N()Jt Illtttf t :..;il)1\s t.NLrt:t t HE LLIsa\-,1s . t2 ?

- i

shoulclcrsp.rrt of drc glllrncl sLrir-oun.1inq rhc i-. ...

clsket. Io citircr sitle oi rhe prince lrrri lbovr:
thc g:rrl:rrrcl. :rlc l-rgrrrcs LhoughL1o Lrcthe divurc
lttr-rldrnts lncl solrr: ruil lLrrr:rrJ.-iries.Miiro 1''
enri Meo,, orc- oi rLhorrrpl,rccs.r r",.rcudr on thc &
liclcl oi thc Kusrurr princcll ,qurc vhil.: rhc ft,.
.l:'
other-cirrr-icsir \\'re.uh in hL liqlrr hrnr1. Thc -s
,al
p1:rccmcntot tlr,.:u-rcrth on thc Lcr.l ,rt th.r .'*
-i.
p r i t r c c L tvr g u r c i s r s r r r r b o lo f r l i v i n c l i i q J r i p
,,].
r n ( l s L r g q { stth\ . r t t : l i r n r . n to i - r r r s l i c . l r] i r l ( r . \ .
\.l.'tl.,,l'\. n ' J t, "t. ' l. ;
. ..-
(of Krniske?) is shol'n trlrrsccir.iurg rlrr: orLru-
clanc rcllrrr l1r(l cllLcrilrq into thc re:iltrr ol rhc
tlivinc. Ihc LrrclLrlering lin.: oi the grrrlrurd
clcrrll' 5qp11111'5 thc divinc fiqurcs of thc tllcc
Iluclclhls, lnrlre, 13rehnri. Miilo,:rnrl M.ro |-,rrn
thc munclanc lcvcl bclorv conreininq thc rorrl
lirgurc and thc erotcs. Ciccsc. sunbolic of rlrc
trlrisccl.lcnt lcllm :111!l a morii l-oLrlrrlln ln(lic
xrt xf lcasf silrcc MrLdvr tirrrc\, plocca.l ilt x
cloctl isc dircoion rr:ould thc c.rsLct1id holilinq
1!fcrths.
Most oi thc rurviving scLril'tLrlcslrom the
northlvcst rcgrorr clltinq iionr rh,:1-{LLsrnr pcriod
'lhc
arc nradc oi stonc. r-.tst rlrxjofit\' ol thrse
lvcrc 1nx(lc in thc scrvici oi rhc llucldhist
r, : , |l. M r\. | "'r '', ^i f", ,.,..
bclorqccl to corrrplcx iconoqrlphic scir,.nrcs,
somctiorcs :rsprrt of lf.:hitccttrr:Lldccorltion b!t
oftcn rs prrt ol slrlinc -riroufiir.qs.In thc nrLjorin-
of c:rsr:s,
bo'"r'cr'cr.thc origin:rl conic\ts ol thc\c
rr,ork\ hlvc Lccu 1ost. lcevirr-9 e firrlnicntcLl
ovcrvicu' of thc icorroqr:rp1rr oi rLc pcrio,,1
sccn Irrqclv throuqh -,rh;rr erc ro..r isolercd
ari:uIPle!,
Strrrcling llLrt|lhe iluqcs llc ouc of [hc nrosL
colurorl sllbjccts rlcpicrcrl in lJ:rctro (horilrur
:1r'tol rlic Kusine pcriocl. Mln1. Lri rhc fiqurrs
shou e rcnrrrkrblc colrforlrit\ ir 1.o5".aurru,rta,
ttdtn, la[!dl1ns. lrrc] othcr chroctcrisr:ics. A
tvpic.rl crlrnplc slrol,s e BLrdrihe surniling,
b:rrc'foot, lncl lrith onc lr-rl sli-rqlrr1rbcni btiL
othcrlrisc in ;r gcrrcrrllr. fiontt1 nrlr-nct iliq.
S.ro).lIc scers :r rrlhcl hcilly robc thet covcr:
borh shoukl.'rs. His lcft lrenrL is Jon-n .rnd
s c c r r sr o l l r l d l u l t o i h i s g i r f r ) ) c n \t \ h i l c h i r f i q h t
henri. nol lrrof,cl. ;Lpprrcntll ciispL.lL:rl,:l/ra1o
r ti S i : , r J i : , gi l L r d L l h .Fr .r ' , : l ] r . r r ( , ( ; i u , ( i l , i , r , , , g : . n .
rrirdrr. Arol) his lrcecl is ltis rr-srrt-r,r. ile ri clrs no
I i r i r : r r i r K n i r J r : rt ' . r i , , J ! . l r i ' f . l l : c . r . r ; o c r r r .L r h o r - '
-jcuchl o r - o t i r c r frillaclv ( ) i n r n r . 1 r r sH
. olc,,cr, \ l 1 r r c , , , , rI.- r h o r .
 r:6 pruoo oF THE EARrY DYNASTIES
l
i
iI
I 8.rr. StandingBuddha.FrornBactro-Gandhara region,
Pakistan.Kusanaperiod.Schist.H: ca.55 crn. Indian
Museunr,Calcutta,
his elongated ear lobes are a remnant of a for-
rner or earlier phaseofexistence asa bodhisattva,
when healy ornaments would have been worn.
As a symbol of renunciation of the material
world, the elongated ear lobcs are an almost
universal feature of Buddha images. Behind his
head is a halo.
These characteristics,and others, can be seen
with great regularity arnong the Buddha images
of the Kupqa period from the Indic northwest.
Yet it is unlikely that all thesefigures are rePle-
sentations of the same individual or the same
event. A number of specificBuddhas are named
in Buddhist texts that were current dudng
I Kusdna times, but unlessthere are interpretable
idenriFyingfeatureson tlte images. it is im-
ti possible to be certain which Buddha is being
shown.ro Such uniformity, indeed, rnight be
expected in the depiitions of beings who sym-
illr bolize the attainment of a nondifferentiated
state of perfection. Yet an understandingof the
individual identities is important to properly
interpret the Buddhological message. Such
l,
8.r2. Seated
Buddha.From Loriyan Tangai,Pakistan.
Kultqa pe od. Schist.H: ca.6o crn. Indian Museum,
Calcutta.
meanings might have been provided by the
original contexts of the images. Sometimes,
scenesof sculpted figures or symbols are carved
onto the pedestalupon which the figure stands,
and these may provide clues to the identity of
the Buddha. In this example, a number of
devotees worship rat a shrine that appears to
contain an incenseoffering. But irs meaning.
orher thrn as a generalacr o[ devorion.is un-
certain in relationship to the Buddha image.
Despite the relative iconographic conformity
of the Buddha figures, Bactro-Gandharaimages
display a great variety of stylistic characteri-
stics. This carving, for example, displays a
significant debt to the classicistictradition of
Hellenistic and Roman art, though whether it
is the result ofthe generalwestern Asiatic cultural
rnilieu or a new infusion from the Mediter-
ranean world is unknown. Classicisticfeatures
include the heavy, three-dimensional folds of
the drapery, which contrast strongly to the more
diaphanous,clinging styles of the Indic regions.
Mediterranean models might also have been a

8.r3. SeatedBud<lha. From Loriyan Tangai, Pakistan.
Kugelre period. Schist. H: ca. 60 cm. IncLan Museum,
Calcutta,
sourcefor the regular,well-defrnedfacialGatures
and warry hair style. The bent-leg posturer a
feature found widely throughout the Bactro-
Gandherarealrns,might be ultimately traceable
to the classicalcontrapposto.
A secondexample, while yirtually identical
in format and the depiction of the Budclha
figure, is strikingly differentin style (Fig. 8.rr)'
The most noticeabledif,erenceis that this 6gure
is much shorter and stockier in build tban the
other. The "four-headshigh" proportions,when
studied in light of the stylistic evolution in the
Mediterraneanand relatedworlds, would sug-
z gest late Roman models and a significant dis-
tance in time from the imperial Roman styles.
I In addition, the hair is shown as a seriesof
striationsrather than curls,
SeatedBuddha representations, anothervery
popular mode of depiction during Ku9a4a
times, also show similar sry)isticvariations,as
demonstratedby three strikingly distinct ex-
amples(Figs.8.rz-r4). Although there are dif-
ferencesin hand positions,sincethe first examPle
NORTHERN REGIONSUNDBR THE EUIANAS 1'7
8.r4. SeatedBuddha.From Bactro-Gandhtra region,
Palistan.Kuga4aperiod. Schist.H: ca. 75 cm, Lahore
Museum,Lahore.
is represented in dharmacakramuha, t teaching
gesture, and the other two are in variants of
dhyana nufun, a meditative gesture, this does
not negate the differencesin style. Figure 8.rz
is decidedly classicisticin type, especiallyin the
treatment of the facial features and the warry
hair style. A muscularbody, in keeping with the
classicisticnorm, is indicated by the bared right
arm and the torso beneath the drapery. (The
garrnent, which leaves one shoulder bare,
though less common than that that covers both
shoulders, is widely found in Bactro-Gandhara
sculpture; its origin is not known and it is pos-
sible that sectarian distinctions were indicated by
the different ways of wearing the monks' robe.)
Figure 8.r3 has a fuller, fleshier face, a curled
hair style instead of the waves, and somewhat
more regularized and shallow folds to his gat-
ment. The third example(Fig.8.14)is yet another
variant in terms of the rendering of the drapery
(hereshown in very finely pleatedfolds), in facial
type, with Iranian-style mustache and rather
full ears,and in hair style depictedin wary lines
 'Le Irnt(),r't t ,.|\n'I D\\\\ t)

thlt cntl in rhe clustcr of curls ol' thLr l-{ris.7.

Whilc such dilTe'r'enccs in stvlc lrc crsily ob-
. c r v . . l . t .l ' . . r r r . . .r . . l i F r , , . ltr' i r r . r p r , t r r l r ,
l ; l . . . " " . , . r L , , ^ "I . r " . r . i , . r i h r ' - . ,.r, 1 . .
thet comprisesthc rcgion iu1r1 its llctcrogcllcoLrs
. ' r l t l r l r r , r i . q , . . r r . . l r l t ' r . . r l, r, r ' . s r, . r l , . '
rnriilc.l stylc coul.l hrve i:xisted.Tn etldirior,
r,vhilcir is conurloll prilcticL- for lrt historirinsto
rs\ign tlle m:5olity oi rvorks ti-oru this rcgion
end lpploxirnatc pcrio,:1l qencr:rl.lite of the
sccondto thc thirclccrturicsA.r).,it is lilcl\.dr.t
vcr)' spccitlc cirronoloqicll .lcvelopmcntsoc-
. . .. r . . : ,r . . . . - a , i . t r . , r k r. . [ . _
nrorrll. essiqrrccl to tilc I(os:ln:lpcriocl milt-in
{ict luvc bccn protluctsof Srkr-Parthi:irrtinlcs,
rvhile othcrs undoubtcdlv rc cct tuclitiorrs
prcvrlcnt:rftc.rthe Klrslrnl empirc rvescclipsed.
Other lectors,suches rcligiousscctlrirnisln:rnd
rhe l-Leutlof individual artists,rnsy .1so:rccollrlt
for somc of thc dillilences in artistic stylcs.
Thcrcforc. rvhilc onc cil1l irlclcL.d distinguish
$,'orks of art fi on1 the Kus;rnl pcriocl in the
Inrlic noltltl'est lrorr rvorks pro,:lLccclclscrvhcrc
irL South Asil. virri:Lti(n\rvithin thc bro.idlv
defln.-clschool occur. Thcsc nrrv bc visible
r ( c o . . l .^ f t l r c l r ' . t n r y r l ' . . . l . ' rd . . ' . ' . k i r r : -
"f
the adventoincr,v pcoplcsilto thc rcqion or thc
prcsclvittiolrof lllcedv .'steblishedtreditions.
Yct ir srili [c1li.]insto tr.cc suchinllucnccs.
llocLhislttvas courprisclnothcr importent rub- Iri. Bo.lhLsxrtv.r
\1:ritrcr'r.Fron) lrkhr-i-]lxhi, PrkF
jcct in I).rctro-Gurrclhansculfturc. Aldrough \flr. KLr\aDrpcriod. Sdrirt. H: 2oS\ .rir. Lrhore \4u-
orl thc sinrplcstlcvcl, hv dcvotccsnl:rv bcconrc-
bo.llisrttv.rsbl' r.rkinq i1\'o\'. thc boclhisrrrvrs
sholvn in :rrt lre rrra/rasaftla bodhisettvls end
rcprcsclrt d1c iultillnrcDt. rrot thc bcqillrlil1g r//ror;-likc lou.cr qarlrlcnt. His torso ls brrc-
strse. oi bodhisrttvehood.IiLc lJLr.1clh.rs. thcs,:: .rithough hc- *'crrs e shetlliki' lenqth oi cloth
nul.'fi.qr,ucsn1i1l_bcsho\1:nsrrl.lirrg or sclrccl. ovcl lris shoulclcr. His .j.\'clf)' bc{its bis rcgal
'fhe
mosrpopul:rrbodhisern'rs]ro\.nin Kus:ine- strtiolr xs e boclliisirllva 1lllclinclucLcsncckleccs,
pcriorlrrr of lhc nor-tltr'.:stis Mritrcl'1, thc pcr- ciuririq!. rrrrrb.lD(ls. :rncl luir omenlcrlts. In
sonitrcrrionof lovc. AlLhoLrgh,rll boclhis.rrLvrs qcncul, bocLirislrn-es]r;rve uoLc cllboratc lrliir
lrc by .lcfirition futurc lludtlh:rs, Mritrcle's snlcs th,rn Llud.lhes, oltcn cher;rctcrizcd in this
Ilrrclclh:rhooJ ir consiclcr-ecl to bc inlmirlcnt. ti)r' rlorth\restcn lcgion br, loclis of hrir falling
hc is ro sncccccL (ekylnrLuri is lhc 1rc-\tlrortxl :LronntLdrc shoul.lcrs. rs s.cn hcrc. As higliy
(n;rrrisi) Rurldha. Ilcceusc o{ his impcndirrg pcrli'ctcd bcllgs, borlhisrrtvrs disph,v nr;rny of
llLrdrlh.rhooJ.Mlitrcl.r is sonlctinlcsshorvn in thc /al-vao-, elrl othcl spcci:rl ch:rracrcristics of
lrt es ,r RLr.l.lhe,or. i1sir l r(-pr:cs!'nti1!iol1 tronl BLrrldhls. This fr-qLrre,1ir c-.lnrplc, hls al riraa
Trkht i-l3rhi (Fig. s.r5). jn thc tornr of l bodhi- ls rvell :rse lurlo.
,utl s']ut rn:rt_bcan risrrt-rrr
suttv.r.i-ikc rn;1ry othcr boclhisrrnrr fr_omrhc Whilc rhcsc chelectcr-isticsrulr.bc sharccl b,l'
nortlr\\r'sl r-..-qion in gcnclxl. the trgurc tc.rrs lt rlilli'rent boclhisettves ,rncl eppcer *idcly in
 NORTHERN REGTONSUNDER THr KU|ANAS lrg
surviving images, bodhisattvas also have in-
dividual idcntitics that are important to an
understandingof their Buddhological meanings.
Distinct bodhisattvas might be recognizable
becauseof symbols that appear in their head-
dresses,attributes that are held in their hands,
and sometimes other charactcristics.These dis-
tinguishing fcaturcs became incrcasingly codi-
fied asthe Briddl.ristreligion developed,although
during thc Kusana period, the use of what
appear to be generic synbols makes it difficult
to identify the figures in every case.The vase
held in Maitreya's left hand, for example, is
almost exclusivcly characteristicof hin; how-
ever, the abhaya uudra of the now broken
right hand is also characteristicof many of the
bodlisattvas shown in Kuga4a-periodart.
The style of this image is strongly classicistic,
reflecting the cultural heritage of the Gandhara
region in particular. This is especiallyvisible in
the musculartorso, a Gature that suggcstsstrong
affnities with thc Graeco-Roman tradition. The
figrrre stands with one leg benr in a ror-
trapposto-hkepose and his heavy drapery also
8.16.BodhisattvaAvalokiteivara(Padmapani). From
suggeststies to the late Hellenistic world. Likc Loriyan Tangai,Pakistrn.Kust+aperiod.Schisc.H:
Buddha images and other subjects, however, ca-66 cm. IndianMuscum,Calcutta.
imagesof bodhisattvasdisplay a great variety of
stylistic types that are the result of a number of
factors, including the speci{ic school of the Mediterranean, Iranian, or other non-Indic
region where they werc rnade and thcir period aspectsof western Asiatic culture.
of production. Another feature of inrerest in this image is
Another important Mhasaftra bodhisattva the position in which the bodhisattva sits.
in Kusana-period art and, indeed, the urost Postureslike this one and others in rvhich one or
popular in all of Buddhist art, is Avalokite(vara, both lcgs are pendant arc generally thought
the personification of compassion.This bodhi- to denote royal ease.ln this way, they may be
sattva has rDany names and takes nunerous contrasted to the more forrnal, urcditative leg
forms. He is often shown asPadmapani,"Bearer positions in which the legs are foldcd up in one
of the Lotus," asin an image fromLoriyan Tangai ofa number ofways. Furthermorc, the pendent
in which he holds his characteristiclotus in his leg posturesare usually associatedwith western,
left hand (Fig. 8.16). Thc figure is dressedin or perhaps western Asiatic, radler than Indic
typical bodhisattva garb. His turban is a sign traditions. It is possible that the pendent leg
of his royal nature, for like crowns, diaden.rs,
and positions arc rclated to royal imagery brought
othcr headdresses, turbans are widcly usedin the in with the Kusdnas, such as thar seen in the
garb of princeiy figures. Like many bodhisartvas statue that may representVima (Fig. 8.2).
depicted in Bactro-Gandhara imagery, the fig- Thc preeminent Buddhist personage in the
ure wears sandalsand has a mustache.Neither Kusdna art of the northwest is Sakyamuni, who
of thcse featuresis characteristicof Indic art in is depicted in both his bodhisattva and Buddha
general. Their popularity in Kr.rsana-periodart stages.His bodhisattvahood may be de{ined as
. of the northrvest is generally attributed to having thrcc stages. Thc first occurrcd over
'4O PXRIODOF THE EARLYDYNASTIES
many lifetimes and is rccorded in the jatuka
tales. This stage dcmonstratcshis perfection of
merit, which prepared hirn for eventual Bud-
dhahood. The sccond stage is defined by his
life in Tupita heaven,where he dwelleclas a fully
petfectcd nahdsattrrabodhisattva, awaiting his
{inal birth. The third stage occurred during his
last life and includes all of his preenlightenment
activities. Tlis stage is viewed by Buddhists as
signi{icantly beyond the first trvo stages,since
it n.rarksthe {inal preparation for Buddhahood.
During this third stage, he is known by his
princcly name,, Siddhartha, prior to the enlight-
enment, and Sakyamuni (Sage of the Sakyas)
only after he had achicved Buddhahood.
A few Ku9a4a-periodirnagesfrom the north-
west depict the jatukd and Tusita phases of
Sakyamuni's life cycle. However, by far the
greatestemphasisis placed on the last life during
both the preenlightenment and postenlighten-
ment phases.In general, such life sceneswere
part ofcycles of reliefsthat together revealedthe
messageof Sakyamuni'slife, which was beyond
the significanceof any individual event. Today,
however, most of the carvings are known only
out of context and as isolated examples. The
episodesdepicted may be basedon the Diuyaua-
dana, the Lalita stara, ot other canonical Bud-
dhist texts current at the time that record
portions of the last lile of Sakyarnuni. Other,
noncanonical texts on the life of the Buddha,
such as the Bud,lhacaritaar'd the SawtdaraNanda,
both courposedby Aivaglroga, who lived in the
northwest around a.p. roo, refect the great
interest in the subject in western Asiatic Bud-
dhism and may also have served as secondary
sources for the art. It r.uay be suggestedthat
tlrc emplrasison Sekyamuni as a personagein
this region rnay be related to the Act that the
inhabitantsofthe northwest were not necessarily
inhcrently predisposed to many of the broad
philosophical presuppositions of Indic society.
In the Indic context, the existenceof Sakyamuni
and the cyclcs of births he underwent were
seen as only one rnaniGstation of the csscntial
order of the universeand its inevitable processes.
In the hcterogcneoussociety of the northwest,
with its n.ixed religious milieu, the life of
Sakyanuni itself may have served as the most
I
I
8.r2.Birrh ofSiddh.rtha(Sekyamuni
Buddha).Possibly
from GuidesMess,Mardan,Pakistan. Kuger.rapedod.
Schist.H: 66 cln. NationalMuseurn,Karachi.
eloquent demonstrationof the Buddhist dharna.L\
, Along with the expected major events in
Sakyamuni's liG, numerous lesser events are
depicted in the art, suggesting that narrative
completenesswas a major concem of the crea-
tors. A remarkable standardization in terms of
composition, pose of figures, and other details
for each incident in the Buddha's liG, sr.rggests
that the iconography of dre individual subjects
was established early in the liistory of such
depictions, perhaps even prior to the stone-
working stage. In spite of their iconographic
similarity, however, these scenesshow a wide
variety of srylistic traits, like other sculptures
from the northwest.
A typical representationof the birth of Sid-
dhartha shows his mother, Queen Maya, grasp-
ing a ial tree, with the child emerging from her
right side (Fig. 8.r7). Indra, nimbused and in
princely garb, receives the child as it is born,
while other attendants witness the scene. A
secondary event, the taking of the seven steps
by the newborn child, symbolizing his supre-
macy over the world, is indicated by the presence
of the small, naked child, replete with halo,
standingjust next to Indra's knees.Maya's pose,
as she grasps the tree and stands in a rather
relaxed posture, is reminiscent of tlb;adevata

