Ambika on Jaina Art and Literature

Author(s): Maruti Nandan Prasad Tiwari
Publisher: Bharatiya Gyanpith

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chiefly with the panca-kalyāṇakas (five chief events in the life of a lina--cyavana (conception), janman, dikṣā, kevalajñāna and nirvāna) and some other important events in the lives of Rşabhanātha, Santinātha, Munisuvratanātha, Neminátha, Pārsvanātha and Mahāvira. Of all these, the scene of fight between Bharata and Bāhubalin, the story of previous life of Santinātha in which he generously offered the flesh of his entire body to save the life of a pigeon, the trial of strength between Krsna and Neminātha and also the marriage of Neminātha and his consequent renunciation, the story of Aśvāvabodha and Sakunikā-vihāra in the life of Munisuvratanātha and the previous births of Pārsvanātha and Mahāvīra alongwith their tapas and meditation are of special iconographic interest.
The dvitirthi and tritirthi images were popular at the Digambara sites and a good number of such sculptures are found at Deogarh and Khajuraho. However, we do not find any literary reference to these images. These figures, datable between ninth and twelfth centuries A.D., show two or three Jinas standing on separate siṁhāsanas with cognizances, Yaksa-Yaksi pairs and other usual pratihāryas, which perhaps suggest that all the Jinas are of equal status. 30
The four-fold Jina image, known as Pratimă-sarvatobhadrikā or caumukha is one of the earliest and most significant form of Jina images. The term Pratimă-sarvatobhadrikā signifies that the image is auspicious on all the sides.31 The carving of Jina caumukha, showing four Jina figures, all either seated or standing on four sides, started as early as in the first century A.D. and its earliest examples are procured from the Kankāli Tilā, Mathurā. These images remained popular in all the regions in subsequent centuries. Scholars generally believe that the conception of Jina caumukha was based on the early conception of Jina samavasarana with an advancement upon it.32 But this view is not acceptable for the following reasons. The samavasarana is the congregation hall erected by the gods wherein every Jina delivers his first sermon after attaining kevala-jñāna (omniscience). It consists of three circular ramparts at the focal point of which is the figure of a seated Jina, facing east. The three image of the same Jina on the remaining sides were installed by the Vyantara gods to facilitate the worshippers to see their Master from all the sides. However, none of the early Jaina works like the Kalpasūtra and the Paümacariya refer to the installation of Jina images on the
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