History and Doctrines of the Ajivikas: A Vanished Indian Religion c16.s3.44

c16.s3.44

Of the three Nāgārjunī caves the Gopikā (Plate VII, v) is a single rectangular chamber, its length parallel to the rock-face, entered by a passage in the middle of its length. Its dimensions are 46 ft. 5 in. by 19 ft. 2 in., and its ends are semicircular. The vaulted roof is 6 ft. 6 in. high at the walls, rising to 10 ft. 6 in. at the centre. The interior, like those of the Barābar caves, is highly polished. As well as the dedicatory inscription of Daśaratha it bears an inscription of Anantavarman, which records that the Prince caused an image of Kātyāyanī to be placed in the cave, and gave a village, the name of which is illegible, to the support of the goddess Bhavānī, of whom Kātyāyanī appears to be an epithet.⁷ A hundred years ago the cave was occupied by a Muslim holy man, but it was empty when surveyed by Cunningham.²