8.r8. First Mcditxriorl of Siddhrtha (Sak-r,'arnuni
Bud-
dha). Fror]1Mound C, Sahri-Bahlol, Pakistltll.Kui.4a
pcriod- Schist.H: 68.j cnl. Pcsh,war Muscum, Pcsht-
8.r9. Grcat Dcprrnrrc of Siddhardra(Srkyanuni Bud-
dha). From Loriyxn Tangai, Pakistan.Kusana pcriod.
Schisr.H:,18.j cn1.Lldiar MuseLrm, Calcutta.
NORTHIRN REGIONSUNDXR THE KUIANAS ]4]
{igures in Indic art and it is likely that son.re
overlap in neaning is inhcrent. As in thc casc
of many Buddhist subjects, :r symbolic levcl,
bcyond thc narative or descriptivc level, is
intended by thc birth incident. Tirus, M-ya,
whosc n.ne is identical with thc pliiosophical
concept of the illusory nattre of thc physical
rvorld, as the mother of the potential Buddha,
seemsto be a deliberatercfcrcnceto the causation
of all birth ancl thc rcalm of sath:;atu.
The narrative seclucnccsin thc art of drc
northwcst are often very dctailcd and scenes
suciras the visit to thc fortune teller sirortly aftcr
thc birth of the bodhisattva ancl otl.rer sccncs
from his childhood are comrnonly represented.
Onc important event was thc boclhisattva's
first neditation (Fig. r.ri). While still a young
man living at his fathcr's palacc, he rvas
brought to sit tncler a rosc applc (janbu) ttee,
wl-rerehe was to witoess a ploughirLg conrcsr as
r c p r c . c n t a r i v [co r r l ' e k i n g . W I r i l c s i t r i n g .l r c
practiccd yogic breathing and attained his first
trancc. Whcn his attendantsrctumccl some timc
later, thcy noticcd tl.Latthe shadowsof the other
trees nearby had movcd, but tJrat of thc jarrrlr
tree had remaincd statiolary over thc mcditatilg
prince. When l.is fathcr was toid of d.ris,he paid
reverenceto his son. In this rcprcscntation, tiris
specific nrcditation is indicatcd by thc janfuu
tree abovc thc hcad of thc bodhisattvaand the
ploughing scene at the lowcr right. The maiu
figurc is dressedin typical bodhisattva garb and
i ' J c p i c t e di n t J r , l r i g l r l yc l r . ' i c i . r i c. t y l c , l r . . r -
, r c t c r i . r io
c f r n r r c ho f r l L el o r r l r u c . t r e g i o n . r .
seenin the musculartorso and heavy drapery.
His act of lncditation is indicatcd by thc r{hyana
ntdra of his lranclsand thc uajraparyaikasana of
his Iegs.
A n o r h e ri n r p o r t . r npt r L c n l i g i r f e r I l r e(nvrc n t i s
thc Great l)eparttrrc (n ahaLhi ni skran ano), wltcn
the bodlisattva left the palace after having
resolvcd to seek truth and knowledgc (Fig.
8.r9). Tlis decisioncamc about after he had
seen on four clilTereutoccasionsa sick man, an
olcl man, a dead n-ran,and an ascctic.Thesefour
visiotrsare usually refcrred to colJectivcly as the
Four Sights. The {irst thrcc "siglrts" causcd thc
bodhisattva to rccognize the transicnt and frail
condition of lifc, rvhile the fourth set out a
 1,72 lllRlOD Or TIIL lr\ItlY l)YNASTIIS

sccl)r t() llillc Lrccn iL]lportent rDtinly iD the

r " r r r\ \ , r . l r , ' . r r . , r . , . r . r . . t r i . r \ 1 1 \ \ . . \
trlrsnrittccl to Irst Asil. I{cr-c-.r]ic prcclilcctiou
tolards classicisticrcxlisln \o prcvelcnt itr thc
ert of rhc Dorth\\:estcrtr Kus:rna rce]nrs rclcls
Jrilln:r to rhc cxcrculion of thc- ck:teils of thc
skc]ctoir. tllc strLlctLrlc of thc ncck. enrl the
rvrsred 1lc-shoI tirc borlv. T]ris dcrriilccl. elbcit
curpiricri. knorvlctlgc of erliitornv contril)urcs
r'r,.,rl r. l -,r rr.s.. lrL(.pln,.
1,,rr:. ot
visiblc drrough rhc sunkcn ebdorrrcrr, presuru-
.,'l .. . . ( J - . I I i , r , , , . l l , r . . r r v . .u. ,r . r ' r r l \ r i o n
of nrcrclv one gr.rin of ricc pcr clav clLrrin{rthis
sragc of his spiritual clcvclopncnt, is il ltltur.
tlur is dcscribccliu BLrJtlhist rcxrs. Thc prescncc
of I bear,:l sLrggestsrhc clcrp lbsorption of tl-rc
boclhisrrttve artl thc rcsult:rnt borlili, ncvlcct.
Also n'picr1lv Dorth\\.cstcm iu stvlc arc the
fecill fc.rturcs antl l1air rteatDlcnt.
\ r ' . . . . r . r' . r p ^ r r . . I r. r\ j 1 . r r r l , . l i r , 5.,().*
"-
rnuni f rcqLrcntll'dcpictcclin llactro,Gilndirara art
is thc 14dra jaya (Vict,r'1. 61',31 Mrra), elso
crllcd thc tcxrpterioil sccnc (Fir. 8.:r). Oftcn
nristlkcnlv idcrrLificd as thc crlighr,-:rrrrrcnt,this
: ( ( l c i t r r ' \ r ' |,l r l ) . . . \ . r l l . ..r l.rior r^ 1lt.
ollighrennrcut. rvhcn Mirr. the pcrsonilication
oi evil. ofi:rcrl thc boclhisrrtn'r $,orlrllr' richcs
possiblc !rrth \vhcrebl' thc rrn!icncc of ihr- . r I l . r r i , . r . , r .r ' i r r r l ( ( , n , , , t I . r , o \ ' 1 ,
rrnivc-rsc lrlight bc ovcrcoruc.Lr rha dcfxrturLl tlauglrtcrs !o tcnpt hiln lrver' fi-onr his rcsolvc.
sccrrr-,thc boclhis.rtn'eis sho\,n ritlinq his Whcn thcsc u crr: r'cfirscJ b1. thc boclhisrtv:r,
lavoritc horsc, rvhosc hcrovcsrrrc bcing bornc Mrrr scrr! his ernti,:s (pcrsolificetions ol pxssiotrs
eloft bv r/r'r,,rs to silcncerhcir noisc so tlrlrt thc encl cvil rnrpulscs rLrch es lust. crlt\'i1lq. xnd
clepllturc lou]rl not be clcrcctcJ.I Ic is rt hvpocrisv) l'hosc t'eepons, horvcvcr- turncd
tcndcdbr-Irr,:1rl(rvho holdse r,,r7ra rnd st;rnrls to ro 1lo\vcr! irs t]rcv tottclta(l thc nrctlitatrng figLrrc.
thc icfi of tltc horsc),l3r;rhrll (strrrclirrg ro thc Tlius fbilcd, thr: ir-rrsrr:rtcdM:rrr rskccLthc bod-
lcfi of Indr:r).:rnclothcr hcevcniv dcvotccs.A\ his:rLtv.rt,:r provc his right to ilrtiin eniiqhtcn-
sLich.thc clt-pictioncottrilstsstro[gl\.wit]r thc rlrcnt. \rhcrcupon rhc bo.lhisettvl touchccL thc.
"rccnlc!Drctrt" sccnc oIl thc f(rl.dratit Sxrrc1 c..th (l/riil,rLy.iria rluirir) lrtd thc c:rrth goclclcss,
( F i s . 6 . r o .L L p p c r ) . l'ho is celicd eidrcr l)rthvi or J3hfrnrit1evi,c:ruic
Otrc ol thc nlost clrxllrirticvisuelcontribntions lirth to st:rte th:1t she wls rviuicss ro his right.
of thc [ortllvcstcrn ert sc]roolsto ljudclhistart Marr, clciclrcrl, retreitccl. Witll thc l:rst obstacle
is thc dcpiction of rhc b,rrlhis.rtrr'.r ilrrririq rhc rcDrovc'.l. thc bodltisittve cntclc.l lrrto thc
pcriod of his crtrcnrc rsccrici!nr (Fiq. S.:o). nrdlit.ltion t-har rcsultcrl in his clli-qhtcnrnent
This occullc.l prior ro his cnliglrtcnmcnrend enti thcrc lc his lJLrdrlhrLhoorl.th.- Jcfcrt of
]crl to his dccisionto c\pollscthc rloctlinc oi thc Marl svnrbolizt-s the Burlcllu's overcoming oi
Middlc W.rv, l peth bL'ts'ccnlLrrLrlionsinrlLrl- dceth (1r,1:lrrlitcr:Lllr. nrcrus "clc.rdr") end rhc
, t \ ' r r . f . r r r..\l . l ) ) ( . i D U l t r, . r r r . .' rR . I ' t . . 1 , . r i , , r . . bodhis:rttv:r'srelclsc lionr thc cr,cic o1- -vrir-irra
oi tlLc bo.lhisettv.r i1s ;rn curilci.ltc(r :1sc:('rlcirrc (thc r:heirL rrf ceusrtiorr). ln rcprcscnretions o['
l | . r r l i ' . n l i r r t r , l r l r . p r . r . . r r q , r r ,r . , . . I t r this cvc11t.S-kvrnrrrrri is inv:rrirbly shorvrr ls a

8.2r. Sakyamuni's victory over Mira. Frorn Bacro-Gandhara
rcgion, Pakistan.Kuganaperiod. Schist.H: 67 cm. Freer Gallery
of Art, SmithsonianInstitution, lVashington, D.C.
Buddha, not a bodhisattva, for though it oc-
curcd prior to the enlightenment in a technical
sensc,his Buddhahood was inevitable and im-
minent at that time.12 In this relief, which in
fact is part of a set of four life scenes,the ccntral
figure is nuch larger than the others. Thc lorlli
tree above his head and hls bhiukparia uuha
are key elen.rentsin identifying the scene,as arc
rhe attacking armies of Mara in the upper half
of the composition.
The first preaching of the fully enlightened
Buddha took placeat the deer park near Varenasi
at Sernath.Dcpictions ofthis subjectbecameone
of the most important image types in Buddhism.
In this sermon, the Buddha prcachedhis method
of overcoming deadr by following the Middlc
Way, which was comprised of the Four Noble
l r u t h sa n dr l r eE i g h t f o l dP a r h .t l t ep r i n r r r yc o n r -
'l
ponent. of his docrrine.rs lrc forrr Noble
T.uth, all iife is sufering; suffering is causcd
"re:
by desirer rhe ce'sarionof suffering may be
.,chrcvcdby rhe cc.sarion6[ iqrirc: to cease
NORTHERN REGIONSUNDER THE KUIANAS ]4'
desirc, one nust follow thc eightfold path,
which consistsof right views, right intcntion,
right spcech, right action, right livelihood,
right cfort, rigl.rt mindfulncss, and right con-
centration. In Kusena-period art of the north-
west, thc subjcct is generally indicated by a
figurc of the now enlightcncd Buddha seatcd
on a throne, attended by various listcncrs, in-
cluding the {ive companions fron his ascctic
days who had previously dcnounced hin.r whcn
he ab:ndoned self-mortification practiccsin favor
of the Middle Way (Fig. 8.zz).In suchdepictions,
the right hand of the Buddha is gencrally in the
abhaya nufua, signifying that hc is in the act
of teaching, rvhile bencath his throne, two deer
Ilank a whcel. Thc wl.reelsyn.rbolizesthc whccl
of tlrc law (dharnacakra),which thc Buddha is
said to have set into motion with this scrmon.
The dccr suggestthe dccr park whcrc the setmon
took place, but on an esoteric level, rcprcscnt
thc overcorrinq of the fear of death.14
Thc finai pasiing away of SakyauruniBuddha,
:. r: r,iirri,,,,,i,, ,,i ::r,LI
i . L , . r i r . r: r l i . , f . : . . , . i ., i.
 NORTHERN RTGIONSUNDIR THE KUIANAS 145

his parinbva4a, is generally included in a cycle

of life scenes,for it is the culmination of his
attainment. The subject is usually shown with
the Buddha reclining on his right side, sur-
rounded by followers and mourners (Fig. 8.23).
His death, which representsthe attainment of
niuatla rnd the snu6rrg out of individual
existence,is a remorselessevent. Yet those who
have less than perfect understanding of this,
or who are still tied to the material and physical
u orld. are subjcctto griel ln this representation,
only the rnonl seatedin meditation in front of
the Buddha seemsto have achieved the detach-
ment required to sustain profound tranquility
in the face of this awesorneevent.
On the whole, life scenesof Sakyamuni in the
art of the northwest are rather simple composi-
tions, created largely by the positioning of
figures and a Gw key elements.Pictorial space
is generally implied by the volume of the
figures or other forms and their relationship to
Buddhatcaching-
8.24.Amitabha/Anitdyus FroDlMo-
one another rather than by deliberate linear,
harnmedNari, Pakisran.Kulttra period. Schist.H:
architectural, or atmospheric dcvices. In this rr7 cm. LahoreMuscurn,Lahorc.
way, the compositions are quite similar to the
reliefs of earlier Indic art schools.Perhaps as a
result of the Mediterranean heritage of the
art of this region, howevcr, there is generally deviccs may be used to empl.nsizchim. In the
an attempt to show the figurcs in naturalistic depiction of the Great Departure (Fig. 8.r9),
posesand scale,At the same time, care is taken for exan.rple,the glanccsof most of tl.refigures
to emphasizeimportantPersonages throughcom- in the relief are directed toward him. As a fully
positional rneans.ln the birth scene(Fig. 8.r7), enlightened Buddha, Sakyanuni is generally
for example, Maya is placed in the center of the shown as a much largcr figure than others
relief and is clearly the most imPortant figure surroundinghim (Figs.8.22,8.23),sothat regard-
in the composition. At {irst glance, she appears lessof compositional emphasison him, he is a
to be larger than the others, though in fact hier- commanding and dominant focus of the scene,
archic scaling has not been used. Instead, her The increasedscaleofthe Buddha is not a depar-
apparent size is a visual cffcct createdby having ture from the concept of naturalistic scalc,
thc male figure to her proper right posed in a however, nor is it merely an artistic device
crouching position and her female 2ttcndants intended to focus attention on him. Instead,
on thc opposite side made only slightly smaller it is apparently an attcmpt to depict thc Buddha
than her in actual size, but stiil within thc ashe is describedin Buddhist texts.15Mahasa ua
parametelsofnaturalisr-n.Partly asa consequencc bodhisattvas are also describcd as larger than
of this essentiallynaturalistic scaling, thc small ordinary mortals but smaller than Buddhas, a
newborn bodhisattva standing next to the foot feature that is oftcn seen in sculpture as well.
of his mother scarcely attracts the viewer's This hierarchy of scaling is based solcly on
attentl0n. spiritual achievement, which is described in
As a young man, the bodhisattva is generally terms of physical form but is not meant as an
shown on the sarnescaleas other adult figures actual record of thc physical world.
in a composition, although again cornpositional Thc discrepancy i4 size between Buddhas
 r40 ?ERroD oF THX XARLY DYNASTTES
and other figures is even rnore clearly seen in
an impressiveand perGctiy preservedstelefrom
Moharnmed Nari (Fig. 8.24). Here rhe central
Buddha is not Sekyamuni but Amitabha/
Amitayus, who is depicted presiding over his
paradise,that of the western quarter, Sukhavati
(Full ofJoy). Textual descriptionsof this Buddha
from this period reGr to fus vast size, which is
said to be unlimited and incomprehensible to
the ordinary mind.le While a literal representa-
tion ofthis size,would, of course,be impossible,
the Buddha is shown on a rcale vasrly greater
than the inhabitants of his paradise and other
figures who surround him.
This complex relief illusrratesan imporrant
aspectof Mahayana Buddhism known to have
been presentin the northwest during the Kugar.ra
period, that is, the emphasison various paradises.
Often called "Paradise Cult" Buddhism, the
movement was at this time probably not a
defined cult but rather an undercurrent of
Mahayanism. From this region, the paradise
systems were transnitted to China and ulti-
mately to Japan, where they became extremely
popular and clearly definedas separatesecradan
movements.lT The belief in oaradiseswas not
a new Gature of Buddhism during the Kusana
period, though many aspecrs of paradisaical
thought underwent development then.l8 In
paradiseBuddhisrn, the goal of every devoteeis
to be reborn into paradise,where the individual
will reside without further transmiEration until
he has reached rhe perfect alainme-nt necessary
to achieve xirua1a- Sakyamuni, for example,
was reborn in the Tugita Paradise, where he
awairedthe final birth that led cohisnirvana.
To enter Sukhavati, the paradisedepictedhere,
the devoteemust have accurnulatedconsiderable
perfection of rnerit (pupyaparamita)and have
expressed a desire to be bom there.le This
paradisehas every facility to assistthe spiritual
development of those who dwell there, and
inhabitants have the opportunity to hear the
B:uddllustdharna preached to them ar any ume.
While Buddhas,bodhisattvas,and other residents
of Sukhavarr.including the birds. can preach
the dharma, this relief shows the presiding
Buddha, Amitabha/Amitayus, preaching to his
devotees,as indicated by his hands, which are
in a variant of the dhamucakrd nu&a. 'fhe .
paradisaicalnature of the sceneis indicated by
the lotus lake below, replete with fish and
waterfowl, which is frequently mentioned in
texts asthe "land" of paradise.Amitabha/Amita-
yus, sits atop a lotus that risesout of the water
and each of the inlabitants of his paradise,who
are reborn upon lotuses in the paradise, is
also borne aloft by a lotus pedestal.zo
In costnme,pose,hau style,lak5a4as,and.other
features,the central Buddha is indistinguishable
frgm many other Buddhas depicted in the sryle
of the northwest. If isolated from the context
of this composition, it would be virtually im-
possible to determine whether he was any one
of a number of Buddhas. He is called both
Amitabha (EndlessLight) and Amitayus (Endles
Life) in Sukhavati texts,zl although thesenames
are also usedin other contexts to reGr to distinct
forms of a single being. The garland or wreath
being held aloft above the head of Amitabhaf
Amitayus signifieshis transcendentstate and his
transcendent knowledge. The concept of the
garland may have been derived fron the Hel-
lenistic world, where such items were used as
symbols of mystical victory. Such wreaths were
known in the northwest region at least since
Saka-Parthiantimes (Fig. 7.9).
One feature of considerableartistic inrerest
on the Mohammed Nari stele is the pair of r-r+E
bannersbeing held aloft by two figures llanking I-F t
the central Buddha. Such bannersare no[ con- t-tu
monly seenin artistic depictions fron the Indic
world in general, yet they may document a
type of painted cloth banner known from
literary sources to have been in widespread Frir:
usagefrom early times. Such bannersmay find l=4
their descendentstn the patas of Nepal or the i tcir (
thang-kasof Tibet. The function of these rwo lb:rsai=
smrll pictures within rhe mein composirion, -1.:r[: r
however, is unclear. .E-1rC-
Although Buddhas and bodhisattvas are the
most commonly porrrayed subjects in tJre
Ku9a4a art of the northwest, a great variety of .G .c::
other personagesis also included in the artistic g.:==
repertoire, Like all sculptures from this vast -::t=.:
region, they exhibit considerablestylistic varia- ;-,=:i
tion. Two important individuals depicted rather :g_ =- ;:
fiequently are Pancika (Fig. 8.25)22 and his

