Sramana 2006 01

SR No.: 525057
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Shreeprakash Pandey
Publisher: Parshvanath Vidhyashram Varanasi
Publication Year: 2006
Total Pages: 170
Language: Hindi
Classification: Magazine, India_Sramana, & India
File Size: 8 MB

Page 146

140:
śramaņa, Vol 57, No. 1/January-March 2006
to inspire and instigate the nerves of the people. Jains too kept themselves well in tune with need of the time by encouraging the worship of Sāsanadevatā holding different protecting weapons. We feel beside the tantric element this point was also instrumental for such iconographic development.
When the concept of Śāsanadevatā was introduced, they were supposed to guard the Jina-Sangha. They were appointed by Indra to attend upon the Jina at Samvasaraņa. The early pair of Yaksa and Yakṣī used to show a money-bag and fruit or a bunch of mangoes and child, which denote important symbolic meaning. A moneybag represents "wealth" which had to play an important role in worldly affairs especially for the propagation of Sangha ideals and maintaining a prosperous life. Similarly, fruit signifies the fulfillment of desires. The depiction of Ambikā with child showing continuity of life was to attract the masses of the society who used to worship her as "Mother Goddess" from the early centuries.
At the time of showing these semi-divine figures Jainas had no definite planning in their mind. They kept on showing this early pair without any notable development. However, around the 9th Century A.D. at the Digambara sites an effort has been made to assimilate the Svetãmbara Mahāvidyās to the concept of Śāsanadevatā. The effort is discerned at the Deogarh temple No. 12 where most of the Yakṣīs are inscribed with the names of Mahāvidyās. However, the names of Yakşas in some cases were adopted from other cults as well, the best example could be seen in assimilation of Gomukha, īśvara as Yakşas of Rșabhanātha and Abinandananātha respectively. With such changes Jainism seem to assume a new role, but they never overlooked their basic tenets. Jinas were always accorded the highest position even in the independent figures of Śāsanadevatā. Jinas were given a position at the top of such figures, perhaps indication of paramount spiritual level.
The representation of Śāsanadevatās seems to have given through three different stages. In the first stage only Sarvānubhūti