Holy Abu

SR No.: 023259
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jayantvijay
Publisher: Yashovijay Jain Granthmala
Publication Year: 1954
Total Pages: 380
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 14 MB

Page 153

Holy Abdi
(18) Cell 11, first ceiling, shows a beautiful sculpture of a goddess with fourteen bands.
(19) Cell no. 12, first ceiling contains a representation of the five Kalyāṇakas in the life of the Sixteenth Tirthankara Shāntinātha, including a scene from his previous existence as King Megharatha when he weighed his body against a pigeon to save the latter's life. Scenes of Kalyāņakas may be compared with Bhāva (9). The following account of Shāntinātha will help the visitor to understand this relief.
In an earlier existence, the soul of Shāntinātha was born as King Megharatha who possessed clairvoyant knowledge (avadhijñāna ). Once upon a time, in an assembly of gods, Ishānendra praised the virtues of Megharatha and said that nobody could swerve the king from his practice of the Dharma. A god, Surūpa by name, could not bear the remarks and went to test the steadfastness of Megharatha. On his way, he saw a falcon and a pigeon in fight and he entered the body of the pigeon. Megharatha was sitting in meditation in the Paushadha-hall when the pigeon flew in crying for help in human voice and took shelter in the lap of the king. Megharatha asked the bird not to worry at all and promised protection at any cost. The falcon in chase followed in and told the king that since it was dying
1 She carries the noose, the sword, the citron and the rosary in some of her right hands and the stick (? ), the shield, the mace and the water-jar in some left ones. Remaining hands are mutilated. The cow is shown as her vehicle. She may be identified as Mahā-Rohiņi, a multi-armed variety of the first
Jaina Vidyādevi, see, Shah, U.P., Iconography of the Sixteen - Jaina Mahāvidyās, Journal of Indian Society of Oriental Arts,
1947, p. 166. If the vehicle is a buffalo, then she is MahāPurushadattā.-Translator.