Relief depicting the Jain goddess Chakreshwari

Northwest India, Gujarat or Rajasthan

Circa 18th century

Marble with traces of gilding and polychrome

H28.5xW22.5xD6cm

Provenance: German private collection, assembled between 1960-1995

The rectangular relief carved in high relief depicts the Jain goddess Chakreshwari, riding her vehicle Garuda, the crowned peacock. She is the guardian goddess or Yakshini of Rishabhanatha, the first Tirthankara (spiritual teacher) of Jainism. According to Jains, tirthankaras are the supreme preachers of dharma, who have conquered saṃsāra on their own and made a path for others to follow. Saṃsāra is the eternal repetition of cycles of birth, death and rebirth caused by karma in Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism. Chakreshwari is considered a guardian deity who safeguards the teachings of Rishabhanatha and she helps his followers in their spiritual journey.

She is flanked by two columns and placed within an arched niche with two makaras. Her eight arms are radiating around herself and she wears, like Durga, several weapons and attributes, like a vajra, spear, bow, arrow, noose and an elephant goad. She is depicted with two wheels (chakras) in her upper arms, and she holds her lower arm in varadamudra. She wears various garments including an underskirt secured around the waist by a belt. Her face displays a serene expression with almond-shaped eyes, her hair combed in a chignon, with tresses falling on her shoulders and topped with a princely crown.