The correct option is Padmasana.
Explanation
The Mathura School of Art, which flourished primarily during the Kushana period (1st-3rd century CE), developed a distinct indigenous style of representing the Buddha. The image found at Katra Mound is one of the earliest and most significant examples of the seated Buddha from this school.
Detailed Analysis
The Katra Mound Buddha image is characterized by the following iconographic features:
- Posture (Asana): The Buddha is depicted seated in Padmasana (the lotus posture), with legs crossed and the soles of the feet turned upwards. This reflects the yogic tradition indigenous to Indian art.
- Hand Gesture (Mudra): The right hand is raised in the Abhaya Mudra (gesture of fearlessness), held at shoulder level, while the left hand rests on the left thigh.
- Throne: The figure is seated on a lion throne (Simhasana), emphasizing royal authority and spiritual sovereignty.
- Style: This image belongs to the "Kapardin" type, where the hair is arranged in a spiral topknot (resembling a snail shell or coil), distinct from the later curly hair style associated with the Gandhara and Gupta periods.
Key Takeaway: The early Mathura School Buddha images (Kushana period) typically depict the Buddha in Padmasana with the right hand in Abhaya Mudra, distinguished by the Kapardin (coiled hair) style and a broad, powerful physique.