I
t
8.2j. Paflcika.FrornTackal(nearPeshawar),
Pakistan. 8.26. Heriti. From Sikri, Pakistrn. Kusina period.
Kusina peaiod.Schist.H: r8o crn. LahoreMuseun, Schist.H: 9r crn. Lahore Museum, Lahorc.
Lahore.
consort, Heriti (Fig. 8.26). As wealth gods,
Pencika and Heriti derive fron.r the ancient Indic
ydksa arLd.I4&ricults; Pancika is believed to be
a 1a&saking. He is often shown as a corpulent
individual, a characteristic that suggests the
wealth and abundance he symbolizcs. In this
examplc, he wcars princely garb and holds a
spear,but in later art, he may be shown holding
a brg of richcsor a mongoosespcwinggems in
his left hand. Hariti is a protectrcssof children
and is usually shown with five small children
surrounding her, symbolic of her own five
hLrndredchildrcn (in rhis reprcsenrarion. two
figures are missing). I-tsing, a Chinese traveler
who visited India in the seventh century, nar-
NORTHIRN REGIONSUNDER THE KUIANAS I47
lated a story then popular about her that cx-
plains that in a forrncr birth, Hariti had vowed
to eat all the babiesin R.jgir city.z3On hearing
complaints from the inhabitants of Rajgir,
Sakyamuni Buddha hid one of her own fivc
hundred childrcn. As a result, thc grief-stricken
Hariti understood the suffering she had caused
others, mendcd her ways, and converted to
Buddhism. Representationsof Hariti arc com-
rnonly found in Buddhist refectories, and the
donor ofa meal is obligated to offer food to her.
Her presenceis thercfore a daily reminder of
the need for empathy and its result in compas-
sion. As a pair. Pancika.lnd Hdriri reprcscnran
expressionof the desire of the monkhood for
 t46 / F R l o D o l r H r F A R \r D \ \ A \ | l F .
8 . 2 7 .H t r i r i . Frorn Sehri-Ilahlol, Pakistrn. Kulanr
pcriod. Schist. H: r22 .ln. Iresh.wxr Mu\cum, Pcdr,-
thc rratcrial rvcll-being lhrt :rllolvs thcnl to
P u r \ . r cI l s i r r c l i 3 i . , L r ' .r,rl ri r r P c r . .
ln additionto thr:popularsroricsaboutPtncik:r
and H:rriti told to thc Clincsc pilglim or
otherwiscappearingrn Bucllhist litcraturc, thc
trvo rlivinities luvc au esotcric svnrbolisrl.
Pancika is thc kccpcr of thc rvcaldror trcisllrc
of cnliqhtcnr.ncntrvhilc Hariti is thc cnboclilncnt
of thc BrLddhanntrAa (Moficr of Burltlh'rs) end
i s i , l c n r i , . , "l r h , h o j n a y t , n , r r rr.,.rrr . , . l r i ,l r
'1hus,
arc held to bc RrLddhanatrki itscl[.2]
easy to scc in thcsc trvo sclrlpturcsthc two
t t , c . . r r r. i c . p r , ' c t t L i t r
l c v . l s . L l ' . p r p L r. . r . r r ) , 1
rnarrv inlgcs. Thesc tn'o figurcs, rvith thcir
hcavv dr'rpery, traturxlisticposcs, and heft,v
bodics, rcflccr thc chssicelheritrge of Bactro-
Candharaart.
Another imagc, lrom Sahri-Bahlol, elso
dcpictsHariti, birt irr a strikinaly dillcrent lorm
(Fig. f.:7). Thc fisurc has ttrsklikelangs pro-
n,,r:'l. ;, . . , . 1 ' , . 'r . r n rr l r . , r j d
nlav replescntrn early eramplc of thc engry
forrl of Ilariti ucncrellvthought to cxist onlv
. r r r t r ' r t],t l t , r , r . ' r , t r I r r ' c rA . , . r ri r , ' . , . ' " , i.'
Such:rrgrv ftrlms in lercr BLrcldlismend Llinrlu-
r . n l . r i . r ., , i . ' r , , 1r r r r i rL r r , r r r r. .r . rj . r c r i , ( t '
r,rsedto cncomp:rssi1 broxcl rrnge of rcliqious
ancl ;,hilosophcal clcvclopnctts. Thc figure has
four errus.e rare fcatrrrcin I(rrsita ert, elthough
thc use of mr,rltiplebotly parts. cspccirllyamrs
encl hcacls,bccoucs commolr in lluddhisr and
Hildu lrt of succecdinqpcriocLs.Mrrltiarmcd
l l . r r r . c r ' , r n r r \ o l r , , ' a r r r -. ^ i l \ c f K u j . l r . l
kirrgs,notably, the image of Siva on the coins
of Vasudeva,end suchlorms mav lcllcct clcscrip-
tiors in ancicrrt tcxts th.t rcibr to rlanifold
pol.crs and charactcristics of diilcrcnt dcitics.26
Atttibutcs hcLl in thc henclsol Hariti syu.Lbolizc
such treits. lntl it night be sr-rg9cst.-d tlr:rt tirc
$,i11ccul dcnotcsthe l)ionvsiecst:rtcsof ikcrc.l
con\ciou$esstliirt \rctc part of cuirs prcvalcnt
in thc Bectro-Gendhare rcgion; thc tridcnt, lrtr
arlulct urtcrrclcdto rvard oll:ittlchn-rert or
othcr mnilcstations of cvil; the r':rsc, rvhich
is of the y.,rrrro3lrald t1pr. frospcrjty aird rvcll-
bcirq; end the snall child, en urdicetioo oli
Heliri's rolc rs thc "nrothcr" (of lludclhas).
This lrttcr lttributc is rhc pliuurv clcnrcnt of
thc scLrlptLrrc that sugtcststh:rt rhc fiqurc is tcr
bc irLcntificcl rs :r lbrru of Hariti.
Lr edrlition to nrctel erd stonc sculpturcs,
\rorks ltr othcr mcdiil irc also knorvn to hlve'
otistcd rn tlic rrortlrr',cstcluring thc I{usaln
pcriorl. Sonrc of tfrc ivorir's 6'onr thc Bcgrerl
holr.l. for cremplc. nrnst heve becn clrvcri rt
this riurc. Aurolq rhc ruost sfcctrclrl:rr- pieccs
h-orl llcqrarrr xrc thc fr:lgrnclitsof e chcsr ol
co1l.:1.Thc top of thc bor corrsisrs of at lcest
sir sl.rbsof ivorl' th.rt l.c'rc -joincd tolicthcr-to
it is make r, singicsurfacc(Fi.q.8.:S). Th.: dcsicuof
thc covcr inclurlcsan chboriltc borrlcrsurroun.l-
ing a cornpositionoifour l'omcn, tl'o ofsionr
:Lrcpleying lith r bircl. uhilc thc othcr pair is
crrg:rgcrlin toilct prcplrltiorrs. Dcspirc the

8.28. Coffer top. From Bcgran-r,Afghanistan.Kustna period. Ca.
secondcentury. Ivory. 29 X 46.J cn. Kabul Museum, Kabul.
visually harmonious appearanceof the cover,
the composition employs motifs that have
highly disparateorigins. The border is made of
an outer band of a bead-and-reel motif, a
foliate acanthus-vine scroll, and an inner fret
motif. All three of these elements have origins
in the Graeco-Roman world, though thcy were
undoubtedly already well established in the
artistic repertoire of western Asia by thc Kusana
period. In contrast to these Mediterranean
motiG, thc voluptuous womcn, who appear
unclothed except for their jewelry, are strikingly
Indic in concept and form. Their full-hipped,
full-breasted bodies combined with narrow
waists and tapering limbs relate stylistically to
female figures depictedin thc Indic subcontinent
proper around the secondcentury a.o. and may
be compared to cxanples fiom Mathura, Karli,
and Amardvati from that approximate datc.
Their rcscmblancc is so strong to Indic works
NORTHERN REGIONSUNDER THE KUSANAS I4O
of about the secondcentury A.D. that it may bc
suggestedthat this ivory was a product of thc
same period. The combination of classicistic
elementswit-h ones of srricrlyTndicorigin into
such a highly integrated composition is indi-
cative of a nixed cultural heritage alrcady
generationsold, Howcvcr, it is unccrtain whcth-
er the work was produccd in thc Indic sub-
continent proper and latcr transportcd to tl-rc
northwest where it was found at Begram or
whether it was createdin the northwest, perhaps
even at Begram or in the Kapi(a region. The
highly skilled carving of the relief suggeststhat,
in cithcr casc,thc work was the product of a
m a r t c r c r a f t r m a n .H i s . r c c o n r p l i s h n r ei ns t e . -
pccially visible in the intaglio carving of tlc
central figurcs, for thcy arc rcccsscdbelorv thc
surface of the ivory while being very subtly
nodeled with rounded forms that give a sense
of volume to their bodies.
 IJO I'IRIOD Of THE IARLY DYNASTIFS

N o R T H E n N I \ r ) r A : M A T H U R AA r r ll.trlrll Srlrs

Tirc sotrrhcrn cepitel of thc l(usines rves et

MathLrri, rvhcrc artistic pr-olluctloD nr storrc
burgconecl .luring thc pcriod of tlicir rulc. B-v
Kus-ni rilues, Matlrrra cit,v nnrl tts cuvtrons
constitutcclx kil1d ofcLrlturrl unit, lpprorimatcly
cquivalcnt ro somc of thosc in rhc noltlrwcst,
such as G:rrrclhare,S\rat, ^nd Kapi(e. It u'ls b,v
e singlc sitc. but rathcr e vrst collr|lcx
no 11'lcans
focusinq around t]rc motlcrtr tou'u of Mlthura
and surronnding it for e r:rdiLrsof about thirty ::\rr*r=-
kilorueters. Numcrorts sjrcs in thc rcgion. such
ls Mlt, n'hcrc the Kusan:r royi] shrirlc \1as
locetccl, rvcrc irupottltrr end distiuct fc,cuscsof
religious or politic:ii lift. Thc region, l4rilc ,%-_ .'4,.
\.
t
pcrhaps insignific:rnt iD term! of u-rodcru trens- ':. -rt. f,
poltxtiolr, l.as jn encicnt timcs rrtLcr siz,rblc
?
and coulcl rlot be covcrccl in a dev's rvrll' frour
onc cnd to thc othcr. It is lil,cly that ivithin its
.
.::
', c
boundarics thcrc rverc a nonrber of scparatc
rvorkshops drat procluccd sculptLtrcsin tlic local - . :' .: ,r . -.

rcddish Sikri s;rntlstonc rtsccl so cottrnrotrlv et

Mathuri r[rring thc l{irsa]ra period. Thc art oi
Mxthr.rra, thcn, shoulcl not be vicrvccl rs nlono-
lithic. :rs it $'xs probibl,v subject to rrrrny of
thc slrnc vlriltious visibic in thc' lrr of .rn1'
otllrr' nrsjot- complc\. Il.cxosc thc Mrrlrtrri
rcgioll \vl\ \:lckc(i iit varioLrs timcs in historv
inJ hls ncvrl bccrL thororrqhll'cxcrviltc(l, sucll
rlistirrctions erc bt-,r'oud plcsent scholership,
horvevcr. Nt_jtrc of tlic m:rjor it1-chitcctur:tl
nlorlumcllts hlr,-c sLrvivccl itrr.icr, url thc clis-
cussion of the :rlr of M:rthura nrlrst thclcfofc bc
coufint'd to sculptLrrcelrl lrchitcctLu.rLfr:egructrts.
Asirlc from its import:l11ccas rn xrt pro.Luctiotl
ccnter. M.thlrra servcclls l Lilcl of fbtrnt:rinhced
for othcr nortlr Indien rrt schools of thc l{trsan.r
oi Mrthura origirl hxvc bc.lr
pcrio,:1.Sc,-rlptLrrcs
locatious.
founcl at a numbcr of ri'i,lclv clispcrsc-tL
irrcltrcling Sailci, Sernath, xn(l thc nortll\\'.rst.
This suqgcsrstlltt Milthtrr'a \1:ls :Lr1c-\portar ol
lorks of art ;rnd tlrllt rt,lut tler b,: looscly
tcrrnc..l t]rc "Mlt]rttra st1'1,:"scrvcrl rs e rno.lcl {
fbr lrtists lrt other sitcs. Works of ;rrt itr st,l'Jcs
vcrv closcly rclatc.l to thosc of Medrurar. for
S . : 9 . l l l i l r J r l l i r l i r ' si l ( r d h j \ . r t t v ] . " F r o n r S l r r r ) r r h .U t t i L r
el:,inrplc. ir"v" bccn founcl et Ahicchettra. l)rr.lc$. Indj.r. I(usinr pcriorl. Ycrr 3 Krni\ka s rcigD
I(lu(anrbi, Slrnath, end othcr sitcs in nortlt ( ( . , .r . r ) . r : r ) . R t d d i s h s : r n d s t o n IcT. : : S q . s c r r l . S a r n : r r h
India rncl :rsIer eastls Mrhesthatgarh in [3angle S i t c X 4 u s r u r r r .S a r D a r h .

