Master of Maravijaya

A TRIBUTE TO THE
“MASTER OF MARAVIJAYA”
AT AJANTA





Jayaram Poduval

“Pleasure is brief as a flash of lightning,
Or like an autumn shower, only for a moment.
Why should I then covet the pleasure you speak of,
I see your bodies are full of all impurity,
Birth and Death, Sickness and Age are yours
I seek the highest prize, hard to attain by men,
The true and constant wisdom of the wise”.
: Buddha

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In the evening, Siddharta Goutama made his way to the Bodhi tree on the bank of River Niranjana. He was resolute that, “though my skin my nerves and my bones should waste away and my life blood dry I will not leave this seat until I have attained the Supreme, enlightenment”. He took his seat at the foot of the tree facing east. Soon the prince of an inconsequential state of Kapilavastu was to attain unprecedented feat of his life, the Buddha hood through the enlightenment. But prior to that he had to go through the ordeal of Mara and the consequent victory over Mara.
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Mara Vijaya appear to be the most dramatic episode taken shape in the life of the “great one”. The ancient Buddhist authors were excited in describing this great event. No wonder its repercussions are audible in the plastic art also. Any one visited Ajanta Caves would never forget the awe he experienced in the left aisle of cave 26. For a moment he forgets who he is and where he stands, the life around him disappear behind the aura of the power of expression radiating from the sculpture he pears into – the victory of Buddha on Mara; the Mara Vijaya. He hears only a thunderous voice thus proclaims;
“The Blessed Buddha – he hath prevailed;
And the tempter is overthrown”

This paper is tribute to the master who carved this great relief. We have no names for this master (with every sense of that word) sculptor; thus I would like to call him “Master of Mara Vijaya”.
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Any Warburg wrote thus in 1927, “not until art History can show that it sees the work of art in few more dimensions that it had been done so far will our activity again attract the interest of the scholars of the general public”. These words of the patriarch of art History discipline seem relevant even after half a century, especially in the case of Indian Art History. Though have not achieved perfection Indian Art Historian did venture in the intricacy of some of the art historical riddles. Such an are is the study of the ancient Indian Artists, Here the names like M. A. Dhaky, R. N. Misra, Srinivas Padigar and K. V. Ramesh should be mentioned. Among these, all except Dhaky have based their views on the epigraphical or literal evidences. Dhaky, on the other hand, in his paper on the involvement of two guilds on the sculptural panels of the Dhumar Lena cave at Ellora had used the stylistic and morphological approach. He identified a Dravidian, may be a Calukyan sculptor at work on an individual figure in a relief where rest of the portions are sculpted by the other guild in action. Here there, an individual sculptor is being identified and appreciated. If we implement the same methodology in the case of Ajanta, we do feel that certain individualistic approach to the form, which had been left over by the specific painter and sculptor.

