Jain Rup Mandan

SR No.: 001961
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Umakant P Shah
Publisher: Abhinav Publications
Publication Year: 1987
Total Pages: 466
Language: English
Classification: Book_English & Art
File Size: 27 MB

Page 100

Devādhideva Tirthankara
87 which begin to appear from c. fourth or fifth century onwards on pedestals of Tirthaikara images in order to facilitate their identification. This became necessary because all sculptures of various Tiranthankaras, whether standing or sitting, are of a set form and are not portrait sculptures or copies of old. portraits. In the Kusana period the cognizances were not carved on images of the Tirthařkaras and they could be recognised only when their names were mentioned in the votive inscriptions on their pedestals. It was therefore concluded that lanchanas were not known in the Kuşāņa period and were introduced afterwards. But now that we have a simha-dhvaja as an object of veneration amongst the Jainas at Mathura during the Kuşāņa period, it is reasonable to conclude that in the Kuşāna age, and in at least c. first or second century B.C., there existed dhvaja-eniblems on different dlvaja-stambhas for shrines of different Tirthankaras.
On the Ayāgapaļa illustrated in Fig. 11, dedicated by Sihanādika, discovered from Kankali Tila, Mathura (now no. J.249, State Museum, Lucknow), we find the Jina seated in the centre, and on the two sides, towards the ends of the pata, two pillars, one surmounted by the dharmacakra and the other by an elephant. Elephant is the dhvaja or crest or emblem of Ajitanātha, the second Tirthankara. Hence the Jina in the centre is Ajitanātha. On the Ayāgapata set up by Acalā, illustrated here in Fig. 10 (no. J.252, State Museum, Lucknow), we find one pillar surmouted by the dharmacakra and the other by a lion. The Jina in the centre of this Āyagapata must, therefore, be identified as Mahāvīra, whose dhvaja-emblem is the lion. Such dvaja-crests later came to be recognised as cognizances or the lañchanas, on images of the respective Tirtha karas.
Tirtharkaras are said to be of different complexions. According to the Sve. tradition represented by Hemacandra in his Abhidāna-Cintāmaņi kośa (1.49), Padmaprabha and Vāsupujya are red in complexion, Candraprabha and Puspadanta are white, Munisuvrata and Neminātha are black, Mallinātha and Parśva are of nila complexion indigo colour), while the rest, namely, Rşabha, Ajita, Sambhava, Abhinandana, Sumati, Supārsva, Sitala, Sreyāmsa, Vimala, Ananta, Dharma. Sänti. Kunthu, Ara, and Varddhamāna Mahavira are golden in complexion. According to the Tiloyapannatti (4.588-89) representing the Digambara tradition, Supārśva and Pārśva are of harita-varna (greenish complexion) while Munisuvrata and Nemi are of nila-varna (indigo colour, dark-blue in complexion), Candraprabha and Puşpadanta are white and Padmaprabha and Väsupujya are red as in the Sve. tradition while all the remaining Tirthankaras are of golden complexion. Asādhara practically agrees with the Tiloyapannatti. Vasunandi in his Pratişthāsāroddhāra (in mss.) says that Munisuvrata and Nemi have complexions like the marakata gem (emerald, i.e., greenish complexion) while the other Digambara texts mentioned above say that they are of nila varna. The complexions and the lañchanas help us to identify the various Jinas in images or paintings.
Rşabhanātha (Adinātha, the first Lord, the first Tirthaó kara) is further identified on account of the hair-locks falling on his shoulders. At the time of dikşā, i.e., while renouncing the world and becoming a Jaina monk, every Tirthankara plucks out all the hair on his head in five fist-fulls (pañca-muşti-loca) and Indra, who comes to celebrate the dikşa-kalyanaka, collects them in the hollow of palms of his hands. Rsabhadeva's hair were very beautiful and when Rşabha became a monk and pluked out most of the hair in four fist-fulls, Indra specially requested the Lord to allow the back-hair, falling on the shoulders, to remain as they looked very charming 36 All the other Tirthankaras are reported to have removed all the hair on their heads. Ravişena in his Padmacarita37 praises the jara on the head of Rşabha. In art, one finds big iata on the head of Rşabha (see Figs. 25, 32, 57). Rşabha thus obtains close comparison with the form of Siva, who is known to wear jață on his head. Siva's association with his bull vāhana is wellknown in both art and literature. In Jaina iconography we find that the attendant yakşa of Rşabhanātha is a cow or bull-faced yakşa called Go-mukha yakşa. Again the bull or Nandi is the cognizance of first Jina Rşabhanatha. Siva is well-known as Nandikeśvara.
Every Tirthankara obtained Kevalajñāna (Supreme Knowledge) while meditating under a tree. Such a tree. called Caitya-vrksa, being associated with the Kevalajñāna of each Tirthankara, is specified in the texts of both the Jaina sects, and in representation, each Tirthankara is shown sitting under a Caitya-vsksa. In iconography, one would, therefore, expect each Tirthankara sitting under the particular tree associated