desh. Such works are much morc limited in
number than those fion.r MathLua, suggesting
that Mathur- retained artistic prominence while
other atelicrs were to some extcnt rcfections
of the main ccnter at the Ku;aqa capital.
Mathura school sculptures often share ico-
nographic features with their Kusana-period
counterparts in the northwest. But, for the
most part, they reveal a purcly Indic stylistic
heritage that must havc cvolved independcntly.
One of the most famous examples of the
Mathura style is the so-called "B,4lftsa Bala's
Bodhisattva" (Fig. 8.29). Although this image
was found at Sarnath,not Mathure, it is clearly
refective of the iconographic and stylistic
modes cunent in the Mathura region. Indeed,
it is likely that the work was a product of a
MathurS ateiier sinceit is carved of the reddish
colored sandstone so popularly used there.
Inscriptions on both the sculpture and the stone
post that supported a huge stonc o,rnbrella(chat-
tra; Fig. 8.3o) over the head of the figure reve^l
that it was dedicatedin the third year ofKaniska's
NORTHTRN RIGIONS UNDER THE KU$ANAS 15'
8Jo. Chatlft of "Bhi[s, Bala's
Bodhieftva." Fron Sarnath,
Unar Pradesh, India. Kugar1a
period. Year 3 Kanigka'sreign
(ca. r..o. rz3). Reddishsandstone.
D: 3oj cm. Strnath Site Museum,
reign (ca- a.o. rz3) and was the gift of one
bliftsa (rnonl) named Bala, who is described
asa mastcr ofthe Tipitaka,z? the "tlvee baskets"
or collections of Buddhist canonicalliteraturc.zs
The inscription identifies the figure portrayed
as "thc bodhisattva," but the sculptureis clearly
of a Buddha, as indicated by the costume and
absence of jewelry or other ornanentation.
Tl.re lion between the Get of the figure sug-
geststhxt the image is a representationof Sakya-
muni, since the lion is the symbol of the Sakya
clan into which he was born and since he is
" ,| ,:,
often calledSakyasirhha, rhe Lion oI rhe Sakya..
It may therefore be inferred that thc term
bodhisattva in this context (and on a few similar
imagcs from this approxirnate period) had a
specificmeaning that did not cxclude its use for
Buddha figures.2e
The figure standsin a strictly fiontal position
with no bend or flexion to the body at all. In
this way, as well as in the huge scale of the
work, hc resemblesthe.yak5a figures and carri
bearersof Maurya- and Suiga-period art. Indeed,
I t2 PIRIOD OI IIIL IlAllLY l)TNT^STIES
.r., , r . . . . . 1 . r . . ' r . . lu r . \\r rr' rfl ilr.pr'L.rrl
focus of Coorruresrvlrly"sthcsisthet itnlges of
I}ucltlhes*ere dcrivcd frorl a strictly Indic
sourcc.3OThe llesl.Lvbodv end husky ph,vsique
:rlso sccDlto clt'rivc ftoru thc car'licr hrdic trgrlrc
t . . . r . l , r , r t r . ' . .t r r r , t | ' l ' r i r l , t l ' c n ' r r . ' r ' ' r ,
athlctic-lookinq nralc fisurcs fonncl in thc
sculpturcof thc rlorth.wcst, rvho :rrcolicn poscd
in cl:Lssicistic contralposto fositions.The garlrent
js sinrilrr in t,vpc to tbc princcly garb of rlelc
fiqLrrcsin c:LrlierInclic sculpturcand colrsistsof
e r/lrotl-likc los'cr glrrncnt ,rrr.l :r sash et the
rvrist. Furcly inciscd lines suqllestthc fol.1sol
tirc vcry tlirplurLous,tlin cloth rnd the lbrms
o f t r , ' b o , i . r c , l c - l . v i i L l . r J ' r " L r s lr l , .
clinginq rlrrpcry. As r ruic. lludclha frgurcs
arc not sbo\4;11 $'ith complctcly bere torsosan.l
thus. in contrast to soluc of thc rnalc figurcs
a1rcat1y cncoLinter-erlin thc hrtlic tr:Lrlition,
this figtrrc has a lcrrgth of dr:Lper,vrhat goes
acrosshis lcft shoLrlclcrancl hangs ovcr iris am
irr . ri.. ,'f ',.. f"', i'l ',. I l, .!\l. ^f,l);.
gxrncnt is stendlrd llthouqh not rurivcrsallor
Methun lhr.ldha imagcs ancl rulv rcflcct thc
r r , . i l r g l b . . , l . . n i , . . 1 . ,. ! r f o r r r . - l . , r
Mathula:rt thc tirrc. Altholrgh mrrch clarlaqccl,
thc f:rcc too rcvcels tics to thc Indic tradition
ancl is cher':rctelizeclbr- the rlther stilf sruilc,
u \ - r . r . / ( i . , t . . . . , r ' , 1L ' ' . r ' " r r d . l r , . , vr ' l r . r p .
of drc faceirsclf.His shavcclhc.rd.likc th:rr of ,r
nronk. contrasts u,itfr the coillirrcs of llLrcl,:lha
imeqcsfrorrr thc riortllr.cst.l,rlsarta.,rnc]uclurq
xrI rJ-riii-n7. \\'crc prcscnt. es rvele clong:rted
cerlobcs.,rl] of s.hich rvcrc :rpp.lrcntlvsr:rnclxrd
rttributcs of Brrrl.lli. fieLrrcsrcqerJicssof thc
scLr)ptLrr.r1 tlaclition.The riqht lrnr \fls orlqurll-
ly lrcld irr ahlnyd 1111fir6, es is kno*n lrorn
' r ' . . r , r r ' l . ' . 1 ' , . ' r 1 r ,. . . , r ' . , .I l r .
most con1n1ollqcsf.uc of MathurlL-schoo]Br,rl-
cliu fiqLrr:cs oi drc Kusitrr pcliod. Thc lcft hend
firlms e tight fist uc1 is hcld,rgrilst tlic 1iip. A
halo. nou, lost. rvrs ;'hccJ bc'lln.l thc heed.
Tlrc lrrqc clttlttttl at\cc supportcd abovc thc
' " , . 1. 4 , 1 , . |" 5i ." ," " ' . ',5o ", ", i r ' .' . ,' I '....'- ' ,
"l
encl scrvcs as :r sl.rnbol of rhc transccnclcntvic-
i"ir..,,1 - .' .'- ltr rrr'JcL'id.
,...rr, I r'irl. .,n ^pcr orr. r''r t. r'.rlrc.rl
bcests,and othcr nlotifi, incluclirrg thc rrrrlrrgala,
o r . , ' r . 1i . i o . ' . v r b o l . , f R . , l d r r n l
:,,,.i..-
'te'
.t -.
2
. -a
FI
,
Ir
+
I
T
8.3r. Buddhl imrqc. FrorlrKrlrr. Mithurt, Uftrr l)r-a-
dcsh. india. Kusara pcrnrd. C:r. sccond r:enrury.Mot-
dcd rcdclidrsendstonc. H: 7: cnr. Mathuri Muscnrr,
lvl;Ldlura.
'|
' i i r r r . q . r , . . r I t . l ( t ) i r ) P " r l . , r l ri r t i r '
o \ \ r ' l i n ) , . . r . i r | . . , r r . ll , r t " . z , ^ l r l r c l ' g r r r c
, , ,I t,,,,,- ,.I i.
cortilrilcd iDto lxter centurics. It rvas louncl irr
associxtiorl r,vith e teDth- or elcvcnth ceDtury
platfbrrn, suugcsting that it rv:rs an objcct of
clcvotiori nt lcasr until thxt tiD1e.
A pcrfcctly prcscrvcd cxxnlple of a seated
r]. BtLcldha inrlgc l'as founcl it Ketra in thc M:l-
tlrrra cornplcx (liu. ll.3r). Its inscription rccorcLs
thrt it rvrs rlc.liceted bv Anloht-,rsi, a llucldliist
nrur. "for thc wcllirc aud happincss of ell
scnticnt bcings."tl In this gcncrous rvish, the
strtclrent clcarly crpresses a Meharvarnist sctrti-
rcilr.o,r. rl 'r 'rrrd.l, rrr.ri, t'c.ir'.r"vr:n5
Marhura cpigraphs, inclucling thc "Brla lodhi-
s.ttv." in.rgc jrrst discussecl.It is based or-i thc
belief tlrrt Ne t (/n)tn) ncccl not bc carnccl by
:rn in.lividuel but c:rrr be trensflrred to him bv
xnothcr who hlcl g;:riucclit through variorrs
 NORTHERN REGIONSUNDER THE KUIAI'-IAS IJt

on the right raising his arm in a g€sture of

resp€ct. Serving as attendants,the bodhisattvas
are smaller in scale than the Buddha and each
holds a cauri in his dght hand. As in the north-
west, bodhisattvas at Mathura are shown as
princely types, adorned with jewelry and head-
dresses.Although the identification of the two
figures is not certain, they are diferentiated by
their necklaces and turban ornaments. Better
preservedthan the Bhik;u Bala image, it exhibits
the crisolv carved facial features and other
details that demonstrate the high quality of
craftsmanship of the Mathura workshops during
the Ku:e+a period, though the images are
srylistically very close. The Katra figure has a
shaved head with an u5ryt5athat resembles the
kaparda(a type of sea shell). Becauseof this,
some scholarshave referred to this and similar
images as being of the kapadix type.3z
A second well-preserved image of a seated
Buddha was found at Ahicchattre but is made
of the reddish sandstoneused at Mathura and
is tllerefore probably a product of a Mathura
workshop (Fig. 8.32). Its inscription revealsthat
8.32.Buddhaimage.FromAhicchattra, ljtlar Ptadesh, it was the gift of the Bli&pi Virar.ra for the
India. Kuse4eperiod.Year 32, possiblyKaniskaera benedt and happinessof "all teacherstogether
(ca.A.D.rJ2).Motded reddishsandstone. H: 67.3cm.
NationalMuseurn,New Delhi. with elderly irawayas and disciples,"33a less
universal wish than that of the Amoha-asi
inscription, but still Mahayanist. The inscription
rneans. Indeed, the acquisition of merit (and is dated in the year thirty-two of what is pre-
the redistribution of it) rnay have been a major sumed to be the Kaniska era. Since Kaniqka
goal of the donors and patrons who were ruled for only twenty-six years, this date falls
responsible for the creation of works of art within the reign of his successor,Huviska, and
throughout the history of Mahayana Buddhism. is probably equivalent to around a,o. r5z.
Although the inscription is undatep, the image The image is similar in sryle and format to
is generally thought to have been made during the Amoha-asi sculpture, though the pieces
the second century A.D. are clearly not identical. A difference in Bud-
The format of the sculpture is of a type that dhological messageis suggestedby the presence
became standard in Kusala and post-Kuqa4a ofa scene,perhapsthe worship ofa tree, beneatJr
Buddhist art. A central, large Buddha sits on a the seatedBuddha. Furthermore, here the two
sithhasana(lion throne) with his feet in vajrapar- bodhisatwas attending the central Buddha are
yaibasara and his right har'd in abheya uudra. clearly identifiable as two bodhisattvas who
Behind his head is a large halo with scalloped appear extensively in Buddhist art, VajraPaqi,
edges represcnting fame or light and above to the Buddha's right, and Avalokite{vara, in
this is a portion of a precisely rendered ptpal his Padmapar.riform, to his left. Each is recog-
tree. Flanling the seatedfigure are two standing nized by the attribute held in his right hand,
bodhisattvas,while above, a pair of vidyadharas a rajra in the caseof Vajrapani (Bearer of the
fly towards the center of the stele, the one to Vajra) and a padna (lotus) in the case of Pad-
the left carrying a bowl of gems and the one mapani (Bearer of the Lotus). Vajrapaqi is
 l;,1 P f R T o Do F l H l lA.ll\ Lr\\A.lll\

t;
{1 {,

8.:.1.Lil. Evcntsof Srky.rmuDiBuddha.From R{sh.t, Mdhur.,

Utter Prrdesh,Lrclia.Ktrsan.r
pcriod.Cr. scc.mdccrrlurv.Motr]cd
reddishsaldstolc.H: 6j .n1. Nfu.huraMuscunr l\'l:rrhrrri.

drcsscdiis xn ascctic!rr'ith l short kilt entl rvhet rlrrrchnlorc rcccntbtlt corrHictitqrrsegcs. In one
ippcxrs to bc an lnimll sliiD riccl lbout his larcr tr:Ltlition-thc lrryrnsr mbolizcs2raliiaancl
sl.Loulde rs. On his hc,rJ is r u rerdr, thc Hcl- rhc lotLrscl,-'rrotcs lrrrrlr;i, rvhilc in enothcr,the
lenisticsr.mbol ofvictor),. tunci t.idc1,vin the prrrlrrrrrrs r'quivelc\1tto fniitj lntl thc r,ryrn
art of the northwcst .lthougli rilre 1n uorth- rcprc\cntsthc skilllirl n1c:iD\(,lrl.7) of implc-
ccntral:rnLlnorlhcrlr Irr(lir et rhis timc. Peclnre- lrrcrtting [,]r"rr.iil Prcrcur Lno\,lc11gcabout
pati is gerbc,1rs rn In.lic princc. cllbor:rtcl1 Inclic MeharyanetsLrdclhisnr cluring thc I(ns-nl
l . ' . r , j , d . ' r r . rl r r r ' L r r r 'l. I r. ' r ' , r ( . , r r ' . , u r e pcriod nrllics it impossiblcto csr:rblislr lfiich
r l r . . r l . . r , r l r d i , r . r . . r rr l r , \ j . r r r r . . , . . r. , r . oi thc-sc urclninqs is prescnt, or rvhcthcl the
is nonrrellv PlrLllplni rvho is sholrr ls thc collflqulxtioll it thc Ahicch:rttrarstclc cotlvc_vs
ilsccticxnLlVejrapllli rs thc princc. lr
] . . ' t " t r .r ' , . r . r r r . ' r rl .r , I r r r i , L J r r . l , r i , ,
\rajrapini is tht- pcrsonihcetionof l'isdonr lhich is bclievcd ro heve ha.l origins et lc:rst
(proyra),rvhich is corrc.-ivcclof ,rs onc hrlf of xs cuh,:is the KLrsenl pcriod, thc lofra also
thc st:Ltt- of llo.l,.l]rehoorl. Pldureptnr.lJ l rn:rlr- svubolizcs thc nelc nrcnrLrcr', l.hich mrrst bc
festltior of Avalol<itcir'.rrl.pclsonifies conr- combincd rvith tbe firnrlc mcrnbcr. thc lotrrs,
passion(Aorrrrrn), thc othcr helf oi IlLrcLrlhehoocl. in orclcrto errriu thc finel relliz:rtiorr.
Through the ruc,:Lit:rtionllcrpcricnce o{ thc The pilttcrn of lrevirrqonc of rhc boclhisetn'ls
rnily of tirr'sct\r'o conrpoDcnts. thc sr:lteof L'D- llanLirrq e Burltlha clcpictctlas :r xsceticlld
helrtcnrncnt(1.,01/ri). or RLrddhrh.oorl. is rchicvccl. thc othcr as I rovrl plincc (r-ilrrrrr-r)bccorrrcs
Tlrc er:rct rncilnillg of thc lc1ra encl ?dlutt ,1t- stendarclin Mehat'arrellLrrlLlhisrrrt flon thc
' r . L r c . l r ,I I I r r r . L ' ' ' . | I ' . ' L r \ r. |. n r . . . . Kus-ne
lroh periocl on. Solrictirlcs it is tliiicLrlt to
:rsiillv illtcrprctxtionsnlust bc c\trapolut(]dliont dctcrminc whcthcr' thcsc ligulcs arc botlhi-
 NORTHERN REGIONSUNDTR THE KUSANAS I (5

sattvas or the two Brahnanical gods, Indra,

who is usually shown as a royal figure, and
Brahma, who is gcncrally depicted as an ascetic,
and who also flank Buddha figures (P1.4, Fig.
7.rr). It is likely that a deliberate overlapping
of meaning is intended, for uahasattuabodhi-
sattvasreside as kings of heaven prior to their
final incarnations, and Indra and Brahma are
also kings of heaven. Furthermore, it is likely
that the dual gods, Indra and Brahn.re, served
as partial protofypes for the paired nahdsattua
bodhisrttv.rpattem evidencedhcre.
As in the no.rthwestduring the Ku;apa period,
liG scenesof Sakyamuni Buddha were depicted
at Mathura during the secondand third centuries,
although in much rnote limitcd numbers. At
Mathura, the events are generally shown in
highJy abbrcviaredfashionand the repertoireis
usually limited to major events rather than the
more comprehensivenarative treatment that oc-
curred in the northwcst. Thesefeaturesare clearly
visible in a relief found at Rajghat, Mathura,
which includes {ive major events in the life of
S a k y a m u n i( F i g . 8 . 3 3 ) . t h c s c e n e so, r r a n g e d
acrossthe upper half of the slab and from right
to left, include the birth, the Marcuijaya, the
descentfrom Trsyastrirh(a heaven, a preaching
scene, and tlrc pari irfira. Bclow each scene,
subsidiary elements related to the events are
depicted. Curiously, these sccm to be given
great emphasis in the composition since they
occupy nearly thc whole lower half of the
relief, though this may have been a result of
thc formar of the relief rnd rhc intenrion to
include all five subjectsin a single row. Each of
the sceneshas fewer participants in it than are
8.34.BodhisxttvaMaitreya.From Ahicchattra,Uttar
generally included in approximately contem-
Pradcsh,India. Ku9e4aperiod. Ca- secondcentury.
poraneous dcpictions from the northwcst (Figs. Rcddishsandstone.H: 67.J cm. NationalMuseun,
8.r7,82r-4). New Delhi.
A number of specific bodhisattvasarc idcn-
tifiable in the art of the Mathura school. In ad-
dition to PadrrapSni and Vajrapani, who may strictly as a bodhisattva (Fig. 8.i5), or as a
appear il scparatesculptures or as attcndants Buddha, in this example he seemsto combine
to Buddha {igures, as in the stele from Ahic- aspects of both. The snail-shell-like curls on
chattra (Fig. 8.32), Maitreya, the Buddha of the his head are a featurc found on many Mathura-
next age, appearsin chc Mathura repcrtoire. school Buddhas and rnay bc an indication of
One representation,which was found at Ahic- his imminent Buddhahood. The absenceof a
chrtrra.is idcnri{icdasMritreya by ir. inscription turban or crown may be further indications
(Fig. 8.3a).s Though Maitreya may be shown of his Brrddha-nature. However, his attire, in-
I iiJ l)l:Rl()ll ()i llil l \lll r, l)\ l\r\lTil 5

s . j r . . 5 r i l r r , ir . r r l i n g . F r . i l r ! h u -
t.i, rr.r, l1.thLrr,l Lltr.rr l'jr.rJLsh,
ln(ii:r. Ku\in.r pfriit,d. Cr. scctDd
t t u n r r r . l t c d C i t l r s r r r d \ ( o r r cl.l :
rrr rnr. Iurli.ur lhrscLLrr, ClrLl-

s . r . . l i . r r j l , f r 3 r r r ' , :, r r . t r r i r a r : r i t -
r)1, I irrr,r
t,ir,r! lrr,r({.\I]. l1rdi,r. Kus.rlu
pL.-LoL1. Cl. sccorLLccrt,.rrr'. llcri-
rL,sl,,l,clsLo:rr. lnJilr \1uscLrn1.
(l;rlcltt.r.

c l L r J l r q1 , i . , l , i : r ' . t r t r p L c r Loi i L ,r r l h i s , r t v r l s . I r'. tpir /llr.,

l h c . . L s :l r . l J i r l r i . l c l t t r . r r irl ' , r r r t i r l r h , l : , r .o1rlbi11rrri.r1
.111.1
rhc pLirposc ,rn.L rur',rrrillq ol
- ri'r
. : t r f i L , L i rlflsr . r : : , l ,n r i l . , i r 4 . r i r l c r . rI. h r s t rl c , r i ,l . , . ,1 i.. ,,
tlrc lr,il u i t l r t ' r c t l c : l L r " 1 i , 1 1 - ' o , , , ifi icq, L1 r r c nrcir: hr!c !re\'ar Lraar s.Lri\f
:Lcroril! c-rf l rlinc(1.
.rlil -,1r,.ir.r1,hrror:r. c-inrtLrrq .il-iprrr. rs tlpic.rl 1 ) o s s i b i r ' r. l r r ' i o . , i r q c o , . r p l c .e b o v c s v n r b o l i z e
LritLc' irirLrhLrll lalroal .l\ irI.r tilisr,rl ttl tltrl-lhclll 1,jil/rrr!r)Lhc .olrcrepi ol Lrrrioubcl\vrcrr thc rurl.:
In,r.ie.i)thcl r c e i u L l s . s L r t : i rr l J t h a . t i l i . l l o l t l f . l rn(l t,rnrll. lrin(lflcs. crlLrivrlclrr to (no\-!icdgc
l-r()st-.r'.. tlrr liqlrf hrnrl tlitcrl JL,irlrlcr hiqh ,Ln.i corrrir,rssionin llLrri.lhist tlLoirglrt. l-hi1c rhc
i n a l l i , t ) , , i , ' r t t , i .rri l, r l r l , s c r l l o I c dl r r l . r l i r r t h c r iinelc iiqLu.'s rlorrc rliglrt bc "olli'rcci" rs thc
rc|rta iire \.,arfl n) IiLt!.tlt.11)cri.'ii .\trllPl!-s o t l r t - ti r i l f o i d r c L l D i t \ ' . o t h e r l c l o t c t . A l t i r o u q h
l r o n r l \ 1 . r r h L r rl'n. r l r c L . r r c ,sl i t c s . i]rcrc tr onrcl -ilc clc:Lfl\. lrot .rsso.::il1c(i\\.it]r
Nurrcr',,r1. otlicr sLii-.jcctrL,csi,1,'rllLrrL.llns tlcc\, lha! rr'a renrin;sccrt rrl_ rhc 1,alr-Lis lnri
;Ll|(, |.rlllts.l!i!rj .rfc (li'l)ii:1..1 iI Lri:rr|rrra .ilrl)c.1r'ir)g on c;rrlicI llLrrlclhist
1,vl-!.1,/11,,r1,r-r
s.uLLrtlirf ol ihr: liLrirD.r ffrioLL. At iJlilrLri,,.err. nla!rLlrn.11ts.rrith rhcir bro.rd hips. llrgc roLrril
.. L .,.1 . ,,1 ,t.r,r .,.,
r ) c , r r M . L l h L r i i l. l l \ . . l f i a h l ) ' J e c ( r r r t , ' . i s t o t l e
r.ri.irLg rrrr fir- rrl i[ .rsroci.rrio]r1\ illl l!_.1-qlucrll\ ol lLirnrl:rrrr:c.r1r(lILritilrLllcss.!lech srenrlsin e
l.rl:'l rliFlrcnr l,orc rLnrlis cnqrrgcrl1r1iur.rcti\.i!-\',sLrdl
saDirtiolr\ ol_ r'oirrltrtc,its 11()llrall ill c.lrLlilL .rs .rLijLrstinq.r ncc[]rcc or pl.rvirq rrjtlr ;r bir',ri.
posfs sf.'.ir(liirqrtop J\\.rrllil. iisurcs ri lrilc T h c l i E u r t r \ \ . l r v i r t L r r l i \ :n o c l o t h i r l q b L r r i r r c
,1rr!)rr)Lrs.ouIrl('s.1.rl,rirr brlr,,ttic-.,-,l.,rlciFig-.. .1(l()rn!'.1 \1ith hc:rvr, qirrllcs. rlccklrccs- rnklct\.
l'.j S. li.jOi. (lrr rh,: l.'r'lr-s.roi tlrc l)(r\ts,ltti/i,1 .rn,l bllceletr.

