Indian Art: A History of Indian Art from the Earliest Times up to the Third Century A.D. c13.s5.2

c13.s5.2

Let us take the religious background first. There can be no image unless there is a definite religious movement advocating the worship of the image. The evidence from inscriptions and sculptures found at Mathura and in the adjoining centres is abundant on this point. In the first century B. C. we have inscriptional evidence of the *Bhakti* cult of Vāsudeva amongst the Bhāgavatas prevalent in Mathura which inspired the followers of Buddhism. On a lintel fragment of the reign of Mahākshatrapa Shoḍāsa there is mention of the Mahāsthāna of the gods Saṅkarshaṇa and Vāsudeva. In another inscription found at Mora and also belonging to the reign of Shoḍāsa (1st century B.C.) there is clear reference to a shrine dedicated to the Five Heroes of the Vṛishṇis (*Vṛishṇīnām pañchavīrāṇām*). According to the Vāyu Purāṇa Vṛishṇi heroes were Balarāma, Kṛishṇa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha and Sāmba. In the Nārāyaṇa Vāṭaka inscription found at the ancient site of Majhamikā (*Madhyamikā*, modern Nagari near Chittor) reference is made to god Saṅkarshaṇa and Vāsudeva who were given the title of Bhagavān and also spoken of as *Sarveśvara*, i. e. pre-eminent among all deities. In the Besnagar inscription of Heliodoros there is reference to the Bhāgavata *Bhakti* cult and for the worship of Bhagavān Vāsudeva a shrine was also discovered during the excavation. This evidence proves beyond doubt that Mathura was the nucleus of a circle of the Bhāgavata movement whose radius covered an area of about 200 miles towards the southwest and southeast. In the region of Mathura itself several images of Balarāma have been found pointing to a cult of *Bhakti* to Balarāma as a deity. Special mention should be made of an image of Balarāma found at the village of Junsuṭi about six miles from Mathura which on stylistic ground should be assigned to about the late second century B.C. [Fig 145]. We may also point to the representation of the various Brāhmanical deities like Indra, Agni, Vishṇu, Śiva, Bhūmi (the earth goddess) and even stars like Phālguni on the Panchala coins of Ahichchhatrā.