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JAYA-GROUP OF GODDESSES DR. UMAKANT PREMANAND SHAH, M.A., Ph.D.
Jayā, Vijayā, Ajitā or Jayantā and Aparājitā seem to form a group of goddesses, since in the Jaina literature they are usually assigned similar functions and are often invoked together. Sometimes four more goddesses, much less popular, are also included in this group; these latter ones are Jambhā, Mohā, Stambha and Stambhini. The first four are also included amongst Pratīhāras or door-keepers. It is necessary to treat them in their other aspects also.
According to the Nirvanakalika, Jayā is the superintending deity of the gate in the eastern quarter and is worshipped along with Vijaya, Ajitā and Aparājitā amongst the dvārapālas (door-keepers) of the first prākāra (circle in a circular diagram and of any other shape in other yantras) in the diagram of Nandyävarta drawn and worshipped in the pratişthāvidhi. According to this text, the iconography of these four goddesses is as under:Jayā :- White in complexion, and guarding the eastern quarters,
she shows the abhaya, the pāśa, the goad and the mudgara
(mace) in her four hands. Vijayā :- Red in appearance, and door-keeper of the southern
quarter, she carries the same symbols as Jaya. Ajitā :- Same symbols as above. Ajitā is golden, and is assigned
the western gate. Aparājitā:-Black in appearance and guarding the northern-quarter,
Ajitā shows the same symbols as are carried by the other
three goddesses. It may be noted that Hemacandra speaks of them as door-keepers of the second rampart in the Samavasarana and gives them the same symbols and complexion.?
The Acaradinakara does not give the iconography of any of these goddesses discussed here, but merely refers to Jayā, Vijayā, Jayantā and Aparājitā in the Dhvajapratisthāvidhi.
Jayā and Vijayā are said to hold the cāmaras (fly-whisks) on two sides
2. 3.
Nirvāņakalikā, p. 20. Trişaştisalākāpuruşacarita (GOS), Vol. I, p. 192. Acaradinakara, pp. 203 ff.
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JAINISM
125
of Parsvanātha in the Mantrādhirāja-Yantra, according to Sagaracandra, and in the yantra on the last verse of the Bhayaharastotra. According to Sagaracandra, Jaya is white, four-armed and shows the chowrie, the rosary, the varada mudrā and the fruit (bijapūraka = citron). Putting on white garments, she rides on the elephant.
Jayā is also worshipped in the third sthāna, called Vijjāpada (Vidyāpada) in the Sūrividya-diagram, along with Vijayā, Jayanti, Nandā and Bhadrā, as attendants of Sri.8
Jayā, Vijayā, Jayanti and Aparajită are called Upavidyās of the Bahubali Mahavidyā in the Sürimantra-Durgapadavivarana. They are worshipped in the second pitha of the Sūrimantra, which contains the Bahubalividyās used for Nimittakathana. Works on Sūrimantra refer to mantras which they assign to Jayādividyās (i.e. Jayā, Vijayā, Jayantă and Aparājitā).
In the diagram (mandala) for the propitiation of Sarasvati, in the tradition (ämnāya) of Bappabhatti Sūri, Nandā, Mohā, Jayā, Vijaya, Aparājitā, Jambhā and Stambhā are invoked and worshipped.10
Thus these goddesses are included as the parivāradevatās of both Śri and Sarasvati.
Jayā, Vijayā, Ajitā (same as Jayantā or Jayanti of other texts) and Aparājitā are invoked by Mānadeva Sūri in his Laghuśāntistava and the Śäntimantra given therein.11 They are supposed to bestow peace and 4. Manträdhirājakalpa, in the Mantradhirajacintāmaņi, p. 232. 5. Mantrådhirajacintamani, p. 29. 6. Ibid. pp. 258, 265. For a mantra of Jay, and Vijayā see, ibid. p. 264.
Sthāna here conveys a meaning similar to that of prākāra noted above. Pada
in the expression Vijjāpada also means the same. 8. Sūrividya-stotra, Bhairava-Padmăvati-Kalpa, app. 29, p. 112.
पउमदहपउमनिलया चउसट्टिसुराहिवाण महमहनी । सव्वङ्गभुसणधरा पणमंती गोयममुणिन्दं ॥ ४ fakar-47-8797f-4721-HETAHEAT TV
विज्जापए निविट्ठा सिरिसिारदेवी सुहं देउ ॥ ५ ॥ द्वितीयपीठे-ॐ नमो भगवओ इत्यादि विज्जा-यावत् अक्षर ३३ एषा बाहुबलीविद्या स्वमाद्यर्थम् । ततो वग्गु बग्गु महुमहुरे यावद् वर्णाः २२ सौभाग्यविद्या । ततो हिलि हिलि इत्यादि आयरियकालि यावद्
वर्णाः ३० जयादि विद्याः । अस्य पीठस्य अधिष्ठात्री मानुषोत्तरशिखरवासिनी सहस्रभुजा त्रिभुवनस्वामिनी । 9. Sūrimantramukhyakalpa in Sūrimantra-kalpa-sandoha, p. 14.
Also see Sūrimantra-Durgapada-Vivarana, in ibid., pp. 45 ff. 10. Bhairava-Padmăvati-Kalpa app. 11, pp. 61 ff. 11. Ibid., app. 31, pp. 131 ff.