In the paintings of Ajanta we do see this individualistic approach jutting out from the total style of the site. An example can be illustrated with the comparison of the paintings of the Yakasa Shrine wall and that of the antechamber ceiling of Cave 2. The treatment of the background modulation of the contours of the figures seems as originated from single hand. In certain other cases the drawing remain the same though not the treatment. Here one should consider the possibility of a “Master Drawing”, made by one master or the “sutradhara” for different sculpted and painted panels. If we accept this possibility, yet another question do arise that the use of the same master drawing by the apprentices for both sculpture and painting. It seems at least in the architectural decoration this was the case. The best available proof for this aspect is the consanguinity between the painted porch doorway of cave 17 and the carved porch doorway of cave 1. If one would exclude the Manushi Buddhas from the master drawing of the cave 17 doorway, that would look the same as the master drawing of cave 1 porch doorway. The relation between the mandapa of cave 20 and that of cave 26 left wing can also be furnished as another proof for the master drawing theory.
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The activity of the master of the Mara Vijaya begins somewhere in the “hiatus” [hypothetically if one agrees to the chronology suggested by Prof. Spink] period of the Ajanta chronology. As Prof. Walter Spink points out that in the “Post-Hiatus period” the main activity at Ajanta had already faded out from caves 19, 17 and 20 which were the Rsikan sponsored caves. The nucleus now the Asmakan group of caves and its center of attraction – cave 26. Obviously in the Emperor’s cave activity continued without any disruption. The doorways of caves 21, 22, 23 and 24 have already finished and the ceiling of cave 21 begun to dazzle the onlooker with its charming hues and shades. But over and all the priority of the patron was to finish his chaitya grha (cave 26). Moreover, the monk in charge of the excavation, Bhadrabandhu, duly appointed by his teacher Buddhabhadra [as mentioned in the inscription of Cave 26] had a Herculean task, to surpass the beauty of the Gandhakuti (cave 19) [inscription of Cave 17 refer thus] in exuberance. Gandhakuti had a beautiful façade, with nicely carved Buddha images on either side of the porch doorway, proficiently decorated pillars and, with stupendous grandeur there stood the nidhi figures flanking the chaitya window. Bhadrabandhu of cave 26 had only one way to surpass this serenity, that was to décor his cave walls with imposing carvings depicting the life of Buddha and that of Jatakas. For this Bhadrabandhu could not have commissioned a better sculptor than the man of our concern – the “Master of Mara Vijaya”.
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The master looked quite worn out when he arrived at the site. A long journey along the caravans might weaken him a bit as his drooping shoulders and the ring around the eyes showed. But the spirit of his genius was never curtailed, as his eyes proclaimed. The boy with him looked bewildered – a typical apprentice clinching a grindstone as his master tool. Nobody know from where the master came, only they knew was that a caravan from Andhradesa passed the mountain pass previous day. The mere look of the master was sufficient to prove his genius. His wrinkled but firm hands proclaimed his intention – he wants to sculpt and nothing else. Bhadrabandhu never had a second thought. The master was commissioned to do any narrative panel on the life of Buddha. The old man entered the cave bowed the great Buddha on the stupa, paced along the left aisle, bowed at the master of the “Maha Parinirvana” Panel, went few steps further – turned back and looked at the aisle door way and the empty space on the cave wall next to him. His face brightened for the first time as he smiled. With deep voice which echoed in the cave interior he sang: a gatha from Buddha Charita:
“Though all the void of space rained swords upon my head,
Though limb by limb and joint by body were divided,
If I attain not to the other shore of life and death,
Never will I leave this Bodhitree”.
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A comparison between the chaitya grhas of the Mahayana phase at Ajanta, i.e., cave 19 and cave 26 would prove the anxiety and ambition of the patron of the latter cave. It would appear that the Asmakan watchword was nothing but – exuberance. This was emphasized because of three reasons, as it seems to be. First, as we mentioned above, the rivalry between the patrons second, to give a miraculous attire to the whole cave, and third the possible availability or even excess labor power of sculptors at the site.

Asmakans at the height of their glory did not appreciate their archrival’s (Rsikans) cave being the gem of the site. At any coast they had to surpass the beauty and elegance of the Rsikan Chaitya hall, Gandhakuti. The only way out was to adorn their cave with narrative sculptural panels and monumental Buddha images. Thus the scenes as Subjugation of Nalagiri, Litany of Avalokitesvara, Dipankara Buddha and the Inheritance scene were carved on the entablature. The right aisle was given space for the Maha parinirvana and the left aisle for the Buddha images.