.;.r9.
li
l,
$ 11.37.
?
- ---1:
A number of sculpturcd supports for large
stone bowls havc bccn found at Mathuri. As a
type of object, they have been little studied;
however, imagcs supporting bowls are known
at least since the Sunga pcriod, such as the
dwarf from Pitalkhora(Fig. :.1:), although the
NORTHE]INREG]ONSUNDXITTHE KUSANAS 157
Rcvcrscsidc of strparailing. FrorDBhiitcivara,
Mathura,Urtar Predesh,India. Ku5a4aper.iod.Ca.
sccondccnlury.Rcddishsendstone-
Muscurrr,
Calcutta.
H: r5I cr)r.Lrdiar
practicc of uraking thcsc objccts sccms to have
died out by thc cncl of thc Ktsana period.
Pcrl-Laps thc boq'ls u'crc uscd to rcceive dona-
tions fronr visitors to Buddhist cstablisl.Lnrents,
but since nonc of these has bccn lorurcl in con-
rext, thcir purposc can oniy be surmisccl.Thcsc
o b J C c t.sr c g c n r r ' l 1 1ryb o r r t . , r r r e L cnr r l r ,i s i r r
and, if not raiscd on a platforn.L,rvoulcl be at an
appropriate level for an alms borvl. Trvo basic
formats for such bowi supports arc found at
M , t l r r r r : r r. h c l r r s rl L . , r i n g. r . r r r q l ef i g r r r .c i t l r c r
frcc-standing or backed by a cohrlnn and sup-
portiDg x bowl on thc hcad (Fig. 8.38)and the
secondsl-rolvinggroups of figurcs in tr,vo rclicft
forming a front and back to thc objcct (Fig.
8 . 3e ) .
Thc rvoman in Figure 8.38 is generally iden-
tificcl as Sri Laksm, thc soddcss of rvcalth and
prosperity. Indeed, abr-rnclance ancl fertility are
clearly suggesteclin thc scnlpture. However,
ties to Laksmi arc opcn to qucstion. Thc wonan
 IJ6 IIRIOD O| TI]I IARL\ 1]YNASTIES

l
{];
E
E

s . : S . L J o \ 1 1r u t f . ( ! t i n r L , r r r r f L c n I l t i l : : L r r r . l r r u r , r n d b , r c k r i c r i s
l - r , r r 1 I l i r h L , f r , r I L L I l ' j r . r L l L , hL. r d i , r . l i , r . r r r . r p c L i o d . C . r . * . c o r d
. L ' n t L r r ! l , 1 o ( l c , : l , L . J c l i J r: : n , L l r t r , , r cl l : L . i , r . \ r r i L r , . r l \ . 1 u s c u , r ,
Ncr l)clhi.

st.rndsor1t$'o lotus buclsth:rt risc oLrlol .r r.lsc oLrr ol rlic r..rsc(Fiq. l.3ii. bick) suggtsts ilbLLrL-
oi lrldlty \pnrnqlnta). Hcr rpp.rrcrt iccundirr. ,{lnc,:. rnd probrblv is elro l rcli.rclcc to rcbirih
is indicrtcd br' hcr riqlrt h.rncl.thicli hol.ls e rn,.l thc trrusccrrclr-rrt st:rtc.llj I)erc-_ocks trhibitinll
tvfc oi ffuit .r1r.lpoillts rlirccrlr.to hcI qc0irll t h c l o r u s r , i n c s s v n r b o l i z ci t u n o r t r l i t v , . r n : r s -
: r r c r .r r l i l L ' h c r l e f t l i l l n d h o l J s h c r b r c , r s r , risi socirti()n srLqq('stcrlus c:rrlv rs the protohistoric
to olli'r milk. Shc thLrsbeconresl sr rnbol oi pcrio(l b\ tlr.ir lrcscrlcar orr ltr[crerv oLrjccrsi]?
.r, I.r.1.t,, ,,t l. yt. . rr rn.1 possiblv rfhicd to rll' ctrlt of Arnitrbhe/
o[ ]otLrs blossorDs umi.l lclvcs l n c l l - . L r . 1 .sr r i s i r r q 1\nrit.rvrrr. sirrce the pc;rcock is thc la/rorra of
 NORTHTRN RXGIONSUNDER TIIT KUSANAS .r 50

8.39.Bowl suppor. in form ofdouble-sidcd rclicl From Palikhert,

Mathura, Uttar Pradcsh,India. Kustna period. Ca. secondcentury.
Mottled rcddish sandstonc.H: 106 cm. Marhura Muscum. Ma-

this Buddha, who represents immortality in India by dre first century a.o. (or earlier), as
Buddhist thought. evidenced in art, and it has continued in some
The double-sided bowl support frorn Pehk- cults to the present day. Its use was not limited
hega, Mathura, shows the 1a&scKubera being to Buddhism, but is found also in Saivite and
served wine (specifically,grape wine, indicated other religious sects. Since consumption of
by the grapes held by the figure at the left) by inebriating beveragesis mcntioned in the Vcdas,
figures in Hellenistic garb on one side (Fig. it is possiblethat the Dionysiac imagery brought
8.39, lef$, while on the other, an apparently into thc Indic rcgion from thc wcst during thc
inebriated Kubera is supported by attendants pre-Kugana and Ku5a4a periods might have
(Fig. 8.39, right). Although early scholarsfound only reinforced certain developmentsthat were
it difiicult to accept the consumption of wine already visible in certain segn.rcntsofthe socicty.
in what may be a Buddhist relief, the Grcck- Kubera (Fig. 8.39, left) sits in a posture of royal
style garments suggestinfluence from the wcst easc(lalitasau) and is fittingly corpulcnt. Al-
and the presenceof Dionysiac rites in which though his attendantsare clad in foreign garb,
the transformationof the tclf into an ecst.rric they are clearly within the Mathura stylistic
state brought on by winc was a major element idiom, as is seen especially in the method of
in achieving transcendcnt realization. Ritual incising drapery folds and in the facial fbatures.
drinking of wine becameiurporrant in ancient

N o r . r - B u o o H t s r S c u l p r r -R EA T M A T H U R A

Whilc Buddhist sculptures prcdon.fnate within
tl.re material from Mathura, Hindu and Jain
irnages are found as well. An image of Kartti-
keya, asidentified by inscription, also known as
Skanda Saktidhara(Skanda,Bearer of the 3atri,
or Spear) from Kankali Til-, Mathura, is dated
in the ycar elcven of what is presumed to be
the Kaniska era (Fig. 8.4o).38In style, clothing,
jewclry, and stance, it is virtually identical to
typical bodhisattva figures fiom Mathura of
 roJ l , t : t U u l r[ ] l l ] l t | \ R 1 \ Lr\\f\l ll\

that Sivr .rll.cers Iopul.ulv ou Kns;rrn coins.

F L r r t h c rb. y t h . r ti i u r . - .r l e r t o f t h c n r . r i nc l c n r e n t s
of his rconoqlrpht l'r'r-,r eir'.:,11-r u'ill cstr[,lis]rc.l
in ert. inclLrrlirrqllrl.tasyrrrbolisnr.Ir l het l.otLlcl
L:Lvc bct:u tirc ccutcr oi thc lirqrrrcrrr l'hor
rr}olc i-. e .ri1J,dc(u(i\tinq of .rr crcct phrllrrs
trrl(LcrI rr{rc. both oir rr'hii:h rr., sL,r'l,runclcJbr.

-. ': e rlr/i|a. Attcn.lirq dris shrinr: is l qroLrp of

',1
,'i lrLnrrerrtorsoccl lcogLvphs thet brinq grrllrncls-
,,
doNc|s- u]lc]pl:Lttcrsoi olli'r ilus. 1'his prrrriculllt
t1'pc ol r:onrpc'srrcIqLrrc is ulrirrr:Ltcll dclivcrl
," . lr.,r.r 1t rll i q.l.'
nrcnicl 9crio11, bLrr br-rbc l(rrs:Lll pcriorl. rhL:r'
,*"-.
l crc r1r'ctci1'rtrirrtcgrll 1,.Lrroithi: ItitLici(Lio1n.
Fulthcr jnllur:ncL:llool fhc rrortir!\'c\r rcglons
is scL:uirr e r.frcscntrrior ol- Srrrvn. thc sLrnqocL,
florr Iiri.rLali lila, Mrthura (Fiq. 8.1:). WIi1c:
thc icoroqr:rp1tv oi SrlLl.r is llor n.\\' tr this tinrc.
fot Siilr.r is krrorirr in lifcrlrurc sincr:tir, V,.rlls
lttcl occrls irr prc-Iiusenlr aft. ihis i1l_r.irlcl1-
litstr-lr.-sthc colrrriirqlilrg o1_e conrplc.i s.:rics
''l'.rri:i'.ll
teclrc. cuii:rn. boots ol th,' luriru sn1c, :urcl
rrcPrc\cnt]liol1 oi riI lr:Lnirn-n'|.: Irc rkar'
clrrccl in lol- rclicf on thc soclc clcrrlr. br-trrv
JLuujrr soLrLr:cs.-t\ cLorrblc(ro11r (:or1si\Lirrqof
tLc- irTlct -sulrrr,-rturtccL
bt. :r n lcerh ol lictor\. is
_,....1.,,,..r1r,r.. !t
th.rt ur,loLrbrcclh' \\'r.ra i[:Lrrinriftcd to .lr1cic1]t ,\
S . 1 o .K r f r t j k c \ r . F r o r r K i r k a L ' 1 r l a . i \ 1 x t h l r r a U , llilr
I u d l r L t h l o u g h I r r r i : u r i c o r r o g r - r L I l r i cosi r l L c
l ' r . r d c s h ,1 n J r . r .K u s r n : r l ) . r ' . d . Y ! . t r r r : p o r s i L , l rI ( r n i s k . r
c r r ( . : l . r . r ) . i l r ) . , \ 1 o f t 1 . . 1r e d d i s h s , r n . 1 s r , r c . l l : f i 3
Prrrhiln pcliocl.'lno lrorseso . nc to citbcr siclc
o i S r i r v r ' st . c t , s \ ' r r l b o i i . r i l \ 'f . L r Ll rl j \ c h x f i o r o r l
,l
c r f . \ L l r u r i i t l L : s c L r u rN. l . r t h u r . r .
l i s L | i 1 r . m o n t h l v , : r n c lr r - . u l l j o u n r c r s r h r - o u q h
t[e hcrrvcns. Tll croLrclrirs p,r'ition oi ihr-
cLc-itvruqgcsts rh.ri hc is irLrlccdscercr[]n hir sLrrr
rborrt tliL: sunrc time. Thouqh liirttil,cr,a ',,,as L:herioL. Sculpturelll, thc inuge l:t1ls r:1,:erl1-
( . ! ' r ' . r r , . - p . r , 1 . ' r i r. r i 1 1 ; 1 . . ' r r r ' . , , 1 t irhirr rhc scopc of Kus.rll-pcr iorl irfLiLfMxfLur-i.
:l\ I soiL of Sivl. hc rrrlt' iuvc hrLcll srlrlrlfc rraL .1 sLr(riq r!scltlblxucL-to thc rolei Iorrr.rirs
cLLILrt r,his .1etc. pcrlreps rclated to l,rli.nl \\'or l rI lVl.L \irr l rr l5 L \ lllLltl

ship. (lotisi,ir:rrbl,.'cr,irlcrtcc6i rtrorq

Arr rfclitLrc:tLlrirlurqrrr.:lt fi:om lJlu-iteivere,
Mrthurl, olli:s itLn docunrr:ntriion c,f phlllrLs
(lirga) rvorsliip. .u1rl illLlsLrltc\ l surcrctisnr oi
\l.cstcfr1 Asixti(- lrlcrtili rrrrl lrr.lic rcligious
i h o u g h t ( F i g . S . 4 r ) . S i n r : ep h , r l l i cc u l t s i u S o u t h
A,i.r .' - r'r .
lik.l r .r ,' r. .l. r i r'r. ) 'r " r. r, l 'l
t:LDca1vls givcrr to Sivl rlLrrirrgthc Kusaril pc-
rirxl. Tliis \Lrqgc\tior is rcinl-orccclby t|c lir:t
J:Lirr'cligioLis
:rclititf ilt Mlthrrlri ,:lLrlilg t]rc 1(Lrq:rnepcriori
is iourrl in scLrlprLrr.rl arlrLiir.!gmlnr:rf\'' irfaliitca-
turel rL'nr;rirs. TlLc li,rnkr.rlr Iilrr tir p:rtriculrr
sccrls tLr hn'r' bc.rr rrcrctl to thc J.rins .rs cri-
d c n c c r iL r r t l l c n r r t ( r r i i L ltsi r u t l r . r v cc o n r c t o l i g l r t
irl siL ir . rhcrc, rltlronqh Jliu oLrycctrlnlc b,:cn firrLrriL
t l r o L r q h o L r t i r r :M a r h L r r t r c q i o n . A - J l i n s c L r l p r u t , r
(1i1tc.ll) tlr(j t]rirrr-fift1r ,.,clr ol r.,lr:rtis belicv.:ci
to ba lr sccold KLrsanlcL.r.givilg r rierc oi.rboLrt
 NOR'IIILIIN RLC]ONS LTNI)]]ItIIIL I{L'S,{NAS 16I

, \ . . r r .A r c h i t c c t L r r : r11rx g n r c n t s b o \ \ ' i n q c f \ h r i n c . L l i r : { . r .F r o , r 1 l 1 , L r L . i
lara. MrthLrrr. LLrur Irirdcsh, lldir. I(usrnr fcri(id. Clr. \.c(!rL1
c c n t u n . I l c d d r s h r l r t l s L r r r r - .r j , . 7 7 ( r l . \ l . 1 t t r L u r N l L r ' c u u r , \ 1 : r

:,:.

$:

s..1r. Siirrr. Fro,r Krnk.h lr1:r. N1:tLhLrll1, UtLrr

Prrdcsh, Inrlir. Ku\rrir tcriod. (l;r. scconrlccnnrrv-
ltcddi-drsrrdstolc. ll: .j7 fnr. Nliihur. i\'lu\c1rr),i\4ir-
thrLfu.

A.D. f,Jj lirr thc rnraqc.!!) shows iolrr st.ndinq

tlttlrdlil:dnt!(Tirias)olc ou e.rch siLlcof :L ccillrrl
(Iiiq. s.'13). lhc clorirrg lrtrc of rhc irrscri|-
g.i11.rL
tiorr inrlicltr:s th,rt tlis rtork ues clctlic'rrc,Llirr
thc happiness etcl uclilt.: of eJl crr:rturts, thLts
8.+r. l'jrlhr niLh sr.rnriingriirld,llrf.r-r. lr(i,,, I{irnkrl,
ilclicatirrq i1 v('Iv closc p.rr:illcl ir1 theolcticll 'lrll.
\ ' 1 . r i h L r r a ,U r t i r f l ' j r r d . \ l r , I r . i i r . K u \ a r : r p r n o , i .
dr:vclopnrr:rrt,.b,-:twccn lluddlrisrn :rrrr1-l:rittisur. Yc:rr 3r (oi sccondI{urrnr cr:r? of tr. r.r). r\j:)
Nudc, iu cllrrtrilsr to thc :rlrrels q,rrbcrl Ilcddi,h srnd.t,,rr II: :;-.; c,,r N1:rdn,r \1,ri.rur)t,
llLrclcllrisL1rgnrc,q, thc ttrthoikarts rrc cli-rrur- \lrrlrnrr.
I62 I,IITIOD OIi TIII FAIII.Y D\.NASTIES
3.,14. Jiirl tifl,,?rlA,ir,1- Fronl Nlxlhurx resic!), Ullllr
I']rrdcsh, Lrrlir. KLrsrna pcdod Cr. drird cctltr.rr\,. lvlot-
rlcd rcdclsh s.lrdsrorc. H: r; c,r. NlrdrLrrr iluscunr,
guishedprimarily by tire cmbli:ms tllrt appc.rr
orr thcir chcsts.Each frirure stands stiifly, rvidr
arnrs xt his sitl:s. lhc o\,crrlollgilrDrs arc xlr
iconographic icaturc of thc jirras (es rvcll es
Coxcr-usroi.r
'Ihc
rcliqior.rsencl artisric.lcvclopmcntsof the
KuslnrL period, richlv rurtrLlcd by Inclic and
non-hrclictreclitiols, tredc a llsLiriq uulli on
thc di:vcloprrcnt of SoLrth Asietr crlltule. A
qrclt vxrict,v of iconogr:rphictbrmulltions rrs
\,1 .r. .l\ t.tr. c..li: l.rl. l. .rr. prr, r'r ir
Kusenl art. elrhorrghthc untlclst:rnclitrq
ol thcscr
BLrclclhas), \1.hoscxnns ,rrc s.tpposc.lto rcach
to thcir knccs.Likc Rnclclhas, l/rtashavcrlistcnded
cerlobcs,meY hxvc trrr-s :rnrl othcr distinctive
ttrxrks or cheractcristics. Altholreh thc liqurcs
arc !omc\\:hxt still-end elvkrvarcl,thcy too f^ll
rvirhir-r thc splr.t. ,rf l(usatra ert of Metlrr ra.
1'ossibll. tlic sDrooth contours of thc bocl,v
anticiprltc dcvclopmcnts of thc carly Cupta
l,
, .', ,, rl i'. r ( r r U r \ . i . , 1 .. l : r L L . t \ . r t r " r . i -
tior:rl phescbct*ccu thc nrrin Kusanxclcvclop-
n-rcrrts lltl thoseofthc Gupta pcriod.
A scarcdirgurc of :r .]:rin ttlltaikara shorvsthc
closc'rclatiorrslripbcnvr:cn l'iuddhist anrl Jrin
lor-rnLrietiors (Fiq. 8.aa).Esccpr for tlie nr.rditl
r-riclthc crublcn that lppcars oir his chcst, dris
l r ' ' r r . r ' i g l I L , n . i \ r . . k , rt r" r Bi'ldlr,. l]rc
posturc,rrrrrrlr-, liotr tluone, urtl dcvotci'sbclorl
rll nrjght occur in the cascof a lSuclclhist inugc.
The closc plr:rllclism scen in thc cloctrincs,
livcs, lnci rcligions of thc t$o colrfclrporlics,
\ . , 1r . r t r r . .. . 1I M r l r v r rr . . ( . r l \ l , r ^ r r t r r , r ' .
i ' r l . r ,r ^ l r , r .r r ' ' r ' 1 , r . . p . . t r r . r , ' i v i ^ r r .
rncl thcir':rlr tre.litions.Possiblvelsorleti[g Ii-oni
thc thirtl ccntrrry, this inugc sholvs thc s.nrc
stiffircss errclrngul:rrit-vof thc prcct:cling cxlnrplc-
WlLile this is in part a rcflcction of stylistic
considcretions of thc tirrc, rt bccourcsa cher-
ectcristicoiJein iirt rn pltrtrcular.Til thc post-
U r i t 1 ' r r ' ' r . J t t ti t r . r 3 ". , l t q rl r ' ' ' , .' s c o l r ' i ,
siuiplicitt en.l en ebstrlctiotrmtrch grcrtcr th.in
rhrr sccoir tirc :rrt of orhr-rscctsin Soutb Asil.
J c r c l o p r l c n t s i s s t i l l i n i t t i n f r t r c v .Y c t . i t c e n n o t
bc ,lcniL-'clthrt both iconogrephr rud stvle ot'
1 . , rr . I r ' , r ' , f f r^ol Lr ' tl . I r r ,r i ' r .t' p
oi thc l(Lrsine llrit.rgc. ls ccftilirl pittarrn\ xf-
p.rfcrlt fiom th:Lt tirtc tctD:ritictl st.itrcl.rr',.1 \\'hilcr
otllr'fs servecl rs thc sturLitrq poitrt firr' rvhet
*oL,ld br:comc e rich encl vericd rrlrlition.
.
CIIAPTER NINE

i
I Regional Developments in the Deccan
(ca. Secondand Third Centuries)

