Jaina Stupa At Mathura Art And Icons

SR No.: 007031
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Renuka J Porwal
Publisher: Prachya Vidyapith
Publication Year: 2016
Total Pages: 306
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 13 MB

Page 54

The Tradition of Stūpa in Jainism
In the Malayagiri-tikā of Vyavahāra-cūrni34 and Vyavahāra-sūtra, there is a kathā of construction of Deva nirmita stūpa. Accordingly, once a Jaina monk was performing severe austerity at Mathurā, a goddess of the park was pleased with his great penance, and appeared before him to accord a boon. The ascetic was not ready to accept it, so she manifested her power by erecting a golden jewelled stūpa, in a single night. The scripture Niśitha-cūrņi talks about the devanirmita stūpa at Mathura"Uttarāvahe Dhammacakkam, Mahurāe Devanimiya thubho...." (Niśitha-cūrņi, III, 79). Somadevasūri narrates Jaina stūpa at Mathurā, as 'devanirmita' in Yaśastilaka campū (10th A.D.). Sangamasūri composed a prayer to adore Mūla-nāyaka Supārsvanātha at 'devanirmita Thubhe' at Mathura in 11-12th century35 as described in Tirthamālā. The 13th century work, Prabhāvaka-caritra, presents the stūpa at Mathurā, with its chief idol Supārsvanātha- Śrī Supāráva Jina stupe namat'. In ‘Sarvadeva Caitya Paripāti', Jinaprabhasūrī describes Mathurā's stūpa as studded with jewels36. A manuscript found at Pātan's Grantha-Bhandāra narrates that Mathurā's great stūpa was established by a deity with the image of Śrī Pārsvanātha
34 मथुरायां नगर्यां कोऽपि क्षपक आतापयति, यस्यातापनां दृष्ट्वा देवता आदृता तमागत्य वन्दित्वा ब्रूते, यन्मया
कर्तव्यं तन्ममाज्ञापयेद्भवानिति । एवमुक्ते सा क्षपकेण भण्यते, किं मम कार्यमसंयत्या भविष्यति, ततस्तस्या देवताया अप्रीतिकमभूत् । अप्रीतिवत्या च तयोक्तमवश्यं तव मया कार्यं भविष्यति, ततो देवताया सर्वरत्नमयः स्तूपो निर्मितः, तत्र भिक्षवो रक्तपटा उपस्थिताः अयमस्मदीयः स्तूपः, तैः समं सङ्घस्य षण्मासान् विवादो जातः, ततः सङ्घो ब्रूते-को नामात्रार्थे शक्तः, केनापि कथितं यथामुकः क्षपकः, ततः सङ्केन स भण्यते-क्षपक! कायोत्सर्गेण देवतामाकम्पय, ततः क्षपकस्य कायोत्सर्गकरणं देवताया आकम्पनम् सा आगता ब्रूते-संदिशत किं करोमि, क्षपकेण भणिता-तथा कुरूत यथा सङ्घस्य जयो भवति, ततो देवताया क्षपकस्य खिंसना कृता, यथा एतन्मया असंयत्या अपि कार्य जातं एवं खिंसित्वा सा ब्रूते-यूयं राज्ञः समीपं गत्वा ब्रूत, यदि रक्तपटानां स्तूपः ततः कल्ये पताका दृश्यतां, अथास्माकं तहिं शुक्ला पताका, राजा प्रतिपन्नमेवं भवतु, ततो राज्ञा प्रत्ययिकरपुरुषैः स्तूपो रक्षापितः रात्रौ देवताया शुक्ला पताका कृता, प्रभाते दृष्टा स्तूपे शुक्ला पताका, जितं सङ्घन।
- - व्यवहारचूर्णि, मलयगिरि टीका-पञ्चम उद्देशक, पृ. ८ । 35 // Mathurāpuri Pratisthitaḥ Suparsva Jina Kāla Sambhavo Jayati /
adyapi Suramyacayarya Sridevi Vinirmita Stupah //8// -Sangamsuri, Tirthamala. 36 Jinaprabhasūri of Āgamagaccha.