Indian Antiquary Vol 01

SR No.: 032493
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 430
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 22 MB

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108
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[APRIL 5, 1872.
tures. The next temple is divided into two chambers, and is of considerable size. It is dedicated to Mahavira, and both the inner and outer doors are very fine. The corcice of the latter is divided into nine compartments, in the first of which a man is represented in the act of dedicating a chaitya. The others are filled with the usual Buddhist devices. The top of the temple is pyramidal in shape. The next pagoda is faced by an open court, to the right and left of which are two slabs, the one covered with the representation of the ten Incarnations of Vishnu, and the other with those of the Nine Planets. The vacant space at the base of the carving is covered with a modern inscription in Nagari. The doorway is surmounted by a comparatively plain moulding. This temple is dedicated to Munisuvrata-the 20th Jaina Tirthankara, who is said to have been born in Rajgir. Inside the fourth temple are four charanas-two of them being of white marble. They are dedieated respectively to Mahavira, [or Vardhamâna] Parshwanatha, Shanthanatha, and Kunthunatha-the 24th, 23rd, 16th and 17th Tirthankaras respectively.
Leaving the temples and skirting the northside of the ravine, you cross a narrow ridge which brings you to Mount Ratnagir. The summit is crowned by a temple decorated with some small black basalt columns, elaborately carved. From this a stone staircase or pathway leads down the western slope of the hill to the plain beneath.
Between Ratnagir and Udayagir lies a narrow valley covered with jangal, situated, as nearly as possible, due north-east of the ancient city, and stretching away as far as Giryak-a distance of six or seven miles. I shall now pro- ceed to establish if possible an identification of this valley, connected with the writings of both the pilgrims. Hwen Thsang writes as follows: "Au nord-est de la ville, il fit de quatorze & quinzeli" (24 or 3 miles]," et arriva au mont Ki-litho-kiu-tch'a (Gșidhrakoûta Pârvata) qui touche au midi de la montagne du nord, et s'élève isolément à une hauteur prodigieuse... Le roi Pin-pi80-lo (Bimbisára), voulant entendre la loi, leva un grand nombre d'hommes ; puis, pour traverser la vallée et franchir les ravins, depuis le pied de la montagne jusqu'au sommet, il fit assembler des pierres, et pratiqua des escaliers larges d'environ dix pas, et ayant une longueur de cinq à six li.
Au milieu du chem in, il y a deux petits Stoupas: ........... Le som met de cette montagne est allongé de l'est à l'ouest, et resserré du sud au nord." He then proceeds to speak of a vihara to the west of the mountain, a colossal stone once trodden by the sacred feet of Sakhya Muni, a Stûpa to the south, and a second on the summit of the mountain. Fah-Hian's description is far less minute, but he gives exactly the same distance (viz. 15 li] and speaks of two caves on the hill-the colossal stone—the Vihara, and the lofty peak.
On the 20th January, I made an attempt to explore the valley. Clearing the dense brushwood and jangal as I advanced, I skirted the foot of Ratnagir for about a mile from the old city, and then struck across into the centre of the valley, and pushed on two miles further to the east. I then saw that to the east of Ratnagir there is another mountain terminating in a lofty peak, which towers above the summit of the surrounding hills. This mountain is called Devaghất, and I unhesitatingly identify it with that mentioned in the text of Fah-Hian and Hwen Thsang. It adjoins the southern side of Vipula. In the middle of the valley a stone terrace or staircase, about 20 feet broad, runs due north, towards the foot of the hill, for a distance of 900 feet. At this point it branches off to the east up the mountain side. At the distance of 300 feet from the plain I found a small stâpa in the very centre of the staircase about 8 feet square, and in front of it three or four steps are still almost intact, each svep being about 18 or 20 feet wide and a foot high. Near this place under a great heap of débris I found three images of Buddha almost perfect, but of the radest workmanship. They are uniform in size, and bear inscriptions. From the stúpa the staircase continues to traverse the mountain-side for a distance of 800 feet. At this point I discovered a second stúpa and a large quantity of images, pillars, &c. Of these, the most remarkable are a figure of Buddha seated on a lion, a large seated Buddha with the usual lotus throne, and a standing figure of Buddha with a long inscription. All these idols have been removed to Bihar, and merit a much more detailed description. The terrace now becomes more broken, but its traces are visible up to the peak. From its commencement in the valley up to the summit of the mountain it measures, as
* Mémoires, Vol. II. p. 20-21
+ Beal's Fah-Hian, Ch. xxix. p. 114.