History of Orissa from the Earliest Times to the British Period v2.c47.19.2

v2.c47.19.2

This is a figure of Buddha in the *Varada Mudrā* which most probably represents the incident of the subjection of the assassins hired by Devadatta to murder Buddha in the narrow streets of Rājagriha as indicated by the kneeling male to the left of the figure (7 ft. 3 ins. by 2 ft. 9 ins.). From the general standard and the expression on the face the large image of Sita Tārā, with two hands the left hand in the *Varada Mudrā* and the right holding a lotus with stalk, attended by *Bhṛkuṭi* with four hands on the right and a kneeling male on the left belongs to the third period (5ft. 10 ins. by 2 ft. 2 ins.). Much later in the scale is a small image of Buddha in the *Bhumisparśa Mudrā* (3 ft. 10 ins, by 2 ft. 7 ins.). Though the main figure is in the *Bhumisparśa Mudrā* it is seated on a large lotus on a stalk below which are two figures seated on each side, and a third figure to the immediate left of the stalk is a kneeling monk. These figures are placed in an attitude and position in which the figures of the vanquished Tirthikas and King Prasenajit of Kośala are to be found in separate images representing the great miracle of Śrāvastī.¹ There are six smaller images on the back slab, three on each side. On the right to be found, from the top : (1) *Manjuśrī*, (2) *Vajrasattva* and (3) Male seated, two hands. On the left hand side we find : (1) *Vajrapāṇi*, (2) *Lokeśvara* with two hands and (3) another *Lokeśvara*.