________________
soinulim for
Vayu: His vehicle is deer. Consort is Vayuvegi. (Fig.6)3's onl
Fig. 6. Vayu
Brahma: He rides on swan, and he represents the upper region. (Plate missing)
Naga: His symbol is snake, and he represents the lower region. (Plate missing)
The practice of worshipping of dikpalakas is quite ancient and widespread in Karnataka. The antiquity of their worship can be established from the literary references found in the Tiloyapannati and the Puranic works like the Mahapurana which provides a vivid description of the pancakalyanaka rites, as seen below:
Garbhavatarana: It is the first of the rites, and it is unlike the ordinary conception in the womb, but mystical and yet powerful. This auspicious event is experienced through dreams, fourteen in all. The Kalpasūtra of Bhadrabahu I (400 B.C.E.) gives the description of the fourteen beatific dream-visions, and they are: White elephant and bull; sportive lion, goddess Sri, garland, full moon, shining sun, flying flag, silver urn, lotus lake, milky sea, vimana, heap of gems, and smokeless fire. Accordingly, mothers of all Tirthankaras are visited by these fourteen beatific dreams whenever an illustrious one would be and soon to be born upon the conception in the womb.
These dreams are symbolic inferences affecting the conception
Jain Education International
48
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