Tne WrsrrnN Drccew Cavrs

The important artistic developrnents that oc-
curred under the aegis of the Kusenas in the
Bactro-Gandhara and Mathura regions were
paralleled by contemporary traditions in other
parts of the South Asian subcontinent. In the
wcstern Deccan,cavernonumentsof considcrable
complcxity and scalewere cxcavated,rcprcscnt-
ing a continuation of earlier Indic devclopn.rents
while adapting new rcligious concepts.Histori-
cally, the period is characterizcd by rivalry
between the Setavthanas(who had recn.rcrged
aftcr a hiatus of scvcral gcnerations following
the reign of Satakar4i I) and the Ksaharatas
(also caled the Ksatrapas),a branch of the Sakas
that had extended its rule deep into the sub-
continent. In spite of thc forcign incursion by
the Sakas,however, the monuments associated
with the Satavdhana-Ksaharataperiod show
little infuencc of non-Indic anistic tradirions.
Many of the architectural and sculptural
forms seen at Bedst (Figs. 6.t3 zz) came to
fruition in the caityahall at Kerli (Figs. 9.r-6).
An inscription carved on the conplcted facade
refers to Nahapana,one of the Ksahar-tas,who
is called a satrap in the inscription.r It is likely
that the epigraph dates from about .a.o. rzo;
this date is arrived at by comparison to a similar
dedication at the site of Nasik, dated the ycar
4z of the Sakn er", *hich is eqrivalent to A.D.
rzo.2 Othcr inscriptions inside the hall citing
donations of pillars by satrapswho were foi-
lowers of Nahapana corroborate a date of
about rzo for the dedication ofthe cavc.
It is difiicult to gct an overall impression of
the original appcaranceof the exterior of the
caitya hall at Kerli, sincc a modcm shrine ob-
scures it and the original facadc has partially
fallen away; tl.rcform of the caveis perhapsbest
164 PIRIOD OF THE EARLY DYNASTIES

g.r: Pl?.nof coityahall. Karli, Maharaglra,India. KpaharataSaka

period. Ca. A.D. r2o.

studied from a ground plan (Fig. 9.r). The en-

trance to the cave is set back into the side of the
mountain and is shieldedby a stonescreen.Holes
in this screen clearly iirdicate that considerable
wooden architecture was intended to complete
the structure of the facade, although none has
survived and it is therefore impossible to deter-
mine the original appearance.Above the solid
wall of the screen is the remains of a row of
pillars that would have allowed light and air
into the veranda and the hall itsele but this too
is in a ruined condition. In concept, the screen
relates to the pillared veranda and stone pas-
sageway that precede the entrance to the Bedsa
cdityahall (Figs. 6.13, 6.14). A pillar to the left
of the entrance is carved from the same matrix
as the cave and is reminiscent of the Maurya
lion pillars at Serneth (Fig. 4.5) and Sefrci,
although the heavy, thick forms of the column
and the lions are far removed from the graceful
Maurya prototypes. The plan also shows the

9.2.Endwall ofverand^,.dityahall.Kdrli, Maharaglla,

India.K$harataSakaperiod.Ca.A.D.r2o.

large scelc of thc raitya hall aud verrnch (the
I(arh cavc is olc of thc lergcst lluclclhist
cxcavationsin all of South Asie).Thc nrerl1hall
cncloscsa r"tlld, thc ccntralobjcct ofvcncr:rtion,
ud, es in eulier lulls, has r rorv o1i pillars
p:rr:illciing thc slupc of thc c:rvc itsclf encl
separ':rtillsthe irlterior spaceirlto a ceDtl]l xlcx
:rnd an aislcthat surrouncls thc ccntrxl spacc.
Within thc vcrend:r, firrtl.ier perrl1e1srnay bc
rlrervn to thc Bcclseclvc, alrhorLghthe scale
and sculpturel conception rt K-rli xrc nrilch
nrorc .urlbitious. The end l'ell of the verantla
[ q r - . i ; r ' r r r r - . r . J r i r ' ' ' r rI r r . r l . i r c l t r] r ' r :
clrorl.ey arrcl balcon,v lorrns (I'ig. 9.2),
"nd
ogec-sh:rpccl lrch ovet the main cntrlrlcc to
the cavc (visiblclt the lighr in Fiu. 9.2) is .rg.rin
thc domilant nlotil Howcvcr, in contrest ro
thc Bcdsa vcrancl:r,a rol. of approrirnrtcly
life-sizc clcphantsis c:uvccl :rs if supporrine thc
cntile supcrstrrlctruc on thc two encllr,allsin rr
r r . ' n r r crrc n r i l i . cr ,r r , ' f r l r ' c ' . 1 ' l r r r rprJ rr r l r . r
R l c I o N r L D r v r L o p M f N T sI N T I I | D E C C A N 1 6 5
llitalkhora(Figs.5.32.J.33).Thc rvall scprrrting
thc intcrior apsicl:rlhail fronr thc vcrancle is
brokcn by:r ccntrxl cloor'\\::ryand nvo sicle
doorlvavs. inclic:rting x grcrtcr- sv1rr1[ctry tha]l
:rt llcdsa.Frlfther,rvhilc thc lerlsl rvrll n'rs un-
sculptccl(althorsh possiblvoriqirull,v paintcd),
et Karli lxrge r,,ltlr/rincouplcsfllnk thc doorrvlvs
(Figs. 9.3, 9.+). (lt shoLrldbc notcd th:rt thc
rcprcscllt:ltior1soi lJudclhls lr-Lcl bodhis:rttves
or1this \\':1lllnd the fir.o cn.1 $'tls \'erc cervccr
in thc letc lLfth ccrrtury,rvhcn the icorroerlphic
proqllm of thc cevc q,asnLo.lifretl.)
Thonglr larger tiun thc nsurl rtitlttnas a,-Iotn-
lrn iDq rhc cloorrv;rvsto rcligious rronl ltcnts,
tlreir purposcis probrblv the s:rorc.As synrbols
of urriorr, tltc rnitlwnu reprL-scnt thc notion of
inclivicluel rcirtcgrltiorr rvith the Univcrsll
priuciplc, cxprcsscclthrough thcir :rfic.ctionate
sesturcsrncl irr.rplicitscxLrality.E:Lch peir is
f r F i , ' r r i . r 'I b y l ' . r d L 1 v . , r ri r i ^ r ' i n
costuDreind gcsturcs.Yct it is clcu dt:rt thc

1Il1::tI
saaS-

-,,
f:

..t
i-
* fr
/ g{
: : : f'
ll,1
llt
,'.:'.' ,-1 -,
"1-L
1.:.
9 . 3 . V e r : r r r d r , c n r r e n c c u a l l t o r a l r l n h r ] 1 . K i i r l i , M . r h a r a s r r r ,L r d i a .
K ; a h r r a t a S a k ap e r i o d . C l . ^ . D - 1 2 0 .
 ,60 IIIRIOD OF TTIT EAIII-Y 1)YNAS]]FS
9.4 Mithunn couplc. vcrard'r l1all lcadnrg, inlo idlrld
l l . r l l .K ) r l j v l - l r r r L r . . I r a l : . .K - l l . r . , .l \ . 1 . 1 l : r . i . l .
Cu, A.D, r2o.
artists hrvc not ettcnrPtccl to iDdrviduelizc
thc igLrrcs by cletailsof pirvsioquoury,lust;Ls
herl becn tmc:1t Sailci en.l othcr earlv sitcs.
In gcnerll, thc lcnralc figur-esarc voluptrous
in thcir amplc proportiorls, rvith v'icLc hips,
full thiglis, rncl rouncl, hcevy brc;Lsts.Th.:it:
rveistsarc srnali encl thcir liurbs tepcred.Thcv
rppcer virrually nudc r-ith thcir jcrr,clt,vcou
stitutinc their m.lin a(lor-nnrcnts. Uttloltbtcdlt.
tltcsc Nomcn clcrivc fiour tlc fenitrinc iclcll
. u L ni r , ( . r ri . r . c . . 1 r r r . r .b r r l L . - . .r l , , r , , r ' , .
have bccorucniorc liii:likc incl spontucoos,fi)r
their smilinq e\pressions en.l rclercd poscsmrkc
tl-rcm sccrn to havc bccri c:rrLglttutten'lrc- :ts trr
a cencliclprcturc, by thc :rrrisr.Thc nulcs llc
rlso gcncrousll'proportiorlcd, tlLcirHcsbl' bodics
bo1dly revcllccl by thc ucarlv tioncxisturt
tlcav-v lolds c,f clotli bctrvcctr the leqs rn,:l
aroun.lthc hips,tLrrbarrs, ind earringsdistinguish
thcir costurrics.Ihc turbans have a peculiar
shepcrvith a higir. nrusiuoorrrliLcportion it thc
front. Stllistically. Lhc fisurcs (cspcciailvthc
\\omc11)sharcr gtcat dcxl \'_ith (o'lerrpor lLry
cxrvinq\ :rt Mitlrrra (liqs. 8.q5, 8.36) rnd
Andhe l'rrdesh, indicrtinir the prcsetrceof
pln-lncLic t.cu.tls th.oughout thc subcontincnt
llonq s.ith the rcgion:rl clcvcloplrcnts.
Thc irrtcr:ior: oh drc Kar]i cai4,ahell i. tluly
spL-cricrlxr(FiS. C.i), lor thc stark sirDplicit,v of
rhc clr'licr l-r:rilshns norv bccr transformcd into
r belarrcccl ilrrillr!lenlcnt of sculptural aml
erchitccturl]lirrrns on l lerqc scalc-InsrcacL of
thc plain 1:rcctcclshafts without capit;rls rnd
bescsseen1n thc llcclsx caityah I (Fig. 6.r9),
it l(xrli, ftc sctlftors hrvc incolpor.tc(l thc
t,vg,coh pilllr: Lrseclou thc llecls:r vcrandl urto
rhc schcrncof tlre hail's intcrior. 1hc pill:rrs
consist of lrrgc. thick shefts rising verticellv
fto:r atndglnLat)pc va\cso1r stcppcdbascsto
sLipporrlotos-bcllcxpitrls sllrrior.ultcdby hoti-
zolltll nlenrbcrs.boxccl ribbccl cliscs,ancl an
esscnrblvof fiq,-rrcsriclirig eninuls (Fiq. 9.6),
u,hich:rrl(drli arc cxclrrsivclv clcph:rnts. Usurlly,
a nelc:Ln.l tilulc prir riLlc on e;rchelephrnt,
.ilthorighocc;rsionelly nvo fi'nllcs .cconrpiurva
srnqlenu1c.Thc pillerstlirect]vsurrounclingthc
Jfr2d xt thc cnd of thc 1ul1hevc plail octaqonal
slu{is rrll no llilscsor cepit:rls.llthoLrth tlrc
rclsdl lirr rhisis uuknor.n. Scvcr:ilarchitccturel
clungcs hevc trkcn piaccsinccthc cerlicr c,rirla
lulls. \)ilhilc thc loof ovcr thc ccntrrl spaceis
stilLv.rLrftcd l1.l hxsrroodcll ribs rrching ebovc,
thc sidc lislcs h,rvc llet roof.s,as opposcdto thc
hrlflr nrlrccl r-\'peirr licJse (Fig. 6.:o). Lr :rddi-
tior. th,: pllllrs irrc strictly vcrticrl. in coDtrilst
fo thc bxttcrcd ones of thc SLrirqrpcliod (Fiq.
5.:,r). \Vhcther thcsc clunqcs rcHrct lloclillcr-
tions in roodcn lrchitccturcr,,fthc pcrioclor arc
.r shili eppliceLrlc oniv to c\crvatcd cxlmplcs is
[ot ccrt.1in.but 1i-onrthis tiDre forrl.rrcl. thc
blttcrcrL pillll ccrsesto bc Lrscdin tock-cLrt
lrc]ritccnrre.
Sli.qhrl,vltlrcf jn rletc thdr the Karli caitya
h e l l i s V i l i l r r l l l i r t N i s i k ( F i g . 9 . 7 )T. l t i t
'GlLrtlrmipurrr" ",.c,rv"
tion is c.rlleLlthe crvc bcclttsc
d/rolis. it conteinsirrscriptionsof rhc vc:rrsr4 en.l 2,1,
lccolding qrlnts bl Ci:urtemiputru of thc Sartl-
 RXGIONAI DEWIOPMENTS IN THE DECCAN 167
9.j. Interior of caitla hell. Ketli,
Maharaslra,India. KpaharataSaka
period. Ca. A.D. r2o.

9.6. Pillars in caityd h^17.K:^rli,

Maharaslra,Iodia. KsaharStaSaka
period. C.. A.D. r2o.

vdhana d1.nasty.3 This king is known to have

defeated the Kgaharata Nahapana in about a.o.
rz4,a thercby extinguishing the Saka control of
strategic passes(such as those in which Nasik
and Kerli were located), connecting important
trade centers of the Deccan with coastal ports
and reestablishing the Satavahana power that
had been eclipsed since the reign of Sataka4i
I. It is likely that the cave was excavated nor
long after Gautamiputra's victory, for it shares
many features with another cave at Nasik, the
so-called Nahapena zilrara (Cave X), which dates
lrom around r20.
In plan, Vihara III shows greaterregularization
!15
and symmetry in the organization of the uihara
fe
(Fig.9.8) tban is apparent in the earlier forms,
as at Bheja (Fig. 5.2,f). Iighteen nearly identical
cells radiate out from a central squarehall and
two more open offfiom the veranda. (The one
opening off from the veranda at the left is,
oddly, not at the end but aligned with those
along the left side of the cave.) Preceding
the main hall, the pillared veranda extends ap-
r68 PrlIoD ()f THt tAl(f f D\NASTll.S

; i '*--

;1

9 . 7 . V i h a r r I I I ( " a l x u r r r 1 1 i p L r 1 r xc". \ ' e ) N i s i k . l \ 4 r h x -

r r s t r a , I n d i r . S l l a v a h r l l : l d , v n l s t - r "A f t c r ^ D . 1 ; + ( c r '
r2J I o).

pro\i1n.rcl)' the *'iclth of thc crr.c (FiS. q.t).

The llcarlc of the "Gltttemtputrx" crlvc is in-
triguirrqlnd lpp:Lrcntlvuniquc. Thc vcrlndl is
.pproachc,lby r short l1ig1rtofsLcpslcrdir.rgup
to tl-rcporch, and thc liotL of thc porch har a
1,.' s.'ll rl.,r . . t r 1. ' . r , r ' ' b v . ' r . . ' r r 1 - " 1 ,
fiqures bclorv. ThL' lorv r.:Lll is of itrtcrcsr
beclruscir appclr-sto heve lucl l very tlucc-
tlimcusionrllycrrvcd prittcllrofbosscsor tucdel-
lions on it, ni:rkinq it strikiuglv simil,tr to the
r r . . r | \ ' 1 t " f r ' 1 i l n . I r l , " r l . r ' I _ . ' r r' ' r l r , . r . , l
reprcscDtrtion\ liour thc A[t]hr;r Prerlcshrcqiou.
Pillers rise ii-orn this t'rll, rvirh drcir thicl.-,
octagon.rL s]raftssiurilel to thosc.r l(elli. Thc
bcll crpital lol rclcltcs irs frnel fbrnr cx
trcllrcly ror.rlrclitr eppc:rlenccrtrd sclttetr:rth.:l-
than high encl springy, echicvitrg.ilurost tbc ,.'l i | !'
"cushiou" slupe c,f drc sixth ccntr.rry(Fig. r3.1).
9.S.Phn of Vihrrr III ("Grutrmipurr;r"crve).Nasik,
Abovc the bcll rs an cncloscclr'ibbcddisc tith trriia. Sarr\all;rlr d)rr;trr\. Atier A.r).I2.t
Xfuhtrxsrr:r.
etllntirl-typc fiqureset thc r:oLncrs- soL-tno,.rtrlcd ( . x . 1 2 i I o ) .

