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________________ HR An Unpublished AstaMangala Patta at Bhagalpur AJOY KUMAR SINHA LATE. RO The asta-mangala-pasta holds an important place in the Jaina pantheon. Small platters of these asia-mangalas, be it in silver or in bronze, are dedicated in the Jain temples and worshipped along with other Jain metal images in the sanctum. According to the Jaina philosophy, the bhara worship (mental attitude, has been mentioned as a best way for attainment of emancipation. The idol-worship was, however, introduced later on for the lay-worshippers who could not perform the worship without it. Due to this reason we find references of symbolic worship, such as of trees, rivers, asla-mangalas, Yksas, nagas, mukundas etc. in the early Jaina canons. For instance, the famous cair ya of Purnabhadra' situated inside the glorious city of Campa (present Champanagar, a suburb of Bhagalpur), had no structural shrine and here possibly the tree itself with sila-palsu is the yak sa yaluna. The tradition of this symbolic worship is still continued in the Jainsi religion, but in the form of asld-mangalas in general. erdi. Before going into description of the Bhagalpur silver asta-wangala palta, it will be better to know its antiquity and traditions in brict. The .tupapatika-sitra, an important and ancient Svetambara canonical text, refers to the ustu-mangulus as svastika, rivalsa, nandyavartu, vardhuma naka, purna-ghala, darpana and matsya. These are often referred to in Jaina texts, including canonical works, as decorating tops of architraves or ramparts, or placed on cuita-trees and platforms or painted on walls and so on. Hemacandru also notes that the cight auspicious symbols were represented on buli-putus or Ollering slabs.The Digambara tradi * Shah, U. P., Studies in Juin Ari (Benaras-1955), pp. 105-112. Upadhyaya, A. N. (ed), Drhulkuthakusa of llurisenu (931A.D.), P. xxxvii Jain, J. C., Life in Ancient India as depicted in Jain Canons, (Bombay-1964). * Thakur. U., Studies in Jainism and Buddhism in Mithila (Benaras-1964), p. 101. Ghosh, A. (ed), Juina Art und Architecture, vol. III, (New Delhi-1975). p. 489. * Adi-Purana, Parva 22 verses 143, 185, 219, etc. Trisasti Salaka Purusa Curitra I, p. 190 and note 238.
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________________ OCTOBER, 1986 highly influenced by the text. prescribed in the Aupapatika-sutra. A num: ber of flowers with stalk and leaves have been casted around the svastika mark which gives a beautiful look. It is followed by a supratistha, the aus- * piccs scat. The beautiful couch has an artistic umbrella over it. Further, depiction of a purna-ghalu (full vase) with leaves gives a, natural look. The fourth and last auspices symbol in the upper panel shows i vurilhamanaku (il powder flask). The lower panel starts with a puspallama symbol. The full blossomed Ilower .presents an artistic look. It is encircled by small flowers, having stalk and Icaves. The sixth asia-mangala symbol, the matsya-yugma (a pair of fish), is superb among all from the decorative point of view. It looks alive. It is followed by a round mirror with decorative border and artistic handle. The last symbal shows a nandyavarta ; its nine points have beautifully been casted without any fault. The author of this paper thinks that this beautiful silver platter had been manufactured in the ancient city of Campapura, From regular archaeological excavations14 at the Champanagar, stone moulds for making ornaments were unearthed. It refers to a tlourishing industry of jewellery at this place. It seems that it belonged to the ancient Jain temple which was demolished during the medieval times. It was preserved by the local Jaina community because of its small and handy size. Orien Jaina ladies prcpare in the hall or worship such cight symbols on platters with uncooked husked rice. 1. Sinha, B. P., 'Somc rare Antiquitics from Recent Excavations in Bihar', Archacology and Ari in India (New Delhi-1978), pp. 46-47. Our Contributors. M. K. JAIN, Senior Research Officer, Ollice of the Registrar General, India, New Delhi. . MD. AQUIQUE, Department of Asian Studies, Magadh University, Bodh Gaya. V. G. NAIR, Author and Writer. AJOY KUMAR SINHA, Bihar Education Service, Bhagalpur.