Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies Vol 01 Jaina Art and Architecture

Author(s): Sagarmal Jain, Others
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 288

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Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies
of the narratives from the life of Rşabhanātha which are found as early as the Kuşāņa period. The subsequent instances showing mainly the pañca-kalyāņakas and some other events are found from Osian (devakulikā) and Kumbharia (ceilings of Säntinātha and Mahāvīra temples). The earliest example from Mathura (now in State Museum, Lucknow, Acc. No. J. 354) represents the dance of Nilāñjanā being watched by Rşabhanātha (as a king) (Pl. 140). It was the death of Nīlāñjanā during the time of dance which brought about aversion towards worldly things in the mind of Rsabhanatha which led to his renunciation. Likewise in the narathara panel of the eastern devakulika at Osian (near Mahāvīra temple), the dance of Nīläñjanā could be identified alongwith the janma-kalyanaka.
In the ceilings of Kumbharia temples, the figures of Marudevi and Nabhi are followed by the 14 auspicious dreams seen by Marudevi and figure of Rşabhanātha (as a ruler) imparting the knowledge of different arts (war, writing, pottery making) to his people and his panca-kalyanakas (Pl. 141). The scenes of fight between Bharata and Bahubali and the latter's subsequent renunciation and deep trance with entwining creepers are also significant. The presence of two sisters - Brāhmi and Sundari (inscribed) in concurrence with the Svetāmbara tradition in the Sāntinātha temple is also important. These minutely carved beautiful narratives fully concur with the details available in Trisastiśalākāpuruşacaritra. The narratives have label inscriptions also.
AJITANATHA (2nd Jina) The cognizance of Ajitanātha is an elephant while the Yaksa-Yaksi associated with him are Mahāyaksa and Ajitā (or Rohiņi). The independent figures of Ajitanātha are found from 6th-7th century A.D. wherein the elephant cognizance is carved. However, the Yakşa- Yaksi were carved from about gth century A.D. It appears that the traditional Yakșa and Yakṣi were not shown with Ajitanātha and instead two-armed Yaksa- Yakṣi with common features like abhaya or varada-
mudra and fruit (or water vessel) were carved. It may be noted that with most of the Jinas, excepting for Rşabhanātha, Neminātha, Pārsvanātha and Mahāvīra, Yakşa-Yakşi figures were carved without distinguishing features as against the iconographic texts which invariably envisage distinguishing features for all the Yaksas and Yaksis.
The earliest figure of c. 6th-7th century A.D., found from Varanasi is presently preserved in the State Museum, Lucknow (Acc.No. 49-199). The figure shows Ajitanātha standing as sky-clad in the kāyotsarga-mudra with halo. The elephant cognizance in present instance is carved in pair on the pedestal, which was a recurring convention during the Gupta period particularly at Varanasi and Rajgir.
The independent figures of Ajitanātha are meagre, barring the examples where 24 Jina images are installed in 24 Devakulikās (found mainly at Svetämbara Jaina sites at Delvada and Kumbharia) or even the figures of 24 Jinas being carved on the Jina Cauvisi-Pattas. The independent figures of Ajitanätha are found mainly from Akota (8th century A.D. with Yakșa-Yakṣī figures), Ajitanātha temple, Ahmedabad (A.D. 1053), Pārsvanātha temple at Kumbharia, Deogadh (10th-12h centuries-five figures), Khajuraho (11-12th century A.D. - four figures), Rajgir (Son Bhandar cave), Aluara (Manbhum, Bengal, c. 10-11 century A.D., now in Patna Museum), Charampa (Orissa - 11th century A.D., now in Orissa State Museum, Bhubaneswar) and in the Navamuni, Bārabhuji and Triśūla caves of Orissa. The YakşaYakşi figures in most of the cases are two-armed and without the distinguishing attributes (Usually with most of the Jinas barring Rsabhanätha, Neminātha Pärsvanatha and Mahāvīra, the two-armed Yaksa-Yakṣī do not possess distinctive attributes or iconographic features). The metal figures, particularly from western India belonging to medieval period, also represent Ajitanātha. One of such figures of 14th century A.D. with elephant cognizance and belonging to Digambara tradition is now preserved in Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
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