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 116

Devādhideva Tirthankara
103
In a samatala ceiling of a side aisle of the rangamandapa of the Mahavira temple at Kumbharia are carved four series of panels showing representations of the Past (atita) Tirthankaras in two rows and the Future (anāgata) Tirthankaras in two more rows. A part of these rows is illustrated in Fig. 84. All the rows have labels inscribed below each figure.
An interesting sculpture is preserved in the British Museum, London, 117 Here a male and a female are seated side by side in an architectural design of a niche or vimana on top of which is placed in the centre a smaller figure of a Tirthankara sitting in the padmāsana dhyāna mudra. The male and the female figure are nicely attired and adorned with ornaments etc. Each of them carries a citron in one hand which would suggest their yakşa character since a number of Jaina yakşas and yakşi is carry the citron in one of their hands. Below, on the lower portion of this sculpture, is carved the title "Anantaviryo" in characters of c. 9th cent. A.D. Nowhere in the available Jaina texts of both the sects do we come across a yaksa Anantavirya for any Tirtharkara. Hence the label is obviously intended for the Tirthankara Anantavirya who is the twenty-fourth Future Tirthankara according to the Digambara list given above. Anantavirya is the twenty-third Future Jina in the above Svetämbara list but if Sarvavid or Sarvabhåvavid is not taken as an adjective of Munisuvrata in the list given by the Samavåyånga sutra. sutra 158, but the Jina next to Munisuvrata, then in the Svetämbara list also Anantavirya would be the twenty-fourth Future Jina and Bhadra would be his epithet. The Jina to whom the label is referred to is smaller than the figures of the royal pair sitting in the vimāna whose names are not inscribed. In fact the pair reminds us of the type of figures we have identified as Parents of Jinas. And even in the panels at Kumbharia referred to above and illustrated in Fig. 84, each Past and Future Jina is shown with his Parents. We might therefore identify this sculpture in the British Museum as representing the Future Jina Anantavirya, with his Parents.
The Future Jinas belong to the coming Utsarpiņi, the ascending era, whereas our present era is Avasarpipi. the descending one. So, the last Jina of our era and the first Jina of the Future era would be similar in height etc. and the last Jina of the Future Utsarpiņi will be as great as Rşabhanátha, the first Jina of our present Avasarpini. We can thus understand why the Future Jina Anantavirya is represented in the sculpture under consideration.
APPENDIX 1
सुमेर शिखरं दृष्ट्वा गौरी पृच्छति शंकरम् । कोऽयं पर्वत इत्येष? कस्येदं मंदिर? प्रभो ॥ १॥ कोऽयं मध्ये पुनर्देवः? पादान्ता का च नायिका? । किमिदं चक्रमित्यत्र? तदन्ते को मृगो मृगी? ॥ २ ॥ के वा सिंहा? गजाः के वा? के चामी पुरुषा नव? । यक्षो वा यक्षिणी केयं? के वा चामरधारकाः? ।। ३ ।। के वा मालाघरा एते? गजारूढाश्च के नराः? । एतावपि महादेव! को वीणावंशवादको? ।। ४ ।। दुन्दुभेदिकः को वा? को वाऽयं शंख वादक:? । छत्रत्रयमिदं कि वा? किं वा भामण्डलं प्रभो! ॥ ५ ॥ ईश्वरो (र उ ) वाचश्रुणु देवि! महागौरी! यत्त्वया पृष्टमुत्तमम् । कोऽयं पर्वत इत्येष? कस्येदं मन्दिरं? प्रभो! ॥ ६ ॥ पर्वतो मेरुरित्येष स्वर्णरत्नविभूषितः । सर्वज्ञमन्दिरं चैतद् रत्नतोरणमण्डितम् ॥ ७॥