Table Of ContentI
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ICONOGRAPHY O F
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GAJA-LAKSHMI
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0. P. SINGH
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BHARATIPRAKASHAN
VARANASI
1983
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g o . 3
Pulllished by :
Sri Prakash Pandey _.34
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Bharati Prakashan
Durga Kund Road,
S~b
Varanasi
I P3
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@Author
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Edition : First, December, 1982
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Printed :
Anoop Printers
Ramapura, Varanasi.
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Dedlc•ted
To my
Mother
FOREWORD
I feel great pleasure in contributing this Foreword to Dr. Om Prakash
Singh's lconogt-aphy of Gaja-Lakshml which is the first comprehensive· study of
its kind, throwing refreshingly new light on many aspects of this deity as gleaned
from literature and art, terracottas, coins and seals. His treatment of the origin
and antiquity of the Gaja-Lakshmi image m'1tes a complete departure from that
of the various authors on the subject. He believes that the motif of qaja Lakshmi
aymbolises the Indian idea of prosperity and abundance. It frequently occurred
on the coins, seals and sculptural panels belonging to different periods prior to.
and after, the Sai'ichi sculpture with similar attributes depicted in the best tradi·
tion of Hindu mythology. And, this certainly points to the existence of the Sri
Lakshmi cult before the execution of the Saiichi gate-ways, and thus convincingly
the theory of the foreign origin of the . goddess as suggested by some
r~utea
scholan.
Dr. Singh 's contention that Gaja-Lak,mi was an agricultural deity
.possessing many Aryan and non Aryan traits is remarkably striking. Evidences
·,.rom literary and archaeological sources do suggest that in the Gaja-Lakfmi motif,
\
:be female represents the earth and the gajas ( c=lephants) stand for n1Jga1
( serptnts or clouds ). In. the Indian agrarian system when sources of irrigation
were not many, crops were dependent on rains and earth could produce vegeta·
tion after receiving rains from the clouds as Indra is described in the V cdas
again and again as freeing the streams. Thus, a regular food-production could
be possible only from the fertile land when it was watered (anointed) by the
thundering rain·cloud1. other words, the primitive, abstract idea of Sri was
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in course of time converted shown in
the into a real inagcry when earth was the
form of a lady and the rain clouds as nagas. One may or may not agree with
all the views of Dr. Singh, but is no doubt that he has presented a very
th~re
lucid account of the various . facets of this which will long remain a
~goddeas
pioneer work in the field.
As s natma], such endeavour has its own limitations but then it can not
be denied that Dr. Singh hu broken many new grounds in the present monc:>·
graph which will receive due appreciation from the indoJogists of India and
abroad.
Up.eaclra Thakar
Magadh University,
Bodhgaya
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Plt2FAC£
is
'the study of Iconography of Gaja-Iakabml, in her various forma quite
fascinating, and since second century B. C. She has been widely popular in the
plastic art of Indian continent.
Scholars like Coomaraswamy, .Sivaramamurti, Motichandra, V. S.
Agrawala, Rai Govinda Chandra, and others have contributed to the various
aspects of Sri Lakshmi. However, this is an attempt for the tint time to study
exclusively the motif of Gaja-Lakshmi in a comprehensive way. Further for the
first time an attempt bas been made in the present monograph to throw light on
the socio-economic factors in the development of the iconography of Gaja
Lakahmi. We have for the first time utilised some rare, so far unpublished
representations of Gaja-Lakshmi in Amongst these a sculpture in the
Art~
Archaeological Museum, T. D. College, Jaunpur and other sculpture from
Kanauj are highly significant. We do not subscribe to theory of the foreign
origin of the goddess.
It is difficult to express my deep sense of gratitude to my Guru Professor
Dr. Upendra Thakur, Head Ancient Indian And Asian Studie1, Magadh Univer
sity. Bodh Gaya, who not only inspired me with his blessings to complete this
monograph, but also graciously wrote the Foreword.
I am highly obliged to Professor Dr. Gopal, Banaras Hindu Univer
L~
sity, for his encouragement to complete the work. I owe a debt of gratitude
R. C. B. N.
to Professor Gaur; Aligarh Muslim University and Professor Dr.
Mukherjeej Calcutta University, for giving me their valuable suggestions. I am
also grateful to my friends Dr. K . Chaudhary, T. D. College, Jaunpur, Dr. R. B.
Singh and Dr. A. L. Srivastava, CMP CoJlege, Allahabad, for giving me the
benefit of their scholarships while discwsing many problems concerning with
the topic. .
I would like to express my thanks to Sri Shaileodra Rastogi, State
Lucknow, for providing me the facilities in the study of certain coioa
M11ac11D1
in the-Archaecological Gallery. I express my thanks to Sri 0. P. Pandey and
Sri S. P. Pandey, the Proprietor of Bharti Prakashan, Varanasi for having taken
interest in the publication of the work.
Finally, I crave indulgence of scholan for printin1 mistakes that have
crept in the book.