Moreover the Asmakans or the clever stapati they employed, planned a new strategy that to use architectural motifs to embellish the entablature. A comparison of cave 19 entablature and that of cave 26 would prove this strategy of the stapati of cave 26. When cave 19 entablature had makara torana with padmapatra molding to flank the Buddha images and aquatic bulls and elephants to stand next to; Cave 26 Buddha images on the entablature were well placed in mandapas flanked by Avalokitesvaras. Underneath the mandapa there are hoards of ganas, semi aquatic creatures, keechakas and flying gandharvas. On top of the mandapa on the gavaksa motifs tiger cubs play hide and seek, unaware of the divine paraphernalia which they are part of. No space is left unembellished and this laborious work does succeed in achieving the exuberance the patron was aiming to.
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The Master was pretty sure what to carve as his disciple understood from the gatha master sang in front of the untouched rock surface of the left aisle of cave 26. But the master seems to be contemplating how to go about it.
“Whatever we carve however we slog on it we could never represent thousandth portion of the anxiety and victorious feeling “Thatagatha” experienced under the Boddhitree”, Master sighed.
“Master”, asked the obedient disciple, “You have traveled a lot and seen almost all aramas (monasteries) in this vast country. You might have come across a lot of representations of the Maravijaya theme. Tell me some thing about them”.
“Listen, 0 my son” Master started” once I was traveling in Malava Desa. The great stupa there on an idyllic hill over there has beautiful torana gateways narrate in silky voice the jatakas and the story of our lord. The torana on the north direction has a masterly depiction of the subject Maravijaya. The whole panel is full of udaramukhas, terrible looking ganas encircled the divine seat, which represents the Great Lord”
“Is it the best one you have seen, 0 master”
“0 no, my son”
“Why it is not the best, 0 Master”.
“Listen, 0 my son, It depicts only the terrible aspect of Mara’s attack. It does not show the Srngara aspect of the attack which only Sakya Muni could vanquish”.
“Is there any sculpture which shows the Srngara aspect, 0 Master?”
“Oh yes, my son. Once I went to Gandhara Desa and I saw one of the sangharamas there had a sculpture which showed the Srngara aspect through Mara Kanyas”.
“Is that the best, O Master?”
“No my son, Though it showed the Mara Kanyas it give importance to the dana aspect of the great Lord which he had attained in his previous birth as Vessantara. Thus the sculpture at Gandhara Desa did not glorify tathagatha’s life as Goutama but his previous life as Vessantara.”
“Tell me which is the best hitherto, O Master”
“Listen O my son, In Andhra Desa there is a stupa dedicated to the Great Lord, constructed with due reverence by the Ikshvaku Kings. On the drum of the stupa, there is a depiction of Mara Vijaya. It shows the grandeur and royal attire of the Mara King as he approaches on his great elephant to attack the Bodhisattva. The mara kanyas dance in front of the divine seat of the great lord with their sensuous bodies, exposing the charm of the samasara. Even the maligned monsters of the Mara’s army froze if the stupendous voluptuousness of these divine virgins. No one in the world could resist his passion overflowing, to join the enchanting rhythm of the dance of the Marakanyas – except the Sakya Muni who remained in vow that unless and until he attain the enlightenment he would not shift from his divine seat under the Bodhi tree on the banks of river Niranjana”.
“Is that the Best, O Master”
“No” Master smiled, “The best is yet to come”.

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The state of cave 26 was quite in a chaotic situation when the Maravijaya panel seems to have started. This assumption is based on the fact that we never see the workman ship of the Master of Mara vijaya put into use a second time in cave 26 or in any other cave at Ajanta. By the time the Master arrived at the site, Ajanta apparently was anticipating the final doom of its fate. The Rsikan caves were already sealed, and the work in the Emperor’s cave and the adjacent cave 2 were undergoing the finishing touches.

In the Asmakan group cave 21 was scooped completely and was under the carvers and painters. In the chaitya cave of the Asmakans i.e., cave 26, the verandah and the upper façade area has been embellished and the Buddha images on the left aisle were being carved. In this state of hurry and confusion and above all the anxiety, a much thought out sculpture like the Mara Vijaya panel appears as a wonder – a gold fish in the deluge.

Immediately after the scooping the interior of the chaitya cave (26) the sculptors might have worked on the stupa. As Prof. Walter Spink pointed out, the Buddha towards the right rear of the stupa might have carved first as the light fall directly there on the summer months than any other spot in the cave. Immediately after that few Buddha images might have been commissioned. The Maha Pari Nirvana Panel was assigned soon. The seated Buddha image on the right aisle was to be carved next. The Buddha image next to the Maha Pari Nirvana panel seems as if carved prior to the Mara Vijaya panel, otherwise the Master of Mara Vijaya would have definitely selected that particular spot for his work.

Structural analysis and comparison of the composition of the two panels i.e., Maha Pari Nirvana and Mara Vijaya would prove the chronological sequence of these panels.

In Maha Pari Nirvana the sculptor used the parallel composition with the intervening levels. For instance the figures in the level –1 (see fig 1 ), i.e., the celestial beings have no link with the figures of the 3rd level i.e., mourners other than through the figure in the level 2 i.e., the Dying Buddha. Thematically the figures of level 1 and level 3 have contradictory functions in the narrative structure. When the celestial beings of the level 1 rejoices the immortality of the Great Lord, the mourners of the level 3 wail on the mortal end of the great Teacher. The only character who acts as a link between these contradictory aspects, apart from the Dying Buddha is Ananda, who well aware of the immortality of the tathagatha mourns the death of Buddha, as any other mortal would do. Curiously, in the Maha Parinirvana Panel no figure has been repeated twice and no narrative flow is achieved nor implied. It is a frieze of great inaction –, as it has to be.