9.9. Sculptedtorafaon entranccto Vihara III ("Gautaml-
puEa" cave). Nasik, Maharastra, India. Satavahana
dynasty. After l.o. rz4 (ca. rz5 3o).
9.ro. Figure,possiblyr bodhisattva,
flankingentrance
to ViharaIII ("Gautamiputra"
cave).Nesik,Maherasha,
India.S,tav,hanadynasty.Afcera.o. r24(c . r21-3o).
by ascending levels and capped by recumbent
animals, including lions, elephants, and bulls
with riders. kr contrast to many of the earlier
rock-cut monuments, thc decoration of the
facade does not consist of repeating archesand
vedika patterns, yet the appearance is highly
elaborate.
The entrance to the cave is also remarkable
(Figs. 9.9, 9.ro), for it consistsof a sculpted
lora4a surrounding the doorway (dudratorana)
through which one must passto enter the cave.
The uprights of the torct1aare divided into five
rectangular panels beneath which are figures
of go4as, The panels are scparatedfrom each
other by imitation railings and each panel
contains a ithtfla, a urk5adeuatT,or similar
subject,s Lion brackets serve as a transition
between the verticals and the lower architrave
of tlle toralla, which is sculpted with a floral,
garland-type motif. The upper architrave is also
caryed with a nonfigruative design but between
the two are figures worshiping a stipa, a whee|
and a tree. The spiral etrds of the architraves
RXGIONAT DEVELOPMTNTS IN THE DECCAN lOO
seen at Sanci are here modilied into a curving
form. Flanking the door on either side is a male
figure, in cach casestanding with his left hand
on his hip and his right cxtended upward and
holding a bunch of fowers (Figure 9.ro). Tradi-
tionally, these figures have been assumed to
represcnt door guardians, but as was noted in
the case of the {igures on the tordral of Senci
Stnpa I (Fig. 6.7), the gestures and peaceful
atttibutes contrast with the usual weapons of
guardiansand suggestanother symbolism. Since,
by this timc, the bodhisattva doctrine was well
known in Kusd4a art, there is little reason to
doubt that these too are bodhisattvas,although
their specific identities are not known, Their
positions flanling a torarle are exactly com-
parable to the Saffci scheme. In stylc, thcse
figures relate both to the earlier Sano type and
the figurc style at Karli, although theseare per-
haps stiffer and more awkward than the Karli
examples. The feshy bodies, heavily empha-
sized sashes,turbans, and other details of the
costume are strictly within the Indic tradition.
t70 l,FRlOD OI THI tr\Rll DYN,\ST]l:S

-
I
--
I
II
I'-
--
--l

(rfc) Nilsik' N1lhi

il.rr. hlrerior ol Vihir,t lll ( LirLrtr:rrrpLrtrr'
r:]4 ice' t zs 3o1
rastm, t n c | . r . S r t , 1 \ ' 1 h r n ..rL \ L l ] \ i \ ' A l i c r r ' r r '
L
\;
1[c iurcrior of t|c c'rvc (fig.9.II) is stukl,v
p1.rin. irr coutlest to the hcevilv orn.rl]lclltc(L
h"
crtcrior'. in thc cctrtct of thc lcrr u'.rll. e l':rnc'l
1us b.-cr sculptcci ro sho* thc :rrlor'rtion of rL
iIt|,i, u'hich rs obviouslr' rlrcrlllt t() scive 11sfhc
nreirr cLrlt objccL (Fiq. 9 r-2). St\ltstic:r1l\'. tllc
,rnrpll' fiqrrrecl icnr,rlc *orsllipcrs rusL'rriblcthc

w
{*i
rt l(ir'li. Merlrttre. enrl othcr

x
.r'or,,.,t, .Lc1,i.r.-r1
virtrr.rlll contcrtrPor:rncoLts iirt cc lcl_s.
An chbor,ition of r]lc rhcnrc of thc -rttiPnrs
.tr
thc llLur oblccf ol r'cncrltiou. :LlthoLtqhin tlrrcc-
i, )1 .liincnsiotr.rllorur. occurs iil thc sifc ol Klrcll in
Crvc VI (lig. 9.1-l). Bccilusc of tlris. thc c;rvc
is rrsLrellt' cr11cc1r r,rity,r h.rll, llthoLrqh it
.litli-rs ftorn thc ru:rjorit" oi s ch c:Llcs ln thxt
it is rcct.rtrqulrr 1-rthcr-tllln :rlsidrl tu shepc''
Erccpt ior thc flct th:rt it l:rckscclls surLouurltnq
' . l . t ' '1 l'li-
, .. 1 I

ciprtc Nl,rhrvrnl lJtLLl.lhisrcrvc's oi thc tlith

().1r. -Srt!4 piur.l (nl rcirr\\'rll' \'lhrLr IIl ( CrLLLLntrtt;Lt-
tn' ,.,r0. -''f;l,lt. \ftlI.1rr{r'r. Lrdi:r'
Sir'rr'h.trll !i\-
nesti. Aticr r.rr. Itr4(.:r' rtri lo)
ccutitrr'. uhich conrbill,' rspccts ()l lhc rcctillr-
q u l r r t i / r a r , t - r v p cp l r n r v i t h i c l t ' t r c s o 1 - l l l r t
ci.rrL. rlo.ship 1i:tlls Alr,lthcr LrrlnsLt'rL
"rc
fc,rturc r,i this crlvc is thc prcsencc of I stcp or
 REGIONAI- DEVEI-OPMINTS IN TH€ DNCCAN 17J

ir
,.,i l

9.11. Plan of Ceve VL Kuda, M:rharalfra, hclia. E;rrly

9.r4. Mithuna couple on $al] preccdinli crlnnce t('

caitya $ea, Cave VI. Kuda, Maharailra, India. Early

g.Ij. lnterior of Cavc VI, rig:ht rear comer of l:rrge

l r r l l .K L r dr . V a h r r r r L r oL. r J r r .L - r l y ' c c " n d ' c n r u r ) .

:tl

il
'
:lt

:1-
-1,
rl:lrrow pletform rrnlning around thc large rcc- Kdrli veranclafigurcs and suggesta con-rparablc
::il- tirnsularlrall (Figs.9.r3, 9.rJ). Pairso{ nithuxas clate in the elrly sccond ccntury A.D. As at
.-.1t
danking thc cntrance to thc antechambcr Karli, inagcs of Buddh:rsrppearingat the cavc
...1
prccedingthe strlpachanber (Fies.9.r4, 9.r5) erc latcr additions ancl .lo not rcflcct the original
!)I are closcly rclatecl in style anLl costume to thc schcnrc(Fig. o.r s).
172 PERJODOT THE EARIY DYNASTIIS

At Kanheri, a large caitya hall clearly indebted

to that at nearby Kerli was excavated around
the last quarter of the secondcentury ,r.o. Two
inscriptions at the cave indicate that it was
dedicatedduring the reign ofYajnairi Satakarr.ri,
the last great Satavehanaruler, who reigned r*l
from about 17+ to 203.7In plan (Fig. 9.16), the fla
cave is similar to the Karli caityahalI, consisting L&r
of a large apsidal hall (though not so large IG
as that at Karli) and a veranda, but in this case, -P
the elements of the facade and courtyard are .E
better preserved (Fig. 9.r7). A low rock-cut -+6
railing screens off the courtyard, which is ap- rlE
proached by a short flight of steps. In form, the I-d
railing is sirnilar to that at Nasik Vihara III lt
in the presenceof roundel morifs (Fig. 9.7), al- rEar
though here they are wcll preserved and are Fr, +
clearly foral designs. Again, a relationship to ItiF; r
contemporaneous railing pattems in Andhra
Pradeshmight be noted (Fig. 9.zr). Flan-kingthe
rt=:
Er=
entranceway to the courtyard are standing male &oL
figures, again reniniscent of the pair at Nasik -r
C'
-.r
9.16. Plan of caitya h^11. Kanhe'i, Mahrlaslra, India. q-
Satavahanadynasty, reign of Yajffa6ri Satakarni. Ca. 9.r7. Exterior of caitya hall- Kanheri, Mahele$tta,
last quarter secondcenturv, India. Satavahanadynasty,reign of Yajiairi Sttakar+i. rhr
Ca. Iastquartersecondcentury. &ra
1rl.
& c.t
i5ac
rt\
r+T
F9e
-!x
i cr:.
rl:q
rr-ff(
E=.r
6c sr
Eq=

r't =a
q.+
clc :5
-;---
!! a:r
El'el
\i(a
.:--- -:
 REGIONAI DEVELOPMENTSIN THE DECCAN 1Z'
(Fig. 9.ro). While damaged, these roo seem to
hold offerings or symbols in their right hands.
The figure sryleis berrerseenin the i.pr.r.nt"-
von of a nagar-aja in a niche ro rhe righr of the
railing (Figs. g.r7. g.r8). The squarishbody,
fleshybut welL-defined musculaturiofrhe rorso,
full arms, and taut legs reveal ties to earlier
Indic styles, but relate strongly to figurative
conventions at Mathurt of approximately the
same period, An overall flattening of the forms
as seen here dlso appears in many Mathurd
images of this date, indicating a rather wide-
spread stylistic preference.
'are
_\Vithin the courtyard two large rock-cut
pillats (stambha), each carved with a different
arrangement of figures and sculpted elements
(Fig. 9. r7). The piliar at the righi of Lhecourt-
yard is ofparticular interest, for it bearsa carved
figure ofa Buddha fanked by two bodhisattvas
near the bottom (Fig. 9.i9) and four Buddhas
above. There is no doubt that these represenra-
9.r8. NujarrJ'a flanking erltlance to cowrtyatd. of caityd
tions were part of the original scheme of the hall. Kan}eri, Maherasrra,India. Sitavahana dynasLy.
cave and belong to the second cen[ury excava-
tion, for not only are the flattened forrns,
squarish bodies, and orher features stylisdcallv
closero the figurariveidioms on rhe railing and
the resrofthe starzlfia,bur they were carvJ out
of matdx that had to have been left for them in
the.original planaing ofthe pillar. Their presence
rndrcatesthat stone representationsof Buddhas
and bodhisattvaswere not the sole Dreserveof
Kusdna arrisrs or those in Andhra pradesh
(Fig. 9.zj) during the second century, but that
such images, or particularly simi]ar ones made
in other matedalssuch aswood, must have been
widespread. It is also important to note tlat
without this figure group, the cave would
normally be inrerprered as being aniconic, since
the veranda and interior do not bear imaees of
Buddhas. (Some were carved into rhe veianda
during the late fifth century, but these were not
of the original phase.) However, as has been
suggestedin previous discussions,the presence
or absenceofa Buddha image is a u.iy .o--
plicated problem thar needs tio be .einterpreted
in terms of its religious implications, and here
it is apparent rhat rhe presenceof a Buddha is
not incomparible with an iconographic scheme 9.r9. Piflar in courryard ol cairyahall. Kanheri, Ma_
h,ira!!ra..India..
Saia\ahanadynasty.r<ign of yajriairi
tnat lrrruts rts use_ )araxarll, Ua. lastquarter secondcehtury.
 lz4 PFIIOT) a)F l11r |lRLy DyNAS',ltils
As rt Kirl1, rlr.rlc-fcrrllepeirs H:nk tll: en-
trlrncclvrys :into rhc hell (Fig. o.:o). WlLile
stylisticelivthcl' sharcccrteiuclllr:rctcrisrics \.ith
r l : , K r . , ' r , r , l . / l - . ' , . + 1 .r r l . r r . r r r l r ' -
fi'renccs,rrcllso visible.In plrticulrr. e gtcetcr
hcevincssis secnin rfrc Lodics ofbodr thc mct
ln.1 thc rvomc-t, rvho secur Lo bc simply tlr
r:ithcr Lhln lerlslrous.This thickncssof body
I I i'rr' ., r ', r' r. r.,il t..r !, ,,- rLrlr
l)cccrn frgural scnlprurcin llLcr pcrrocls,con-
tr';rstirq,ior e\lnlplc- u,itir rhc slcnclcrbo.11'rvpc
tlut prcrlolnirlates in thc i:rsrcrnl)eccan rcgLoDs
of lrrrli.r.Thc lr:rlc lLer.lclrcsscs arc rlso clifirrcrrt
fiorrr r]re tnrbens:rrl(lrlr. lnd crclr xt Kalrhcri
cle.rl rliflcrcutietioll c\i\rs i;om olrc c\urrrprc
to tllc r1L'\t.
Thc inrcrior oi thc h:rll elsobc'arscorrprn\on
q'ith th:rt et Kerli, rrltlioLrqhdris olre rs Less \rclt
prcscrved.Ilo m;1or clitlircrrccs rlrry bc llorcJ.
Ls r I a s r r , l N l l l c c , t r . ; : T H r A N l u R r \ l ) l r u r s u l l l c t r o x
Uxott rtrl L,\TER :iAlAV,\trnNAs .{\ll IKSva\KLs
No onc is ccrLrin *hethcr- lrt prodLrction in rhc,
(xstar'r1Daccln. col1lur,.rerlu]liritarrLij)tc(l frorl
rhc cerlicst ph,rsc urrtil the hcqinninq ol thc
scclmd cL']ltLrrv.\.D., \\.hcn Satevihrne rtrlc irr
fl
uI
9.1o. l,lilhrta couples, vcranda
\ r i r l l l ! ' i c L n : rj u t o . d i r t d h a l l . K r 1 1 -
h c f i , , \ 4 a h a r a , t f r , I L r d i r .S a r r r a -
harr;t dvn:rrtv, rcig,r of YJjn.rln
S r t r k r r i . C r . h s L t l L r a r t c rs e c o n d
horievcr. At l{inhi.ri ruuch qrcltcr variatioD is
qir'ctr to thc piihr'folnrs, siucc sorrreheve pl:rin,
licetccl shelis rvith no cepitrls ol bxlcs; otllers
hlvc c:rpitalsbut no b;rsr:s;lrrcl still othcr-sh:rvc
brscs and cepitels sinrilrr to thosr: at Karli.
Frrrthcr, thc cepitll rnotils fcvcxl rlLrch qrcxtcr
n)Llivi.LLnlit)', containilg scclcs rvith anirnals,
fiqurcs. :rlc1 rcprcsentxtiolrs of devotion to
-rltl,r-!.At this Ioint, it is inrpossiLrlr:to s;il'ri,heL
xccouuts lbr- sLrch viuiltion, :rlthotrgh it is
unlilrclv rhrrLiL irrrlicetesrlrorc rh.ilr onc pcriod
ol rffisfic .ctivit\ xt the lienhcri rarri,,r hr1l.
M.lrv of thc cervings (cspccirllv the sccncs orr
Lhc cepitrls) shol e rethcr shoJclv typc of
l'orkrrr:rnslrip lntl it hls bccn srrqqcstccltlut
siricc Yljiieirr Sitlk:rrni was thc last srr.olrg
S:Ltur'arlurrr:LrLrlcr. politicll prcssLr-cslncl dr.:
inpcn,rlirq rlisitrtcgrrtion of tirc cnrpirc took
tlrcir roll ir tLc ert.
lhc rcqion saclrs t() l1r1\1'stirrrrrletcdcxLcrrsivc
ffcirlrction. Prob.rbh-, solnc lrt \\ ork! contiuucJ
to bc nredc rlurirrg thc tllst ccnrLLrt.,t.u.- ei
thrrrr-qlrrhc' f.LIiLrlrctcrsof this "nri11cllc" plurc
 REGIONAL DIVEIOPMTNTS IN THT DECCAN I7J

have yet to be fully defined. Evidence from the
Puranas as well as inscriptions indicates that
from the time of Vesi$thiputra Pulamavi (ca.
r3o-rj9), the son and successorof Gautamiputra
Setakar+i, until the reign of Yajfia6ri Setakarni
(ca. t74-zq), a large portion of Andhra Pradesh
was under the sway of the Satavahana family,
who made it their capital during this period.
Thus, it is not surprising that the artistic styles,
while having a distinctive regional flavor, are
clearly related to those of the western Deccan,
at sitessuch asKarli. Nasik. and Kanled.
During the second century, the period of
Satavehana forescence, the Great Stupa at
Amaravatr achieved its final form, for it was
given a veneer of sculpted stone slabs and a
higlrly ornate stone uediha. It is likely that this
project took place over some period of time,
since donative inscrirtions on the monumenr
range from the reign of Vasislhiputra Pulamavi
through that of YajnaSri Setakar{ri.The appear-
ance of the stupa at the completion of this phase
is suggested from the carvings on numerous
stoneslabsthat originally decoratedthe stupa,that
have beenfound at the site,and tllat depict stupls
(Fig. 9.zi), and by archacological evidence. A
huge stone uedika,lavtshly carved with bosslike
roundels similar to those seen at Nasik and
Kanheri surrounded, the stupa. In contrast to
the pattern seen at Stnci Stupa I, the entrances
it the uedika did not have toro1as, nor dld they
form a svastikaplan. Instead,each opening pro-
jected ourward fiom the railing and provided
an uninterrupted view of a niche on the side of
the stipo cottairing an image of a Buddha
or some other Buddhist subject. Atop the four
entranceway railings were large sculpted repre-
sentationsof lions, The drum of the st pa utas

9.2r. Slabshowing rttpa. From Arnaravati, Andhra Pradesh,India.

Sehvehanaperiod. Ca. secorrdcentury. White rrarble. H: r9o cm.
Madras Government Museum. Madras.
,76 TLRIOD or 1r]L l,ARLy r)\'N.1srrfs

t
:
I

I
D

9.-r:. ll:rilirlqprll.rllith r',r:rndci

'hot;ng dclotior io
irr D,rd,1cr\r. l'ronr Arn.r-
rhc |o,lliltrcc rnLli,rri,iJc,rd
x\rri. Arr.Lirr Pr.l1.'\l).I:d,,1.S.n\rIlrIlr p.rio.l. (}.
seconclcenlr\. \!hltc ,,,r:l.lc. Ur: s7 .r)). Brirish
NluscLun, l,ondon.