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ACARYA VIJAYAVALLABHASURI COMMEMORATION VOLUME
prosperity. These four are also worshipped in the Cintamani or Pārsva cintamani-yantra described by Dharmaghosa Süri.11
Jaya, Ajitä, Aparajitä, Jambha, Mohã and Vijaya are also invoked in the yantra according to the Vṛddhasampradaya on the Upasargaharastotra, verse 2,13 and also in the Cintāmaṇi Cakra on the same verse.1*
Jaya, Vijaya, Jayantă, Aparajita and Anahitä are famous in the Vardhamana-Vidya. Elsewhere the present writer has suggested that Anahită probably signifies some form of Anaitis or Anihatä,16 Jaya Vijaya and Ajită are included in the list of mahadevis in the famous. Rşimandalastotra.17
Vijaya and Jambhini are also referred to as Vidyas in the Paumacariyam.18
In the Digambara tradition, the Bhairava-Padmavati-Kalpa calls Jaya, Vijaya, Ajitá and Aparajita as Dig-devis (goddesses of quarters) while Jambha, Moha, Stambha and Stambhint are said to be Vidig-devis (goddesses of intermediate points),10 The text prescribes their worship for Vasya-rites.
According to the Pratisthäsâroddhära of Asadhara, Jaya, Vijayā, Aparajita, Jambha, Moha, Stambha and Stambhini are to be worshipped in the bahirmandalapaja. They are invoked for obtaining Santi (peace) and bliss. But the author does not give their symbols. Nemicandra in his Pratisthätilaka calls them Sadhu-devis. They are said to protect the Jaina Faith and give victory over rival faiths and
enemies.
It will be seen that in both the Svetämbara and the Digambara traditions, the four goddesses are invoked for Santi; Vijayā later on came to be worshipped as Santidevatä. The various texts on Sarimantra and the Vardhamanavidya further show that they were regarded as giving victory. But their special inclusion in the Vardhamänavidya is significant. The Vidya is used with certain changes as mantras by different types
12. Manträdhiraja-Cintamani, pp. 30 ff., 7 ff.
13. Jaina-Stotra-Sandoha, śri Cintamanikalpa, pp. 6-7.
14. Ibid., p. 9.
15. Two Vardharnānavidya-kalpas of Sri Simhatilakasuri, published in Surimantrakalpasandoha, pp. 1-22.
Shah, U. P., Foreign Elements in Jaina Literature, IHQ. Sept. 1953. 17. Mahaprabhavika-Navasmarana, p. 516.
13. Paumacariyam, 7.141, 144.
19. Bhairava-Padmavati-Kalpa, p. 19, verses 1-4; Pp. pp. 12-13, verses 17-18, 20. Pratistha-Säroddhāra, pp. 79-81.
21. Ibid., p. 81, verses 225-26.
22. Pratisthätilaka, pp. 179-80, also cf. p. 215, verse 8,
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________________ GLORY OF JAINISM 127 of Jaina monks, especially the Upadhyayas and Vacakas. We have no means to ascertain that the worship of these deities was introduced in Jainism by Vardhamana Mahavira or his immediate successors. It is, however, quite reasonable to suppose that the Vardhamanavidya and the Surimantra existed in the age of Vajrasvami in the first or second century A.D. and both the Jaina Tantric practices should probably date from (at least) a century or two before Christ. Their association with Sri, Sarasvati and Anaitis or Anahita suggests that they may be ancient goddesses, and probably evolved from them. With the growth of the later yaksinis and the popularity of Ambika, Padmavati and Cakresvari, their worship seems to have receded into background and practically disappeared. It is also certain, on account of their associations with the above mentioned goddesses, as also with Nanda and Bhadra, that they are not exclusively Jaina, and their origins should be traced into some other deities commonly worshipped in ancient times, before the Christian era. Eight Dik-Kumaris, living on the Eastern Rucaka mountains coming to perform the birth ceremonies of a Jina, are called Nanda, Nandottara, Ananda, Nandivarddhana, Vijaya, Vaijayanti, Jayanti and Aparajita.23 It should be remembered that the lists of fifty-six Dik-Kumaris include names of such ancient goddesses as Ila-devi, Psthivi, Ekanasa (corruption of Ekanamsa (?), Bhadra, Sri, etc. It is, therefore, probable that Nanda, Bhadra etc., and Jaya, Vijaya etc., shown as attendants of Sri, the Adhisthatr-devi of the third patha of the Surimantra, were ancient goddesses and that they were incorporated in Jainism at a very early date. That the Jaya, Vijaya, Jayanti and Aparajita are treated as doorkeepers in the Svetambara tradition is significant though only indirectly. Vijaya, Vaijayanti, Jayanta and Aparajita are four well known doorkeepers of the Jagati of the Jambudvipa according to Jaina canon like the Jambudvipaprajnapti.24 Their female counterparts seem to have been evolved as door-keepers in a Samavasarana. Male deities of those names were installed in a fortified town in centre, according to a well known passage from Kautilya's Arthasastra 25 which fact shows that Vijaya, Vaijayanta, Jayanta and Aparajita are old deities. 23. Trisastisalakapurusacarita, I (GOS), p. 106. Lists of Dik-Kumaris are available in Jaina Canonical Works, in the Vasudevahindi, in the Angavijja, and in Svetambara and Digambara works on Cosmography. 24. Jambudvipa-prajnapi, su. 7 ff., pp. 45 ff. 25. Banerji, J. N., Development of Hindu Iconography, pp. 94 ff.