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 40

JANUARY, 1986
113
the Kalpasūtra and the Paumacariya give detailed list of these salākāpuruşas. It may be mentioned here that the 24 Jinas or the Tirthankaras, called devādhideva by Hemacandra, were held in highest veneration among both the sects of Jainas and all other deities, including 39 salākāpurusas, occupy the position which is only next to the Jinas.
Of all the deities borrowed from other sects, Rama and Krsna undoubtedly occupy the most exalted position in Jaina worship. They are said to have been the contemporaries respectively of Munisuvrata (20th Jina) and Neminatha (22nd Jina). The earliest Jaina work dealing with the story of Rama is the Paumacariya of Vimalasuri (473 A.D.). The Vasudevahindi of Sanghadasa, (not later than 609 A.D.), the Padmapurāņa of Ravisena (678 A.D.), the Uttarapurāņa of Gunabhadra (9th century A.D.), the Mahāpurāņa of Puspadanta (965 A.D.) and the Trişaşțiśalākā puruşacaritra of Hemacandra (later half of the 12th century A.D.) also deal with the story of Rama at length. The Jaina story with few differences like the mention of Rama and Laksmana as having many wives and also the killing of Ravana by Laksmana etc. is almost similar to the story found in Valmiki's Rāmāyana. Krsna, however, enters somewhat earlier into the Jaina pantheon, evidenced by his reference even in the early Agama works, namely, Uttarādhyayanasūtra, the Nāyādhammakahāo and the Antagadadasão. The detailed references to Krsna and his elder brother Balarama are found in the Harivaṁśa Purāna (783 A.D.), the Mahāpurāna and the Tri şaştisalākāpuruşacaritra.6
The concrete manifestations distinctly suggest that Krsna was accorded comparatively a favoured position than Rama. The instances of the renderings of Rama are found only on the Parsvanatha Jaina temple (c. 950-70 A.D.) at Khajuraho (Chhatarpur, M.P.), while Krsna was represented at a number of Jaina sites. This was because of the latter's intimate relationship with the Jina Neminatha as his cousin brother. The northern facade of the Parsvanatha temple at Khajuraho contains an exquisitely carved image of Rama and Sita along with Hanumana. Another panel on the southern śikhara of this temple
5 Paumacariya, 5. 145-57. Consult Tiwari, Maruti Nandan Prasad, Jain Pratima
vijnan, Varanasi, 1981, pp. 31-32. . For details consult, Deshpande, M.N., 'Krsna Legends in the Jaina Cannonical
Literature', Jaina Antiquary, vol. X, No. 1, June, 1944, pp. 25-31; Vaishakhiya, Mahendrakumar, 'Krsna in the Jaina Cannon', Bharatiya Vidya, vol. VIII (New series), No. 9-10, Sep-Oct. 1946, pp. 123-131 ; Jain, Jyoti Prasad, 'Jaina Sahitya Aur Kalamein Krsna', Bulletin of Museums and Archaeology in U.P., Nos. 21-24, June 1978-Dec. 1979, pp. 45-47.