Contribution of Jainas to Sanskrit and Prakrit Literature

Author(s): Vasantkumar Bhatt, Jitendra B Shah, Dinanath Sharma
Publisher: Kasturbhai Lalbhai Smarak Nidhi Ahmedabad

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Contribution of Jainas to Sanskrit and Prakrit Literature
presiding deity, also the figure of seated Jina at the centre.
In the Gulbarga District, apart from the above Jinalayas at Bankūr, Jevargi and Tēngali, in a number of small and big townships Jaina places of worship have been remodelled into non-jaina cathedrals. Of the three known Jaina houses of prayer at Sulepete, one is modified into Virabhadra dēvara gudi and another is altered into Śambhu-lingēsvara gudi. Virabhadrēśvara chapel was a triple Jinālaya which has still preserved a figure of Jaina śrutadevi, DharanaPadmāvati in the form of Nāga-Naginī, similar to the type found at Harasür Jinālaya. At Nāgāvi (K) a Jaina basadi has been deviated into a Gunderāya or Bangārada gudi. Jaina cathedral dedicated to Jina Pārśva, at Nelõgi (Nelavagi) in the Hūgára lane has been transformed into Isvara devālaya.
One of the extraordinary feature of such transition is the deviation of a Jaina chapel at Harijanavāda in the outskirts of Pēt-Sirūr in the same Gulbarga district. One of the Jaina churches of the Rāstrakūta period, a Nēminātha basadi shrine of 22nd Tirthankara, exalted teacher propagator of Jaina faith and builder of the ford, has been now appropriated by the Harijans of the place. The basic plan of this tenth century Jinālaya is simple and consists of three components namely a square garbhagsha, sanctum, sanctorum, adjoined by an ardhamantapa and a sabhāmandapa (navaranga). Five ornate jambs of the gūdhamandapa door-frame are intact but the decorative details are not clearly visible since it is slightly worn out and covered with coating of colour painting. Gajalaksmi is found tutelary figure at the centre as an auspicious figure. But up above the tutelary figure is found the Jina figure in bas relief.
The image of Nēminātha, the presiding god of the temple, seated in paryaňkāsana is placed on the floor. The seated figure is capped with triple umbrella, and middle portion of the left arm is chipped off. Though other minute details of the sculpture are blurred because of the deep blue painting, the two cauri-bearers are visible. On the back of seated Jina is shown a pillow like cushion and standing lions on either side, above it composite fantastic animal with its mouth wide open, and above it are the cāmaradharas.
An image of goddess Ambikādevī alias Kūsmāndinī-dēvi is placed to the right side wall of the intermediate compartment between the shrine-cell and sabhāmandapa. Ambikādevi, female elemental spirit and acolytic divinity attending upon Jina Nēminātha, in early posture with one leg flexed and placed on the seat and the other gracefully folded from the seat, resulting in