Ayag Patta and the beginning of Jain Cult Workship

Author(s): A L Srivastava
Publisher: Z_Vijyanandsuri_Swargarohan_Shatabdi_Granth_012023.pdf

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nandyavarta, puspa-patra, vaijayanti and kalasa are or the lower border. Between the square design of the four nandyavartas and the lower border there is a band providing the space to contain an inscription in two lines which reads
1. Namo arahantanam Sihakasa vanikasa putren Kosikaputrena 2. Sihanadikena ayagapate pratithapita Arrhanta pujaye,
According to the inscription, the ayagapatta was set up by Sihanadika, son of vanika (tradesman) Sihaka and son of Kausiki (mother), for the worship of the Arhats. Smith ascribes the inscristion to a date anterior to Kaniska but not later than Christian era. 24
On one ayagapatta, the sitting figure of Tirthankara is flanked by a standing male devotee on either side. This central medallion is surrounded by four tridents with a circular border decorated with four-petalled flowers. The four corners out of this border are decorated with a pair of winged lions, elephants, three lions and a floral srivatsa. The final border is square which is decorated with floral patterns including the creeper of grapes on one side. The lower border contains a damaged inscription, the remaining part of which mentions its setting up by the wife of Sivaghosaka. The one-line inscription is as follows -
"Namo Arahantana Sivaghe (saka)sa bhari(ya) ..na..na.... 25
Another Tirthankarapata (SML, J. 252) with a quadruple design of nandyavartas and flanked by the lion and wheel-pillars represents asta-mangalika symbols on its upper and lower borders. The upper register contains only four symbols including srivatsa and svastika. The lower band represents eight symbols in a single row namely, srivatsa, svastika, puspa-patra, mina-mithuna, kalasa, modaka-patra, vaijayanti and inverted nandyavarta. A two-line inscription just above the lower border records the setting up of the ayagapatta by Achala, daughter-in-law of Bhadrayasa and wife of Bhadranandin for the worship of Arhats. The inscription reads thus
1. Namo Arahantanam (mala) nasa dhitu Bhadrayasasa vadhuye Bhadranadisa bhayaye
2. A (chala)ye a (ya) gapato pratithapita arahatapujaye.26
On another ayagapatta with usual figure of Tirthankara within a design of four nandyavartas, one-line inscription mentions the dedication of the ayagapatta to Arhat Mahavira by the wife of an inhabitant of
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Shri Vijyanand Suri Swargarohan Shatabdi Granth