164 



DESCRIPTIVE REMARKS ON 



headed snake canopy over her. She has her hands clasped to- 

 gether in front of her waist, and wears a tall head-dress with 

 large ear ornaments. Just above the level of her head may be 

 seen on either hand a couple of Naga-hooded figures (man and 

 woman). The men having a three or five headed Naga-hood 

 apiece, and the women but a single one. Both couples, like the 

 rest of the figures, regard the serpent-tailed Naga figures in the 

 cleft. About the centre of the cleft and just above the Nagini rises 

 a Naga, whose upper part above the waist, i.e., just above the 

 serpentine portion, has fallen, but may be seen lying on the 

 ground in front of the sculptured rock. The figure is that of a 

 man with his hands joined in an attitude of prayer or penance, 

 and having a seven-headed snake canopy or hood over his tall 

 head-dress. 



These three Naga figures have been carved on separate stones 

 and then fixed in places prepared for them in the cleft ; and 

 from the great remaining portion of the cleft now vacant, I am 

 inclined to think that still another figure was originally designed 

 to occupy the vacancy above. If there were any such figure, 

 the action of the scene might be more intelligible. I could 

 easily imagine a figure of Buddha or a lingam, or some such 

 emblem in the position which would naturally be the cynosure 

 of all eyes, and the whole scene might well represent the vision 

 or dream of the ascetic. From the number of superhuman or 

 celestial forms the scene might represent the confines of heaven 

 in which many a couple may be seen as if reclining, each figure 

 with a hand partly raised, as if about to support the head, in the 

 attitude of repose. 



The largest human figure is that of a man or god with four 

 arms displaying his emblems and weapons. All the other 

 figures, except the four-armed figure in the shrine, and the wild 

 animals, are only two-armed. 



The four-armed god appears to be Siva from his head-dress, 

 weapons and ornaments. 



Under Siva's left hand stands a dwarf with a hook weapon, 

 or a ehauri over his right shoulder, and a face or mask with long 

 projecting tusks carved on his stomach or apron. 



