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Votive Stupa

Votive Stupa
10th century-11th Century (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Lower part of a votive stupa; upper portion and finial missing. At the front is a niche with a flat headed doorway bearing two sets of inscriptions above it. On each of the other faces are representations of figures seated in trefoil-headed niches.


Object details

Object type
TitleVotive Stupa (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Carved stone - Shale (coloured red)
Brief description
Lower half of a votive stupa with three figures; shale; Bodh Gaya, Bihar; 10th-11th Century.
Physical description
Lower part of a votive stupa; upper portion and finial missing. At the front is a niche with a flat headed doorway bearing two sets of inscriptions above it. On each of the other faces are representations of figures seated in trefoil-headed niches.
Dimensions
  • Height: 18in
  • Width: 13in
Marks and inscriptions
dedharmmoyam pravara-mahayana-jainah pa[ra]- mopasaka ... yad atra punyam tad bhavatu acary-opadhaya-mata-pitr-purvvangamam krtva saka- la-satva-raser anutta jnana-praptayetih/ Buddhist creed has been engraved thrice on outside tiers of the caitya siddham (symbol) ye dharmma hetu-prebhava tesam he[tu] di mahasramanah // Below the Manjusri figure holding a manuscript on an utpala and wearing a yogapatta: [siddham symbol] ye dharma hetu-prabhava hetum tesa tathagato hy avadat tesam ca yo ... dha evam vadi mahasramanah (Dedicative inscription written in the front in Sanskrit Gaudiya script Donative inscription at the entrance of the caitya Below the Avalokitesvara figure holding the stem of the lotus and showing varada-mudra. It appears there was also engraved the Buddhist creed in one line which is quite illegible. "Two sets of inscriptions (one dedicative written in the front and the other the Buddhist creed, dharmaparyaya) written in Sanskrit and the Gaudiya script, 10th-11th cnetury. The donative inscription at the entrance of the Caitya reads: 1.1. dedharmmoyam pravara-mahayana-jainah [correctly: yayinah] pa[ra]- 1.2. mopasaka......... 1.3. yad atra punyam tad bhavatu acary-opadhyaya-mata-pitr-purvvangamam krtva saka- 1.4. la-satva-raser anutta.... 1.5. jnana-praptayetih/ [correctly:praptaye iti/] Perhaps the Buddhist creed has been engraved thrice. l. On out-side tiers of the Caitya: 1.1. siddham (symbol) ye dharmma hetu-prebhava tesam he[tu].... 1.2. di mahasramanah // 2. Below the Manjusri figure holding a manuscript on an utpala and wearing a yogapatta: 1.1. [siddham symbol] ye dharma hetu-prabhava hetum tesa [correctly: tesam] tathagato hy avadat tesam ca yo.... dha evam vadi mahasramanah 3. Below the Avalokiteshvara figure holding the stem of the lotus and showing varadamudra. It appears there was also engraved the Buddhist creed in one line which is quite illegible." Gouriswar Bhattacharya 13 July 2006. varadamudra)
Object history
From excavations in the precincts of the temple at Bodh Gaya.
Production
Bodh Gaya, Bihar, Eastern India
Subject depicted
Collection
Accession number
IS.718-1883

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Record createdMarch 21, 2002
Record URL
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