Celestial Beings
Ananda
Dying Buddha
Mourners

[Fig.1]

On the other hand Mar Vijaya panel has a ‘star shaped’ composition, which we would elaborate upon subsequently.

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“Master…. Master….” called out the disciple.
The silence of the afternoon siesta was disturbed a little by the young boy’s shrill voice. Few pigeons chirped on the chaitya arch flew away flapping their silver wings.
No one seemed to know where the Master of Mara Vijaya has disappeared except the porter who carried the rock boulders down the river.
“I saw him walking towards ‘Sapta kunda’ (Water fall)”
Disciple rushed towards ‘Satpa kunda’
Master was sitting on the bank of the pool underneath the waterfall, like an ascetic under penance.
He was staring into the depth of the water, throwing pebbles into it. Each pebble made a quiet circle of waves, which intercepted the waves of the previous pebble. The Master continued with lazy but rhythmic interludes.
The boy sat next to him – without disturbing him.
“Just as blue, red and white lotuses originate, grows up, make the appearance in water and yet not defiled by water; in the same way the Perfect One grows up in the world, subdues the world and yet not defiled by the world” Exclaimed the Master. “What an image?”
“And this great detachment was proved by the Perfect One’s Victory over Mara. Is it not Master?”
“Yes My son, You are right…Though the Great One begun his tug of war to detach from the worldly ties, say samsara, ever since his Great Departure (Maha Pari Nishkramana) his real breaking point was revealed during his triumph over the Mara”
“O Master, please explain me the philosophical implications of the Mara Vijaya Theme”.
“Listen, O My Son,” said the Master” through the victory over Mara the great lord expounded the two great asset of a perfect soul, jnana and dana. Because of his jnana or knowledge about the samsara the great one could sustain the raga / dvesha, two maligned faces of the samasara cheshta (worldly emotions / actions) which is supported by his dana in his previous births. For his jnana the witness is his conscience and for the dana the witness can be none else than the earth as dana is done in earth alone. When one aspect i.e., dana is material, the other, jnana is immaterial. Only the Great One who fulfilled these material and immaterial or in other words, the physical and spiritual requirement to achieve the Supreme Enlightenment. For this the triumph on Mara become an incident to prove the greatness of the great one”.
“That is why you selected this theme for your sculpture?” asked the eager boy.
“No, not only that; Bhaya and sringara are the most appealing sentiments. It appeared to me that in the life of Buddha, Mara Vijaya has the maximum possibility to expound these emotions without harming the greatness of the Buddha. In this panel, the more you put sensuous figures the more you include grotesque monsters the more you highlight the greatness of Buddha.”
“Like Asvaghosha”, the Master continued” who goes on describing the war, maras army waged on Buddha, as;
“One danced, shaking a trident,
Another made a crash dragging a club,
Another bounded with joy like a Bull,
Another blazed out flames from every hair”

Or

“A wind of intense violence blew in all directions
the stars did not shine, the moon gave no light,
And a deeper darkness of night spread around,
And all the oceans were agitated”.

“But Asvaghosha did not talk about the sringara aspect of Mara Vijaya”
“It is thus, because to Asvanghosha, Buddha had already vanquished the samsara maya during his “Maha Prinishkramana, where Asvaghosha a narrates in length the beauty of the place damsels, evident from the concluding statement of Siddharatha.
“If a man would but consider the natural state of women
And this change produced by sleep,
Assuredly he would not cherish his jolly;
But he is smitten from a right will and so succumb to passion”.

“If so, Master, you should have selected the Maha Parishkramana scene if you wanted to show sringara”.
“No my son, Maha Parinishkramana or the Maha Parinirvana does not have the narrative flow that which Mara Vijaya offers. More over the concept of crisis and victory over it is manifested only in the Mara Vijaya. The anguish of the spectators is well explained in ancient texts. As Asvaghosha says
“The Mountain deities and the nagas who honored the law,
Indignant at the attack on the saint,
Rolling their eyes in anger against Mara,
Have deep sighs and opened their mouth wide”.

