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Undoubtedly the Buddhist sculptural art at Bh膩rhut, Bodhgay膩 and S膩帽ch墨 are thematically paralleled to the early sculptures from 础尘补谤腻惫补迟墨. It may be emphasized that the bulk of the sculptures of the 艢u峁単a period consisted of 闯腻迟补办补蝉 and Buddha鈥檚 life story. Contemporary art centres also exhibit the same content of which 础尘补谤腻惫补迟墨 art figured prominently. Among several episodes of Buddha鈥檚 life story in the Sunga phase, some episodes reveal striking resemblance to the 础尘补谤腻惫补迟墨 narratives. (Pl 38b)

In this regard attention may be drawn towards the depiction of Buddha鈥檚 birth on the Bh膩rhut medallion(Pl 38c). In this narrative Queen Maya is seen reclining on the bed while a large sized elephant is hovering above. The scene is inscribed as bhagavato ukranti (Sanskrit garbhavakranti)^[1]. The elephant as the object of dream together with reclining M膩y膩dev墨 is also visible in other 础尘补谤腻惫补迟墨 reliefs concerning the depiction of Buddha鈥檚 birth. However, the posture of sleeping M膩y膩dev墨 with several flexions seen in the 础尘补谤腻惫补迟墨 narrative preserved in the Indian Museum Collection is absent in the Bh膩rhut medallion. It may be added that in 础尘补谤腻惫补迟墨 art the elephant is not always represented in Buddha鈥檚 birth scene. The specimen in the British Museum Collection (Pl 38d) bears testimony to this.

Inclusion of the 厂腻濒补产丑补苍箩颈办腻 motif in case of Buddha鈥檚 birth and nativity scene in the 础尘补谤腻惫补迟墨 reliefs is an interesting feature of this repertoire. While the 厂腻濒补产丑补苍箩颈办腻 motif is depicted at Bh膩rhut and S膩帽ch墨 as a 驰补办峁Ｄ�, the motif was possibly used for M膩y膩dev墨 for the first time by the 础尘补谤腻惫补迟墨 artists in the birth scene of Buddha. The reason for such a depiction was possibly the urge of the artists for connecting the fertility symbol, that is, 厂腻濒补产丑补苍箩颈办腻 to the event of the birth of the Master^[2]. In this regard it may be emphasized that the 厂腻濒补产丑补苍箩颈办腻s may be considered as tree nymphs or beauties associated with trees^[3]. They are connected to fruition and hence represent fertility. The Buddhist biographical literature like the 狈颈诲腻苍补办补迟丑腻 affirms that M膩y膩dev墨 was ordained to give birth to Buddha while standing^[4]. Such descriptions might have inspired the sculptors of 础尘补谤腻惫补迟墨 to establish a relationship between M膩y膩dev墨 and 厂腻濒补产丑补苍箩颈办腻. The association of 厂腻濒补产丑补苍箩颈办腻 with Buddha鈥檚 birth became a norm in later schools of Indian art.