discus) on the right.
• Contextual Elements: A plain halo is behind the head, and further back, a tree is depicted. Beside the main image, a small bearded sage with a fat body, seated in padmāsana on a bhadrapīṭha (a type of pedestal), is also carved. This sage's posture, beard, and holding a water vessel are interpreted by Shetti as representing Agastya, after whom the lake is named, rather than someone who commissioned the sculpture as suggested by Cousens.

Crucial Iconographic Comparisons and Identification:

Shetti highlights strong similarities between the Badami sculpture and a Tirthankara image from the Jaina cave at Aihole (late 6th century). These include:

• The posture of the legs and hands.
• The throne-back decorated with makaras.
• The two male cāmara-bearers.

This comparison leads Shetti to conclude that the sculptor was familiar with carving Jina images. However, he also points out elements that strongly indicate the image is intended to be Buddha:

• The posture of legs and hands.
• The presence of the tree, which can be interpreted as the bodhi-tree.
• The representation of a deer on the throne-back.

Conversely, the profusion of ornaments and the engravings of śankha and cakra on the throne-back unambiguously link the image to Vishnu.

Conclusion:

Considering all the evidence, Shetti concludes that the most accurate identification of the sculpture is "Māyāmoha" of the puranas or "Buddhavatara Vishnu." This refers to Vishnu's avatar as Buddha, a concept found in Hindu puranic literature, where Vishnu is depicted as taking the form of Buddha to delude the asuras (demons).

Dating:

On stylistic grounds, Shetti dates the sculpture to circa late 7th or plausibly the first quarter of the 8th century A.D.

Illustrations:

The text is accompanied by two plates:

• Plate 1: Shows the image of the so-called Kostharāya ("Māyāmoha" or "Buddhavatara Vishnu") in Badami.
• Plate 2: Depicts a seated Jina in a narrative tableau from the Jaina cave at Aihole.