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ASPECTS OF JAINOLOGY VOL-VII
unfotunately, lost, so that nothing is known about its feature which are invariably noticed in the images of cognizance. But its snake canopy is very important the succeeding period. The images of Ādinātha show from the iconographic view-point. Hemacandra locks of hair falling on the shoulder, and those of describes that Tirthankara Supärsvanātha had a Pārsvanātha a sevenhooded serpent canopy overhead. serpent canopy, one hooded, five-hooded, or nine- We have already mentioned this characteristcs of the hooded. Regarding Pārsvanātha he states that he had later, while regarding Adinātha we learn from the a seven hooded snake canopy over his head. The Trişasti that during the time of his initiation the Lord association of cobra with Pārśva is also known from tore out the hair of his head in four handfuls, and as an inscription of the Gupta period, though the actual he was on the point of pulling out the rest of his hair image is missing. 16 From the ramains of canopy it in the 5th handful, he was requested to let it remain appears that the image under review originally had a and the Lord, unwilling to refuse, kept the creeper of five-hooded cobra canopy. If Hemacandra is to be hair just as it was. 18 The literary reference is fairly followed the present image is that of Supārsvanātha, corroborated by the archaeological finds of the Kuşāņa the 7th Tirthankara, but since the images at this time as well as later periods. Since Adinatha alone is shown were not carved according to the prescribed rules of with this mark, it is very easy to identify his images. the texts, it could also be that of Pārsva, the 23rd Some Ayagapattas have a figure of Jina in Jina, as is generally supposed. During the Kuşāņa the centre. In one instance there is a padmāsana Jina period we notice a marked development in the with a seven-hooded snake canopy overhead. As is iconographic features of the Títhankara image. evident from the snake-canopy, this figure is Excavations carried out at Kankali Tila, Mathura, have unmistakably that of Pārsvanatha."Other Ayagapatta yielded a veritable store-house of Jaina antiquities Jina images are inidetifiable, as they do not bear any including Jina images, Āyāgapattas. etc, mostly attiribute. belonging to the reigns of Kaniska Huviska and Smith, taking pedestal lions to be the Vāsiska. They are made of white - speckled red cognizance of Mahāvīra, identified such figures with sandstone and are divisible into four groups: (1) Mahāvīra.20 But this is quite untenable. Lions are standing images in Kāyotsargamudrā, (2) seated generally depicted on the pedestal of Jina images of images in padmāsana, (3) Pratimā Sarvatobhadrikā this period, not as lāñchana but as supporters of the (the quadruple images) in standing posture and (4) throne. If they are represented as lāñchana they are Pratima Sarvatobhadrika in sitting posture.All the Jina not shown in the centre of the pedestal, which is images are nude.
usually the practice. Besides, two images in Smith's21 The Jina images of this period are marked with can be definitely identified with Rşabhadeva, as they śrivtsa symbol," which introduced for the first time show locks of the hair on the shoulders, Thus, we see during this period, and became an indispensable sign that by the kuşāna age the iconographic feature of the of all the later Jina images. But their distinctive Jina images were not fully evolved but they were on cognizances (lāñchanas) were yet to come, and instead the formative state, and excepting those of Ādinātha they contained cakra, alone or placed on pillar, with and Pārsvanātha, none of the Jina images can be its rim to the front, and figures of lion or seated Jina, identified with a degree of certainity. Generally, figures of house-holders including men, After the Kuşāņas and before the coming of women and children are also depicted.
the Imperial Guptas came a transitional phase. During In the absence of cognizances the Jina images this period Jina Images were executed without of the Kuşāņa period, except for those of Adinātha cognizances, of this period very few images are and Pārsvanātha, are unidentifiable. Images of known. Some Jina images recovered from Chausa, Ādinātha and Pārsvanātha, too, do not carry the now displayed in the Patna museum, are worth lāñchanas, but they bear some other distinguishing mentioning. These images carry the influences of the
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