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 168

Iconography of 24 Tirthankaras
155
throne. All the figures are carved from one stone. The sculpture dates from c. 12th cent. A.D. and was obtained from Narwar, M.P. Shivpuri Museum no. 11 is a loose sculpture of Santinatha standing, obtained from Narwar, and dating from c. 12th century A.D. In the Raipur Museum, M.P., there is a Dvi-tirthika sculpture of Dharmanatha and Santinatha, from Karitalai, M.P. (JAA, III, p. 591). A metal Caturvimsati-patta of Santinatha from West India, in Los Angeles County Museum of Art, is illustrated in JAA, III, plate 334.
Tiwari refers to a sculpture of Santinatha from Paḍhavali and another from Ahar in M.P.196 Balacandra Jaina has reported the existence of an image of this Jina, dated in samvat equal to 1146 A.D., preserved in the Dhubela Museum, M.P.,197 while Niraj Jain speaks of an image dated 1179 A.D. at Bajrangagadh, Guna, M.P.198
A Covisi sculpture of Santinatha standing on a lotus, obtained from Mandoil, is preserved in the Rajshahi Museum. The Jina is identified from the two deer flanking the dharmacakra. On the pedestal are figures of nine planets with a figure of Laksmi lustrated by elephants shown in the centre.
An image from Manbhum, preserved in the Patna Museum, is a typical specimen of a miniature Caitya or shrine. Santinātha stands on a lotus in the centre with miniature figures of 23 other Tirthankaras on the sides. The pedestal shows a deer with a lay worshipper on each side sitting with folded hands. There is a bronze image of Śantinātha standing amongst the Aluara bronzes preserved in the Patna Museum. The deer cognizance is shown on the pedestal.
P.C. Das Gupta refers to a sculpture of Santinatha with the deer lanchana obtained from Rajpara, Midnapur, Bengal. The sculpture is assigned to c. ninth cent. A.D.199 Sudhin De refers to an interesting sculpture of this Jina standing, obtained from Pakbira, Purulia district, West Bengal.200 According to Sudhin De, the Jina "stands on a double-petalled lotus placed on a saptaratha pedestal... The central projection of the pedestal bears the lañchana mark, an antelope. The pedestal is embellished by two lions... Among the miniature figures from the left to the right, a goat-headed male figure is identified as Naigameşin... Besides four sitting female figures in añjali mudra are represented... At the bottom of the pedestal, at the left is a kalasa and at the right a Saiva emblem or a phallus representation-a most interesting feature to note." For illustration see JAA, I, pl. 84A. An image of Santinātha is also reported from Ambikanagara.
In the Bäräbhuji cave (Cave 8) and in the Mahavira gumpha (Cave 9), Khandagiri, Orissa, there are rock-cut figures (one in each cave) of this Jina. A Santinātha from Charampa, Orissa, in the Bhuvanesvara Museum is illustrated in JAA, I, pl. 85B.
In the L.D. Institute of Indology, Ahmedabad, is a big sculpture of Santinatha standing on an inscribed pedestal. The inscription dated samvat 1326-A.D. 1269 calls the Jina as Santinatha. There is no cognizance, no dharmacakra, no simhasana. Other members of the parikara are shown. There are no figures of the śāsana yakṣa and yakṣiņi. The sculpture came from Ladol (Lāṭāpalli), N. Gujarat.
There is a temple of Santinatha at Kumbharia, originally built in the eleventh century A.D. (perhaps before samvat 1087). Originally it was a temple of Adinatha but the inscription on the seat of the present image worshipped in the sanctum speaks of Santinātha installed in samvat 1302. In the gūḍhamandapa of the Parsvanatha temple, Kumbharia, is a stone sculpture of Santinatha standing and installed in 1119-20 A.D., according to the inscription on it which names the Jina as Santinatha. The deer cognizance is also shown on the pedestal. On two sides of the Jina are carved miniature figures of Vajrānkuśā, Manavi, Sarvästramahājvālā, Acchupta, Mahāmānasi and Santi-devi as identified by Tiwari.201 In Cell no. 1, Śantinatha temple, there is an inscribed image of Santinatha with 23 miniature figures of Tirthankaras. Two-armed Sarvānubhuti and Ambika figure as the yakṣa and the yakṣiņi. An inscribed image of Santinatha in padmāsana is preserved in the Rajputana Museum (no. 468), Ajmer.
A superb example of Cahamana art is an elegantly cast bronze image of Santinätha, bearing an inscription dated in samvat 1224-A.D. 1168. The Jina sits in dhyana mudra on a cushioned seat (see frontispiece, Jaina Art and Architecture, Vol. III). Besides the elephant riders and celestial musicians, a number of human figures are carved on the back-frame of this image. The modelling of the human