Atmanandji Jainacharya Janmashatabdi Smarakgranth

Author(s): Mohanlal Dalichand Desai
Publisher: Atmanand Janma Shatabdi Smarak Trust

Page 199

Jaina Iconography-a brief survey
examined the difference that exists in their forins. Most of these deities are two-armed and have peculiar vehicles, such as man, crocodile, ( Godhá ), horse, swan and such others. Amongst them Rohiņi and Vairotya are four-armed.
None the less interesting are the names of the mothers of the 24 Tirthankaras whose forms and characteristics are described in Jaina scriptures. The names of the mothers are given in them as under:1. Marudevī, 2. Vijaya, 3. Sena, 4. Siddhartha, 5. Sumaņgalā, 6. Susima, 7. Pfithvi, 8. Laksmaņā, 9. Syamá, 10. Nanda, 11. Visņu, 12. Jaya, 13. Rāma, 14. Suyasa, 15. Suvrata, 16. Achira, 17. Srī, 18. Devi, 19. Prabhāvati, 20. Padma, 21. Vapră, 22. Sivā, 23. Vāmā, 24. Trišala.
The most remarkable feature of the Jaina iconography is the inclusion of quite a large number of collective gods in their pantheon. Such instances are not rare in the Hindu pantheon for there we meet with descriptions of such collective deities as the eight Vasus, twelve Adityas, eleven Rudras, and so forth. In Buddhism also similar examples are found; for instance,the eight Tarás of the vajratārā Mandala, four Däkinīs of the vajra vārāhi Mandala, the five Pancarakså deities eto. bnt seldom do they appear as independent groups, nor their occurrance is so large as in Jainism. The names of collective deities I have been able to discover are these:-1. Adityas, 2. Vahnisuras, 3. Varuņas, 4.
tardatoyas, 5. Tusitas, 6. Adhyābādhas, 7. Aristas, 8. Agnyabhas, 9. Suryabhās, 10. Chandrabhas, 11. Satyabhas, 12 Sreyaskaras, 13. Ksemankaras, 14. Vșsabhas, 15. Kāmācāras, 16. Nirvaņas, 17. Antarf ksadevas, 18. Atmarak sitas, 19. Sarvaraksitas, 20. Maruts, 21. Vasus. 22. Aśvamukhas, 23. Viśve Devas.
The number here comes to 23 and it is quite possible that one of these collective deities is missing in my list because I find that the Jains are very fond of the number 24, Full iconographic details of these deities are given in the Jaina scriptures, and the Välanas and the weapons held in their hands are all described in them. For instance, the Adityas are described as having the horse as their vehicle and the lotus as the symbol. The Vahnisuras are described as having the goat as their vehicle, the Adhyăbàdhäs have the man as vehicle and the Viná as the symbol, the Aristas have the hare as vehicle and the axe as symbol, the Kámàcárás have Garuda as vehicle and the discus as the weapon.
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[ Shree Atmaramji