Jain Iconography a brief Survey

SR No.: 250135
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Umakant P Shah
Publisher: Z_Jinvijay_Muni_Abhinandan_Granth_012033.pdf
Publication Year: 1971
Total Pages: 35
Language: English
Classification: Article & History
File Size: 3 MB

Page 30

Jaina Iconography-- A Brief Survey
213
the Sakti of Kumära or Skanda-Kārttikeya. Worship of Prajnapti is very old since it has been referred to in the Vasudevahindi (c. 400 A. D.), the Bțhat-kalpa-bhäșya, the Adipurāņa etc. and seems to have been associated with the power of change of form. Her name suggests that originally she was propitiated for obtaining supernatural cognition.
Vajraírnikhalā, the third Mahāvidyā, carries a chain of vajras, an adamantine chain, which is her chief recognition symbol. She sits on the lotus and is either two-armed, four-armed or multi-armed, She usually carries the chain with both hands, in both the traditions, In the Dig, tradition, her vāhana is the elephant and she sometimes shows the vairu in both the hands. In the S've, tradition she sometimes holds the chain and the club. When four-armed, she usually shows the chain in two hands and the lotus and the varada, or the rosary and the mace, or the varada and the citron in the remaining two hands in S've, tradition, and in the Dig. tradition her symbols are : the chain, the conch, the lotus and the citron.
In Vajrayā na Buddhism, Vjraśļi khalā is an emanation of Amoghasiddhi and carries the Vairaśrnkhala.
The fourth Mahāvidya, called Vajrankusi is so called because she carries the vajra (thunderbolt) and the ankuśa (goad), which are her chief recognition symbols in both the traditions. The elephant is her vāhana. She is either twoarmed, four-armed, six-armed or multi-armed. In all varieties of forms, the vajra and the ankuša are mostly common, the other two symbols being the lotus, or the varada and the citron or the kalasa.
Both Vajraísňkhalī and Vajrānkusi is seem to have been influenced by Buddhist goddesses of the same name. Vajra ikusi accompanies Vajratāra in Buddhism. She is also the gate-keeper of the Lokanatha-mandala. In Buddhist inconography, vairākuša usually signifies vajra surmounted by ankuša. The vajra and ankuša symbols of the Jaina Vajra ni kuśī also have a parallel in those of Rambhā, a form of Gauri according to the Rūpamandana, and of the Mātika Aindri, the female energy of Indra, as described in the Devipurāna.
The fifth Mahāvidyā is known as Cakreśvari or Apraticakra. in the S've, tradition, but in the Dig, sect, Jāmbūnādā holding altogether different symbols is the fifth Vidyadevi.
The chief distinguishing symbols of Apraticakra are the cakra (discus), and her eagle vehicle. In very rare cases she has the man vehicle. When two-armed she carries the cakra in each hand, when four-armed, she either shows the cakra in two hands and the varada or the rosary and the citron or the conch in the two other hands.