Om Pr•ka•h Siegh
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Tra•eliteratioa Chart
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a " I "' l• t i t u u
e a1• " "" au "'
0
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na
Ka gha
Kha ga
na
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Cha Chba JB " jha
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ia tba da <)ha na
.
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ta " tba da dba na
~
pa pba ba bba ma
ya ra la va §a
sba sa ha
The fallowing are the main points In the scheme of transliteration followed in this
monograph:
• nor rh-· h-:
fl
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Abbreviation•
ABO RI Annals of Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute.
AEV Aspects of Early Vifi:iuism.
ASIR Archaeological Survey of India, Reports by Cunningham.
ASIAR Archaeological Survey of India, Annual Reports.
BMCAI Catalogue of the Coins of Ancient India in the British Museum.
DBI Devclopqient of Hindu Iconography.
EI Epigraphia Indica.
IA Indian Antiquary.
IHQ Indian Historical Quarterly.
nu
Journal of Indian History.
nsoA
Journal of the Indian Society of Oriental Art.
1NSI Journal of the Numismatic Society of India.
Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
JRAS
Journal of the U. P. Historical Society.
JUPHS
ODV The Origin aod Development of Vai,']AislJl,
Rig V. Rigveda.
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CONTENts
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Pages
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~oreword
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Preface
111
vii
Traosliteration chart
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Abbreviations
VIU
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Chapter I : Introduction - 1-13
Chapter II : Gaja·I.akshmi in Literature- 14.2!
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Vedic Literature, Buddhist and Jain Literature, Gaja
Lakshmi in Pura9as, Gaja-Lak1hmi in other Sanskrit
Literature. '
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Chapter III : Gaja-Lakahml in Art- 24 58
Representation of Gaja-I.akshm1 in Bharhut Art, Gaja
, I.akshmi in Saochi Art,, Bodh Gaya, LaJa Bhagat, Orisaa,
M,thura, Saranatha, Ka4i Bharat Kala Bhawan, Lucknow
Museum, Bhaj1, Bada1ni, HemavatI, ElJora,
Kau~ambi,
• Mahabalipuram, Madras Museum, Khajuraho, Museum of
Fine Arts, Boston, EraJ}, NaJanda, Rajasthaoa, Rajashahi
Museum, Collection of Baogiya Sahitya, Archaeological
Museum, T. D. College, Jaunpur, Kanauj, Kbajurlho
Muacum, Gaja-Lakshmi in Art of ivory. Terracottas
Kausambi, Mathura, Museum of the Vira93kya Sanskrita
Vidy11aya, Sankisa, M.~Eoucher on Gaja-Lakshmi.
Chapter lV : Gaja·LakshmI on Coins, Seals and Scalings • 59. .7 6
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U.ijain Coins, EraJ}, KauaambI, Ayodhyl, Mathura, Gaja•
Lakshmi on the coins of Kshatrapas of Mathura, Gaja
I.akshmI on the coins ofSatavlhaoas, Gaja-Lakshmi on the
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•!lephant-Ridcr coin type' of kumiragupta Coins
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Saslnka,Jaya, coim of rulen of Kashmira; Baaarah Seals,
Basarah Sealing, Bhita Seals, Ahichchatra Scaling, Nalanda
Sealiogs, Rajaghata Scalings, Kau,ambi Sealing, Erav.
Sealing, Vadri.ntapa-Vishaya Sealing; Tippcra Copper plate
Seal, Seals of the King• of Sarabhapura, Seals of Gopa
chandra Dharmiditya and Jayaniga•
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Chapter V: Iconography 77-82
Chapter VI : Conclusion 83-88
Appendix I : Symbolism- 89-94
Lotus, Elephant, SaAkha, Purl}aghafa and j~s held by the
· elephants in their trunks.
Appendix II : Prathr,llabhavam 95-100
Select Bibliography 101-106
107-112
tndez
113-114
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Introduction
The word Gaja-Lakshmi, an auspicious motif in the plastic art of India,
docs n9t occur in the literature of early India. However, the figure of I.akahml
aonointed by two elephants, shown in sculptures, terracottas, on coins and glyp·
tics is called ''Gaja·Lakshml''. Actually, the term has been coined by the scholars
of ancient India art .
Goddess revered by all the religious creeds of ancient India,
~ri-Lakshmi,
is still held in high esteem by the Hindus. A special homage is paid to her in
the night of DSvllll. It is believed that in the night of Div4ll the goddess shall visit
to the houses of her worshippers and those who are keeping vigil in her
fou~cl
honour are blessed with prosperity. In Bengal, her clay image is worshipped with
great zeal in ceremony of the Sri-Pailchami day falling in the bright fort
usu~lly
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night ofJ anuary and February of every year.'
Really, the interpretation of the words Lakshmi and Sri is based on a
considerable speculation of the scholars. According to Gonda the appellatiye
I. Banerjea, DH/, p, 370.
