कनकधारास्तोत्रं सानुवादम् /14

4
 

 
lakshmiī was naturally carved on the toranṇa of the palace.

Lakshmiī on lotus, Her lovely arms holding lotuses, as

celestial elephants bathed Her: niyujyamānā cha gajaiḥ
suhasta
suhastā lakshmiīs tathā padmini padmahastā, Rāmāyaṇa

5, 7, 14. This auspicious emblem has been a favourite

symbol of auspiciousness and prosperity and is repeated

not only in Brahmanical but also in Buddhist and Jain

monuments. In the Gupta cave at Udayagiri it is an

elaboration of the theme on the door-lintel, Lakshmi
ī
arising out of the milky ocean as Kshiraīrābdhikanyaā, daugh-

ter of the milky sea, and Somamrāṁṛitasodarī, with ambrosial

moon as Her brother, as he was also so born, as the

Devas and Asuras churned the milky mass. Early repre-

sentations of Lakshmiī occur repeatedly on the Buddhist

toraṇa at Bhārhut (Fig. 2), and a lovely one, exactly

answering Vālmīki, on the eastern gateway of the Sanchi
stuāñchī
stūpa (Fig. 3). The theme occurs with equal importance

on the lintel of a doorway of the Jaina Rānīgumpha cave

at Udayagiri in Orissa. These are among the earliest

and belong to the second century B.C. The theme

became such a favourite that it is repeated on coins and

seals both early and medieval. Even so late as the

eleventh-twelfth centuries it occurs as for instance on

Ganāṅgeyadeva's and Sallakshaṇadeva's issues. As early

as the second century B.C., She is shown standing on

lotus and bathed by elephants on the reverse of

Sujyeshtha's coin (Fig. 4).
 

 
It is interesting that Lakshmi is shown seated on a

lion with Her feet on lotus and suggest Her both as Śrī

and Simhaṁhāsaneśvarī. She is seated not on a throne with

supporting leonine couch-steads but on the lion itself,

actual lion-seat, simhaāsana, as Royal Prosperity, Her

aspect of royalty suggested by the lion, and Her form of

prosperity by the lotus on which rest Her feet, making