.lpp:rrcntl\ x 1)roirin(int pxrt of tjtc tf.ltitcctr[ll bi.tlLc second ccrtnr)' A.D. hrllucrrcc fror,r thc
contfi L1.tion. rnLl iiour it c,l|--lcir ()1-th. li)Llr \\cslcnr I)cccln :rrt schools, mrlniicstcd i11 t]rc
siclcs oi thc nronLrl(rrt !r,:rs;1 p!r)jcction. 1llll c-\cl\'.rrio11\:rt Karlr. Nasik. enrl I{aDhcri, ric-
so c:rllc(1 ayrl,l plltiortr surrlorirtcrl bv ilvL. coLrnfsior sonlc of flis clcvcloprncnt. It is also
stolc pillers. Ihc -vrl1,aploii.r \1'rls dccr.r,iti:11 liki:ll rbrt corlfr.t vith Roman tllclitq colonics
lvitir nuircrou! si:Lrl1.ti:d
sl,rbs, lrlrl of lhiclr rhrt .\i\tccl rlolrg thc Lr:rstcorst of hrJi:r lionr
del.ictccl sccrcs 1,.r,,, thc ljli' ot- (rl-r-rrrLrri thr- lilst ccutur y ,t.1. hecl somc imprct on thc
Bi. ' , r i.r.,. ..1. r. :. . .l ',. ... rrt :ls !r(ill. Most lirnrous ol thcsc colonics rrc
auci ,r1,1l,rr,:rrtltrqrinsr tlrc si(LLioi tllc jrirli.r Arikerrc.lu enrl Meisolie. lnd. in perticLrler,
itscli en o\cct oi !cncf.rtiorr t',rr p1ece.i. In rf:r(lc xssociiltcLlrvith Meisolil xccorrntcd fbr.
t h i s c x e r u p l , -( F i g . 9 . : r ) . . . , i b , r i s i r , : i n q p : r i d Ielqc sh,uc of tbc ncrlth oi thc rcqion, lhich
lronr,rqc by e nilrircr ol (lavolaes. c|Jrrtriburcd to thc frrronxqc of RLrrlcLhist
Nurlctous r'liengcserc virrLrL:il tlrc scLrlptLrr':rl lror1ir.!tcrirset NigirlulrLkonclrr, :rnc1probrblv
stvlc ol this fcrio(1. conrl)i1f.(L \r'iLh e.uli.r Arurrli\'rli as \1-cll. Although lullv intcgrerccL
rcllLliirs ll'onr tlrr' r'cgioD. iI lcir.:rri], thc det. inro rhr: Irrclic colrtc-\f. l{o1uru svstLrllls ol
linc,u, sirnplc c.Lrvlllq! ot tlrc rist c.:ntLrll_Lc. I r.1 r L. '..' rr'r R.rr r .rt
wcrc sr.rPcIscdc.ibv riccpiv c.rlv,:d. clo1\_.lcci. scrnl lo ha\'a h.id l rLircct infl,.rcncc o rltc urt
eclivc. rn.L rn()rc nraLrrxli\ti. ll)f.xlinq \rork\ oi An,:1lrral'r.rc1.:slr
 REGIONAIDEVII-OPMENTS
rN THE DECCAN 177
is also a more unificd pcrspcctivc thxt creates
the illusion that the figures cxist in spaceand
not in the artificial, airlcssgroupings of carlicr
reliefs. Each figure has becomc an animatcd
form, with an active posture and, indecd, one
of the overriding characteristicsof this phase
of Andhra art is the vitality and senseof move-
ment in thc rcliefs. All elements of the scenc
are in rclativcly naturalistic proportions, further
contributing to a scnsc of actuality. Thc slirn
body type, especiallyevident in the limbs, is
characteristic of the Andhra style, but the
an.rplyendowed women suggestparallelsto cou-
temporary carvingsfrom Karli and Mathura.
A drum slab from this period shows four
scenesfrom thc lifc of Sakyamuni Buddha sep-
arated fiom each othcr by architectural forms
(Fig. 9.23). Maya's dream of hcr conccption and
the dream's interpretation are shown in the top
right and left scctions,respectively,and thc birdr
of the prince and the prcscntationof the child to
a tutelary yaksaof the Sekyasoccur in the lower
right and left panels. Again, the figures appear
in lively poses and are deeply carvcd, and
the various e]ements are harmonized into a
9.24. Slab showing n|pd, with Buddhas and other believable (although not overwhclmingly illu-
figures. From Amarivati, Andhra Pradesh,India. Ca. sionistic)sccne.Considcrabledepth is createdby
late secondor early third century. White marble. H: the architectural elements that divide the
I26.J cm. B tish Museum, London.
relief into its four componcnts and in the plat-
forn beneath the yak1a at thc lowcr left, and
this emphasison perspectivemay bc derived from
A railing pillar, which is virtually covered Roman teclu-riques.The convcntional manncr
with sculptural detail, contains a central medal- of tlividing thc scenesused here will rcappcar
lion showing devotion to the lolli tree and the in the paintings of Ajanta, where architcc-
uajfisana, the seat upon which the Buddha tural fornr. arc u5cd is a deviceto jurr:rpose
achievedenlightenment (Fig. 9.22).Virtually the diverse scencs(P1.ro).
samesubjectis depictedin an example fiorn the In rhc latc :crrlpturcsfrorn Anrardvltr.parric-
early phase(Fig. 5.37),yet thc two are strikingly ularly tirosc that wcrc made during thc final
diff-ercnt.In the later example, the circumfcrence decadesof Satavahanarule and thc transition to
of thc roundel appearsalmost like a peephole thc lksvaku pedod at thc cnd of thc secondand
through which the viewer witnessesthe sceneof the beginning of the third centuriesA.D., rcpre-
devotion, and the sceneseemsto extend beyond sentationsof Buddhas were commonly depict-
the conlines of the circular format. In earlier ed in various rclicf sccncs(Fig. 9.za) as well as
relicfs,such asthe Bhirhut roundels,no such im- in free-standingvotive imagcs (Fig. l.z:). These
plications existed. Here a greater senseof re- do not rcplace symbolic motifs in the Buddhist
alisrn scernsto prevail. Partially responsiblefor art of Andhra Pradesh, for symbols, such as
this efect is the increaseddepth of the actualcarv- the cakn, continucd to bc rcpresentcdin sculp-
ing, which makes the figures stand out in bold tures of even the latest Buddl.rist phasc, some-
relief, detachedfrom the backgrounds,but there times cven in contexts where Buddha inragesare
 ]7d PERIO]) OF TIIE IARLY DYNASTI]]S
9.1j. Stllllding Buclclhr. Fronr Anrirrtv:rri, Andhr.r
Pladcsh, Lrdi.r. Cr. hrc sccolci rrr elrlv drird cerrnrrl.
Whitc nnrblc. H: abour r:o cn. \hdras (lovcmnrcut
Museunr,M:rdrrs.
dcpictcd(Fig. 9.zr). There is lo clcrrcr cxarnple
in South Asial :rrt tlut the use of uiconic
synlbols ru.L Buclclhallgurcs is not necesslriiy
. r " r . , r c o f " . i t l . - o L ,r r r l r . r l , r \ \ ! r . ) 1 . ( .
of rcprcscnr:ltions coulclbc cornpltiblc.
St,vlisticaily,thc BLrriclhafisurcs of Andhra
Prrdesh hevc rxthcr niLssivcbodies tlurt appcar
to be srvathccl in heevv clrepcryrvith prornincnr
folcls.A tosalike garlnel1tsonrclirrcsu,oln bv
thc llucldhasis suegestivcof cont:rct\\'itlr tlle
ll.onrats, although, as in thc llactro-Ganclhtre
region, it is ulcertein iI tlris rvas .]r lnclic or
loreign style. Anothcr typc of robc', in rvLich
onc siioulclcris left barc (Fig. O.:;), is rlso com-
nonly sccn.It is intcrcstingto notc thlt \\,hilc
t s r 1 , . 1 r[ .-,r r r ,' r ' , r . . t ] r . "p . , p , r r . . r l, 1r , y r . r , d
in thc late sccollclcc-lrtury art of AncLhra
D"-.1^.1. t-.., . i \(..t.1, tll r,'ltll...l tL)
thc clcvclopnlents at Mathura and ir Ganclhara.
9.26. Bodhisettv:r Irad,u:rp.ni? From Goti, Andhrr
l'rrdcsh, lndic. Srtrvahanirpcriod. Cr. sccondccltury.
\Vhitc nrlblc. H r r j5 c.r_ M:rdras Govcmnrcnt
MuscnIlr, ivl:rdr:r\.
Although soruc bo.lhisattvas irave bcen for.urd
xt Alralivati, a vcry clelr exanlp]cconlesfioln
the -rtu/1.,4 rcnl:rir1sat Goii il1 thc Guntur district
of Anrlhra Pradesh(Fiu. 9.26). In this case,thc
fiqurc styleis closclvrelatedto tlut sccnar Nasik
(Fig. S.to) :urd at Mathura dnring the sccond
ceirturr' (Fig. 8.4o), ahhough thc format,
drorving thc bodhisattvaf,ankcd by amcrrdrnr
clu'ervesof the typical Ancllrra tvpc anclbencath
. r t t L r r r . bl rJ,. 'c . r,r, .d i r r . r n i l i r r r i o n i . r rn,t . . r l 'rr ,
is clistinct.Probably, drc bodhisattvais Padna-
pini. rccoqtizcclby $'h:it appcarsto bc a lotus
rn his riglrt hancl.
The ru:rin pcriod of ertisticactivity at Anlil-
ravatr $'as probrbly ovcr by drc early part of
thc third ccntrrry,lvhcn Sat:rvihenaporvcr bcgen
to \ralnc. Howcvcr, the eastcnrDcccan tr'edition
dicl not rvcaken,for, under rhc lksvlkrr kings,
r h , . ' r ' . , I N - 3 r r 1 r r n . , k o .rr^J\,. r , , p r o n l n ( n \ ( .

9.27. Plan of a Donastic unit.
Nigarjunako44a, Andhra Pra-
desh,India. Ca- third century.
,!l-r-Li
The Iksvakus came to power when their first
king, Vasi;lhiputra Caihtamula, seized control
fiom the weakened Satavrhanasin thc second
quarter of the third century and establisheda
new capital at Vijayapuri (City of Victory) in
the Nagarjunakon{a Valley. Although Nagar-
junakonda (Hill of Nagarjuna) was not the
original name for this region, the great acqryd
Negarjuna, the founder of the Madhyamika
school of Buddhism and a proponent of the
Mahayana doctrine, is believed to have lived
there in the 6rst or sccond century a.o., thus
-rd accounting for the popular name. Certainly,
: ill the site of Nagarj unakonda, which housed more
::1Cr than thirty Buddhist monasteries from the
:1e second to fourth centuriesA.D., was the seatof
..!ik much irurovation in Buddhist practices, beli€fs,
::nd and art forms, From a historical and archaeologi-
cal viewpoint, it is a tragedy that this remarkable
sitc had to be submerged recently during the
constructionof tlle NagarjunasagarDam, though
the govemment of India must be commended
for its efforts to excavate the site and erect
-lrus reconstructions of the monurnents for latcr
study.
--tna- The Buddhist establishmentsat Nagarjuna-
ko4da are irnportant to the understanding of
-.:gan both Buddhist art and changeswithin the Bud-
-riion dhist religion that occurred in the third century
4.n., for it is one of the few placesin South Asia
where epigraphical and archaeologicalevidence
REGIONAI DEVEIOPMENTS IN THE DECCAN 170
EEEE
EEE]E
EEEEI
help define the various sectsand their manner
of devotion. Inscriptions found in the valley
show that at least forr different Buddhist sccts
were represented.8It has been demonstratcd9
that not only did chronological and workshop
developments account for the differences of
style and forrn seen at Nagerjunakonda, but
sectariandistinctionsas wcll played an ilnportant
rolc in detcrmining the forrn of the individual
monastic establishnerts and thc arr that was
used in the servicc of their religions. However,
the full implications of this observationhave not
yet been explored. Eacl.rraonastic unit seenx to
havc consisted of some conbination of three
elements:sttldr, apsid,alcaityahalls, and viharcs,
or residential units. When all three elemcnts
arc presentin a monastic unit, a generalpattem
may be discerned(Ftg. 9.27). Often tlrc uihara
will be separatedfron the stipa by two uitya
halls opposed to each orhcr, one containing
an image of a Buddha, the other a -rttpd.
This seernsto indicate a kind of equivalency
between the two concepts, a feature that will
also be seen in fifth-century monun.rentslike
those at Aja+te. "fhe stipas vary considerably
in plan; some are solid whilc others have a
spoked-wheel plan embedded in their structure
(fig. 9.zz). In general,in the caseof whcel-plan
stupas, the smaller the sfipa, the fewer will be
the spokes.The wheel, of course, has Buddho-
logical significance, rcpresenting the Buddhist
i8o PERIOD OF THE IARlY DYNASTIES
dharma, and it is possible that this method of
construction served both a philosophical and
structural purpose. Apparcntly, the spoked plan
is structurally more sound than the solid core,
since it allows for natural cxpansion and con-
traction of the strllcturc and creares a more
effective systen.rof intemal support. While in
gencral, thc wheel-shapcd forms are pan of a
latcr development, thc use of the solid core
docs not necessarilyindicate an early date sincc
sonc sectspreferred the rnore ancient forms.
Something of thc appearanceof thc apsidal
caityahalls may be derived fiom examination of
one ofthe few extant cxamplesofa frcc-standing
caityahall known in South Asia, the templc at
Chczarlain the Guntur district ofAndhraPradesh
(Fig. 9.28). This small structure, measuring
only about sevcn nretcrs in length, is made
entirely of brick and has a vaulted masonry
roof built on the corbel principlc. Although the
temple was converted to Saivite use at a later
date and is oftcn talkcd about as an architectural
cxalnple of the Gupta pcriod, it is clcar both
from its relationship to damaged monunents
at NagS{unakotrda and its geographic location
near thc cpiccnter of Iksvaku power that it is
a structure of about the third century a.o.
Thc sculptural style at Nagerjunako4da, like
tlut at Anarevati, is known from the carved
i_:,::; :
:Er:,1
:: \+-
<:: \::
9.28. Cairya hall from southwest.
Chczarla,Andhra Pradesh,India.
Ca. third century. Brick.
stone slabsthat were part of the veneer of the
to:.a:)otstupas, as well as from free-standing
images. By and large, the Nagarjunakonda
carvings are closely tied to the latest sculptures
fiorn Amaravati in style as well as range of
subjects. If anything, the compositions of the
reliefsare often more animated,the figures more
lithe and slender, and the spatial arrangements
more sophisticated. One sculpted slab is of
considerableinterest becauseit is dated in the
twenty-fourth year of the reign of Ehuvala
Carirtamula,l0 who is believed to have ruled
around the last quarter of the third century.
It shows alternately panels of liG scenesof the
Buddha and nithunas, ore unit of which is
illustratcd here (Fig. o.zo), and demonstratesthat
thc Andhra school remained vital throughout
the third century. The femalesof the mithunas
arc very similar in form and style to the women
on tlrc Begram ivory cover (Fig. 8.28) and i-:;:ia:
may be indicative of contact between the two =;: ---,:t
areas,assuggestedalso by inscriptional evidcnce.
Although Buddhism indeed flourished under :: i: ---:
the Iksvaku dynasty, the kings themselveswere
Hindus. (Their wives, however, werc apparently E :-:\a
Buddhists, since many of thc rnajor donations :g-:,: -
at the Buddhist monasteries came fron.r the L=:,:-i:_
Gmale membcrs of the line.) A number of ----=- --
Hindu tcmples were erectedat Ntge{unakor.rda
 rtLGio\AL DIVljLOpllrjNrS lN 11r]j ]l|at(jAN t.tl

9.19. llctril oi triczc u'i.h Lilc

E v c n t s o f S . k y a r n L n ) iB u d d l . r r n d
rrrirlrurras.Fronr N.r qt r.jLri)rk.in.L,
Alrclhrr Pr:rdcsh, India. Iksr aku
pcriod. Yc:Lr :4 of rcign of
Elnrvrla C.rhtrr))Lrh (cr. li\t
clu]rtcr tlird ccntur\'). Whjte
rnarblc. L: (of rrholc liiczc) :59
cnr. NrerrjLuukorxtr Sitc Nfu-
\ c r l n l , L \ r j . r r l u n . r [ 1 ,r L ] . r .

9.ro. I{el'cf u.irh Nrsirhhr and

l i v c , l a l c h c r o c s ( p c r h a p sd r c f i v c
I'rrLlrve brothcrs). Frorr Kondr-
m r m , A r d l r r : r l ' r r c l c s l t ,l t t c L i . tC
. l.t.
l;rtc rhill <:c'ntun.Whitish -.tor)e.
H: c:r.46 crn. At Olice of thc ' i -,. -,.,
. .r.- : :. r.-. r r.r-;-: : rrir,:..:t
I)ircctor for Archacologt, An- rr,,.l; :...r..ts. ::: .,,- -
d l r r . r P r . r d c s h ,H v d c r a b r d .

;.,,.1r'., ', - . -:;,--- --,-.*...--,t..i.. ',-.

dLrring rhc lksvaku pcriocl, elthotrgh nonc hrs A - r ) . ? 7 E n r e V l i s n r v i t c t c r t r p l i :e t N r q l r r j r u r l -

sLrrvivc(l intxct. It rnlv ltc sllggrstcrl. holvcvur, konrll.lr Not drlv (lo..s tirc knol.lcJgc oi this
t1lilt dlcsc llrollLrllrc ts corrstitLrtc !hc crrlicst inrl.qe docunrr:nt thc nsc ol \\'f)()dcn forrns
1r1:rjo.groLrp o{-Hirrclutcrnplcs thLrr l.rr idcntiflcLl rlongsiJc srorr.: :rn,l orhcr mntcriels, bLrL it
nr Soutll Asiir. l)Lrssiblr',thc inrpctus givr:r to this ,1.,1 ..,,1 r, 1.1J,.'rr li,.r,-'.r.
rc]igion bv rlic lksvlkLr-sw.rs r lr.rjor IiLctor in clchnitclr in rctilc Lrsrrt lrr clllr.cleti:.
its subscqucnt p,rpLrLrriry rlurint thc Guprl A ' crrrrrkeb]c rclici lirLrncl rt I(on.llrnretu,
pcriocl. Onc ilrportlnr docLrrrrrrf, ior cranrplc, nor Iilr honr Nriqulrrn:Lkonil]. o11crs furth.:r
elthough unlbrturrerc]V lost, u'its it \\oocicn cr,irlcircr of FlirrrlLr clcrclopnrcrfs (l:ig. 9.lo).
imege oi ln ciqlrt-rrrrnccllirrur oi Visnrr (ca11cd ()n s\.lisric sroLrnds. it rrur. Lrc tlrtcrl to thc
AstrbhLrjrsv.ilrrlr in en rnscliption) instellecl ur lrtc thir(l c:cutLrr\'.:rstira llLnrrln irqLrrcscspcciellr'
 l32 PIRIOD OF THE EA]iiLY DYNASTIES

comp;rrerlell to thoseofnlorc firmly cstablishcd

u'orks of that rirlc. A largc scatcclliorr rvidr
r r r o r r l . , ' . C . r r ' ( i r ' , l d i L i o r ', o r i . l ^ r r rl , : s )
hokls e ralr'r enrl r rlacc (?) rnd is flanked by
figrrrcs of frvc male "hc'roes." perheps tl.re iive
Ptrdeve brothcrs of thc l,,loluLlfirata.Although
it is rlot possiblcto sry rvhethcl xt tlis tinlc thc
rcprcscr-rt:rtiolr ofthc lion is 1l1rinc:rrtutior ofthc
HirrcLLrgorl Visnu or q,hethcr it is.r tyulta
(crnanrtion),thc llsurc is i clcrr protot),pc-{br
the later mrtr-lion (N;siLirha)form of thc god.
Another intriguing ;rspccrof lksv:rku lrt is
thc production of "shadc" pill.:.rs(thaya sta6l1-
l n ) r , ' , o l r r r ,r r . r . ' r , r l r ' d . . t ' r o f . r r i , ' p o r l . ' r r t
pcrson:rqe.The practicc o{ electing such me-
nlori.l stoncs,usr.rally callcdrrr,rgals (hcrostones),
latcr bccanrc r-i,:lcsprcaclthroughout thc sor-rth,
the Dccc:rn.encl thc rvesternportiqrs of India.
These objectsproviclc inrportanr cvidelrccof ir
dcsirc to rccorclcvclts in thc tcmporal u,orid
in eclclitionto depictinesubjcctsof the religious
sphcrc.Morc thxn tlventl eremplcsluvc becn
fbuncl lt Nag:rr.junekondeelonc lrom the
l k r r l . p , r r o d . l ' , ' r ' b J 1 .r l r e , .L . , r ' o r r p -
tions rcvceling thc circumstanccs of thcir crcc-
tion. and often a datc.Thus, asa body of artistic
natcri:r1, rrrclrlori:rl pillars (rvhich havc bccn
largclv ovcllookeciby schol;rrs) providc inrpor-
tant historicll. rttistic, ancl chronoloqicaldata
encl miglrt bc Lrscdto hclp rcconstr-uctIcsrcr
knorvn espcctsoistylc en.l clevclopnrent uirltin
the r'r-uinstrcemo{ elt.
Onc cxerrple(Fig.9.gr) shos'slvhet havcbccn
idcntifrcrles cvcrltsirl thc lifc of thc king Vasis-
-,,.,,
r,i' , . . , u \ \ 1 1l k , \ , . l , L r
Lirrg. Thc ilscriptiorr r-ccorrls rh:rtthc pilhr rv.rs
sct rp bv thc sisrcrs.rlrotllcrs,ln(] col)sorlsof ..i,
thc king, lncl is cl:rtccl in thc trvcnticrhr.clr of
thc rcigl i,f thc king's ,c,n, Mtdh.rrp,itrr Sri
Viriipulisxclxttil.l2:rncl thcreforc .letcs lrorl
aroun.l thc ruiddlc of thc third centur,v.Al-
thoLrghthc crrving on thc pillrr is vcry rvom,
it irrrlicltcsa closc rclltiorrshipto thc rcliqious
'r rl -^'i^l , ' 'l'.. '1. t c rrilt. ,,1
"',.
thc courpositionuc rnorc llatcncd. hr spitc of 9 tr. llero stonc sfrorving crcDts iD hlc oi Vasilthi-
drc f:rct rhat tlic pcopic clcpictctl in thc rclicls pLu..r C:ir;rtirn[]r. Fronl Nigarjurl]kotdr. Andhra
l']radesh, Int1ir., Ik:vrku pctiod. Yert :o of rcisn of
thev erc not individu-
lrc historic:rlpcrsorl.lgcs!
Madhariputr:r Srl VirapLrrisadatt:r (cr. midrhird ccn-
:. r ...- r . r i i n r l r c. . , r -
tlrr,v). S(nrc. H: ctr. 27j cn,. Nagrrjunekonda Sitc
of tlic corptrlcntking. ,uuseLrrn, N. girrjun.!kor4.r.
 REGToNALDEvrropMENTs rN THE DEccAN 18,
Concrusror.r

By the end of the third cenrury a.o., various
schoolsof Buddhist art were well developedin
numerousregionsof South Asia, many of them
revealing newly developing iconographic con-
cepts, otlrcrs perpetuating pattems that had
been established centuriesbefore. In addition.
inklings of the florescenceof Hindu art yet to
come were already on the horizon. By tte
fourth century e.o., when the Gupta rulers
cameto power, the stagewassetfor the burgeon-
ing oflndic art that occurredin the fifth century.

' i-:ii9!hi-
,l-ndhra
: :eign of

:-=da Site
 PART III

DYNASTIESOF THE MIDDLE PERIOD