________________
Unique Jaina Site Deogarh and its ... : 85
The site was associated with Digambara šect which is usually believed to be non-liberal so far as endorsement of changes and innovations in traditional framework are concerned. But on the contrary Jaina vestiges of Deogarh distinctly reveal the manifold innovations, mainly in respect of creation of new concepts and their transformation into visual forms as icons suggestive of assimilation and fusion. It was done without violating the tradition or injunction of texts. Such innovations include rendering of Bharata, Bāhubalī, Jaina Ācāryas or Upādhyāyas and Sarasvati in the Tritirthi and Caumukhi Jina images. In the images of Bharata Munī and Bāhubali (fig. 03) the features of Jina iconography (trichatra and other prātihāryas) are also shown to suggest their elevation to equal the Jinas.' This was something unique of Jaina art of Deogarh.
56. Tritirth Jina image with Bahubak Temple no. 2, Deogarh, 10th-14th cent, AD
fig. 03- Bāhubali in Tritirthi image, Temple no.2, Deogarh, 11h century CE.
After making a brief observation on the uniqueness of Deogarh as one of the most prolific Jaina sites in India, I shall now discuss about Pārsvanātha, 23rd Jina and also the real promoter of Jainism, lo who propounded the four main principles of Jainism known as Cāturyāma- Satya (truth), Ahiṁsā (non-violence), Asteya (nonstealing) and Aparigraha (non-acquisition). Pārsvanātha lived in c. eight century BCE and by the way of his association with snakecult folk tradition was imbibed into the main stream of Jaina worship. He is provided mainly with seven hooded snake-canopy and rarely as per textual prescriptions, snake cognizance is shown on the throne,
