Jain Journal 1986 01

SR No.: 520081
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication
Publication Year: 1986
Total Pages: 55
Language: English
Classification: Magazine, India_Jain Journal, & India
File Size: 4 MB

Page 39

Vaisnava Themes in Dilwara Jaina Temples
MARUTI NANDAN PRASAD TIWARI
KAMAL GIRI
Jainism has been one of the three principal religions of India. The interesting fact behind the widespread popularity of Jainism was its liberal and reciprocal attitude towards Brahminism, Buddhism and also the folk cults. During the pre-Christian and early centuries of Christian era it embraced the elements of yakşal and nāgacults while at a later date it developed an amicable relations with other contemporary sects. This charateristic of Jainism is distinctly revealed in the borrowings of deities from other sects. The Vaisnavism had greatest share in such borrowings which is revealed by the assimilation of Rama Krsna and a number of other deities into the fold of Jaina pantheon.3 The two great epics of ancient India, the Rāmāyana and the Mahabharata deal respectively with the caritas of Rama and Krsna. It is quite fascinating to find these two great ancient characters being incorporated in Jaina creed during the early centuries of Christian era. This was indeed an attempt at the end of the Jaina Acaryas to respect the high reverence of the people towards Rama and Krsna who also happend to be the principal incarnatory forms of Visnu.
In Jaina pantheon Rama and Krsna are included in the list of 63 salākāpuruşas4 respectively as one of the nine Baladevas and Vasudevas. The early Jaina works like the Sthānāngasūtra, the Samavāyāngasūtra,
1 Mahavira during the course of his wanderings is always said to have stayed in
the yaksayatanas and never in the Jina temples. The early Jaina works also make frequent references to the yaksas. 2 The association of serpent-hoods with Suparsvanatha and Parsvanatha is sugges
tive of such elements. * An inscription of 1368 A.D., inscribed in a big temple known as Bhandaribasti
in Sravanabelgola (Hassan, Karnataka), refers to the amicable relations between the Vaisanava and Jaina sects which was further encouraged by a Vijayanagar ruler Bukkaraya I. The inscription also speaks of very intimate and inseparable relations between the two sects. Epigraphia Karnatika, vol. 2, Inscription No.
344, pp. 26, 63, 146, 159. • The list comprises 24 Jinas, 12 Cakravartins, 9 Baladevas, 9 Vasudevas and
9 Prativasudevas.