Thus there is an explicit tension created in the whole description – the paramount point of the great ones struggle”.
The Master and disciple walked past the river Waghora when the sun struggled to touch the feet of the Buddha of the emperor’s cave with his golden rays.
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If one analyze the inscription of cave 26 at Ajanta it would appear as if Mara Vijaya is the Master theme of the cave. The inscription emphasizes on the basic virtues as charity, welfare, revelation, compassion, immannucipation and the victory over passion. Only the Mara Vijaya could represent all these from the life of Buddha. Interestingly the Mara Vijaya become a popular theme in the twilight of the art activity at Ajanta.
The verse No. 1 of cave 26 inscription propagates the virtues as welfare of the people and charity. Verse No. 5 and verse Nos. 9 to 13, describe the charity and refer to the concept of the rebirth. Verse No. 15 concludes thus; “Whatever merit is here, may be that be fore the attainment of the fortune (in the shape) of the supreme knowledge as well as the multitude of all pure qualities by them and by (all the beings in all the three) worlds”.

In the life of Buddha, only the Mara Vijaya episode contains synoptically the principles of virtue, welfare, charity and the victory over passion and the supreme knowledge. The great ones virtue lead him to the Boddhi tree, the quest for the welfare of the fellow beings initiated his penance, his victory over passion made him victorious over the ordeals of the Mara and the charity lead him to Boddha, the supreme knowledge.
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Every one at the site came to see the cartoon of the Mara Vijaya panel drawn with red chalk on the wall of the aisle of cave 26 with steady hands exhibiting great mastery over the form and contour. Master finished the drawing in one morning itself.
“He never even stopped to think and never drew over the lines” wondered the disciple.
The Mara in the drawing was the Mara Raja revered with all the divine attributes. The Mara Bhrithyas are eager for the final assault. The Mara kanyas tied bells to their anklets for the dance.
The boy sat in front of the yet to be sculpted panel, staring at the drawing never able to take his eyes off it. The whole drama of the enlightenment scene unfolded in front of him.
The fortieth day, on the banks of river Niranjana the breeze grew chiller, in the air there grew an anxiety anticipating some unprecedented happening. Boddhisatva sat with his face towards east with a divine aura developing around him. Then there appeared Mara with a dizzy head because of the previous nights dreams. Along with came personification of world maligned feelings enjoying themselves in their grotesque state. Emulating flames, terrifying the terrible. Bodhiasattva sat there; firm on his Kusa grass seat, his divine aura changing into an all consuming fire, scaring the scary marabhrutyas. The next moment the whole atmosphere changed. There was intoxicating fragrance from millions of unknown flowers the wind brought soft whisperings and suppressed giggles and there heard lazy footsteps evident from the tickling sound of the anklets…. And behold…. There appeared the Mara Kanyas…..
“Please come this way, O Great Monk,” said some one.
The startled boy turned back to, see Buddhabhadra himself.
Buddhabhadra stood in front of the sculpture as his eager eyes graced each figure. He turned towards the Master only see to see him engrossed in appreciating in the drawing every figure of it every line of it. Buddha Bhadra smiled approvingly and gave an affectionate smile to Buddhabandhu.
“Pray, O Master, say something about it,” Buddhabhadra broke the silence.
“O, Great Monk, I started to build up the composition from the monastic concept that, there is the great lord and every things happens around him, but he is never part of it. Here the Buddha remains calm engrossed in his penance, and Mara’s attack encircles him, but fails to affect him. Thus symbolically there is lord; the omnipotent, the omnipresent remaining in the center of the samsara, though never touched by its malice”.
“So…. Did you use the spiral composition?” asked Buddha Bhadra.
“No. I used a typical composition, quite new to this part of the country called “Star Pattern”.
“Oh, how is that?”
“This way, please look here o great Monk” said the master looking more relaxed now as his movements become more free.
“He is into his world, where he is the soul ruler,” thought the disciple.
“Here the Mara approaches on his royal elephant and attacks the lord through the monsters the emphasis is on the Bhaya aspect” said the master pointing to the upper left of the panel, “and we have him here in the retreating position on the lower left, discussing with Mara Kanyas…
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[Panel.1]
Mara’s Arrival
&

Attack of Ferocious

Udaramukhas

Celebration of Celestial Beings
[Panel.5]


Question on Dana
&
Mara’s Final retreat


Buddha


[Panel.2]
Mara’s Retreat [1]


[Panel.3]
Attack of Mara
MaraKanya’s Dance


[Panel.4]
Mara’s Retreat [2]

[Fig.2]

