Jaina Iconography

SR No.: 011018
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: B Bhattacharya
Publisher: Motilal Banarasidas
Publication Year: 1974
Total Pages: 247
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 17 MB

Page 98

Tirtham karas
The statues of all sizes, which number great, have been found in all Jaina places of Northern and Southern India. The complete images show in detail an accord to the description furnished above. Standing and seated figures have been met with, which range in size from a miniature to a colossus. In most cases, the image is represented as seated rather than standing in which posture other Tirthankaras usually appear in sculptures.1
Regardin his life history, the Jaina books such as the Kalpa-Sutra, Uttara-purana, Trisaṣṭi Salākā Puruşa Carita, Vardhamanacaritra yield abundant materials. We just deal with those important events of his life, which relate directly to his images and worship. The five Kalyāṇakas ically mark out the salient periods of a Jina's life. These in Vardhamana's life are associated with interesting episodes.
Vardhamana was born of a royal family of Videla or North Bihar, his father Siddhartha, being the ruling prince of Kundapura, the abode of the Nata or Naya clan. His mother is known by the name of Trisala. Connected with his birth is the auspicious legend that the Tirthankara was actually born of Devananda of the family of Jalandhara, wife of Rṣabha Datta, a Brāhmaṇa, but Indra finding that a Jina ought not to according to tradition, take his birth in a Brahmin family, transferred the foctus through his general Harinegameșa to the womb of Trisalā, a Ksatriya lady of royal family. The child Vardhamana
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1. Vide Fig. B. 25, Nagpur Museum, Fig. B 4. Raipur Museum: Two very ancient images in the Arch. Collection, on the Vaibhar Hill, Rajgir; See T a 2 Fig. (Gupta Gallery), Indian Museum. Anderson: Catalogue, Part II., p. 207, the Gwalior Fort sculptures include many prominent figures of Mahavira. In the Deogarh Fort, I noticed a well-preserved image of Vardhamana on a plinth near the Western gate. The fig. is attended by his Yakṣa and Yakṣini. The earliest images of the Tirthainkara are those which were discovered from the Kankali- ila Vide P. XVII., XCI. V.A. Smith's "The Jaina stupa and other antiquities of Math'ira.'
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भारतेऽस्मिन् विदेहाख्यं विषये भवनाङ्गने ।
राज्ञः कुण्डपुरेशस्य वसुधाराऽपतत् aand: at: araf: fazriea faci fa 11
पृथुः ।
3. Cr. तस्याश्च देवनन्दाया गर्भयोर्व्यत्ययो मया । विमृश्यैवं शतमुखः समाहूय उगित्यपि ॥
2.
Ultarapurāna.