If one analyze the compositional pattern of Mara Vijaya panel, it would appear that the master was right to call it the “star Pattern”. The upper left of the panel has the Mara’s attack (see Fig.2). Next to it the lower level has the retreating Mara. Then the attack of Mara through Mara Kanyas, again a retreat is shown. Thus there are alternative placement of attack and retreat. Say, panel 1, 3, 5 are attacks and 2, 4 are retreat.
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“Still you have not explained the empty space beneath the seat of the Great Lord” queried Buddha Bhadra.
“That symbolically represents the earth, who is the witness of the great lord’s enlightenment. More than a witness she supports him; to support to his Karmas, supports to his danas support to his jnana. The space around Buddha can be explained thus,
“ The fire engulfs him,
Earth supports him
And the sky venerates him.”

"Great," exclaimed Buddha Bhadra repeating unaware of the surrounding as he walked away “Fire engulfs, Earth supports and the sky venerates.”
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The Mara Vijaya panel presents an anxious interlude between the great penance and the enlightenment of Buddha. Like the climax scene of a theatrical performance, the approaching villain challenges the dignity and ideology of the hero and the hero vanquishes him through his virtues. The master of Mara Vijaya at Ajanta was well informed of the textual narratives eolising the Mara Vijaya theme. To furnish few examples, one of the texts says that the Mara Raja had bad dreams in the previous night and had dizzy head. In Ajanta, the Mara holds his head with Left hand. Another text refers thus “hearing the news of the great penance Mara rushed to the scene”. Here Mara is goading the elephant so that it would rush to the scene. On the other side of the panel the same gesture is used to show his feeling away. The use of single gesture to signify two aspects is an interesting aspect no doubt. The fully opened palms of the Marabhrityas mean attack on one side and reverence in the other.

The lower portion of the panel is reserved for Sringara attitude. The dancing Mara Kanya of this relief is one of the best-sculpted female figures in Ajanta. She sways little towards right and shoots her glances to left. The paraphernalia of a performance is created with the girl with flowers and female percussionists. The next scene shows the disillusioned Mara Kanyas shocked by the words of Buddha. The jumping female figure on the left of the Marakanya can be the figure of Bhumi who appears to proclaim that she is the witness to the dana which Buddha had done in his life as Vessantara. Her personification can be observed in few of the Maravijaya panels from Gandhara region. Or it can be a marakanya also who according to one of the texts takes of her cloths to entice Buddha, as the figure in discussion holds a folded cloth in her right hand while proclaiming something with her hand next to her mouth.

Most interesting thing in this panel is the play of light. Though the light source is on the left parallel to the sculpted phase. Master of Mara Vijaya used the curvilinear carving technique, which can be observed, in the caves as Rameshvara cave at Ellora and Elephanta caves.

Thus, the sculptor of this panel initiates monumental rock cut sculptures rooted greatly in the narrative tradition of the Buddhist art, which would bear fruit in the caves of Elephanta and culminate in magnificence of Ellora. An art historian may wonder – “Isn’t Mara Vijaya panel, the best sculpture of 5th century A.D., a break point from austere classicism to the exuberant Mannerism”.
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It was a gloomy day. The horse rider was exhausted from a long ride and his face showed the worry of his mind. He walked straight to Buddha Bandhu.
Soon the news spread.
The Emperor is dead.
A thunderstorm passed over Ajanta.
The guilds started packing their belongings.
The sound of the chisels now gave way for the cries of cartmen and the fading sound of the bells of the bulls.
Silence of death prevailed.
“Master are we leaving too”.
“Not ‘we’, I am leaving”.
“What about me?”
Master looked into the ages of the boy as he passed a chisel into his hand. The cold metal vibrated in the hands of the disciple giving shivers on his spine as he heard the echoing voice of his master.
“Find your own way, O Master”, said the Master of Mara Vijaya in choking voice.
At the door of the cave Master turned back and looked at his masterpiece for the last time.
He touched the shoulder of the boy – now in tears.
He walked away –along the river Waghora as the sun was setting behind the western horizon.
Leaving Ajanta in darkness.

- A prolonged one.
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Endnote: This article is based on the chronological hypothesis of Prof.Walter Spink whose personality has influenced the creation of the character of the Master of Mara Vijaya. The verses are from Ananda Coomaraswamy’s book “Life of Buddha”. It is not an art historical paper nor fiction but merely a Tribute to a sculptor of ancient India. Not just a sculptor, but a master indeed.