Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies Vol 01 Jaina Art and Architecture

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

Page 289

Jinas or Tirtharkaras
267
However, in few examples from Deogadh, Khajuraho, Rajgir and some other places in North India, Ajitanatha (with cognizance) is shown in Dvitīrthi, Tritirthi and even Caumukhi (Rajgir) Jina images.
SAMBHAVANATHA (3rd Jina)
Sambhavanātha is endowed with horse as cognizance and Trimukha and Duritāri (or Prajñapti) as Śāsanadevatās. The earliest-known image of Sambhavanātha, belonging to Kuşāņa period, is found from Mathura (presently in State Museum, Lucknow, Acc. No. J. 19). The image with inscription, dated in Samvat 48 (A.D. 126), refers to Sambhavanatha. Sambhavanātha sits in dhyāna-mudrā on a pedestal containing dharmacakra placed on triratna flanked by worshippers. The present image is an evidence to show that Sambhavanātha finds representation from the Kuşāņa period.
After the Kuşāņa period the next known image, datable to c. 7th-8th century A.D., is found from Son Bhandar cave at Rajgir (now in Nalanda Museum). It is a Jina Caumukhi image which represents Sambhavanātha with Rsabhanātha, Ajitanātha and Abhinandana Jinas. In another independent example known from Banpur Khas (Jhansi, U.P.), Sambhavanātha standing with small Jina figures in the parikara is shown with horse cognizance. Besides the Sambhavanatha figures found from Deogadh (Temple No. 12) and Navamuni and Bārabhuji caves in collective renderings), a sufficient number of figures are procured also from Mathura, Khajuraho, Bijnaur (Pārasanātha Kila, A.D. 1010), Narwar (Sivapuri, M.P.), Padhavali (M.P.), Rani Durgawati Museum, Jabalpur; Kumbharia, Delvada, Satruñjaya and Radhanpur (Gujarat). The figures of Sambhavanatha in south India are rarely encountered. In the set of 24 Jina figures found in Jaina temple at Venur (Karnataka), Sambhavanātha standing with trichatra is found with Trimukha Yakşa and Prajñapti Yakşi and horse lāñchana. Two other examples, belonging to Hoysala period, are found at Sravanabelagola. A few temples dedicated to Sambhavanātha are also to be seen at Kumbharia and Radhanpur (sanctum image is of A.D.
1625). At Satruñjaya both the stone and metal images were carved. All the images usually show the horse cognizance and the astaprātihāryas. The YakşaYakşi figures however, do not show distinguishing features.
In one of the figures in the State Museum, Lucknow (Acc. No. J. 855, 10-11th century A.D.), the horse is carved in pair which indeed was a Gupta tradition. Deogadh has yielded 11 figures, belonging to 10h-12h centuries A.D. Jina in all the examples is shown as standing with horse cognizance. However, the twoarmed Yaksa-Yakşi figures are carved only in six examples. The images in Temple Nos. 15 and 30 exhibit either the Yaksa or both the Yakşa and Yaksi which are four-armed. The image in temple No. 30 also exhibits in the parikara the figure of acarya. Of the four images found from Khajuraho (11"-12th century A.D.), one in Temple No. 27 is dated to A.D. 1158. Most of the examples from Khajuraho represent Jina as seated with two-armed Yaksa-Yakşi figures. However, in one example (Archaeological Museum, Khajuraho - Acc. No.1715, 11th century A.D.), Sambhavanatha surprisingly is flanked by two standing figures of Supārsvanātha having five-hooded snake canopy.
ABHINANDANA (4th Jina) The cognizance of Abhinandana is monkey while the Sāsanadevatās are Yakşeśvara (or Isvara) and Kalikā (or Kāli). Although independent figure of the Jina is found only from 10h century A.D. yet in a Jina Caumukhi image from Vaibharagiri (Rajgir-now in Archaeological Museum, Nalanda), datable to 8th century A.D., Abhinandana (with monkey cognizance) is represented as standing sky-clad alongwith the figures of first three Jinas - Rşabhanātha, Ajitanātha, and Sambhavanātha-on three other sides.
The separate figures of Abhinandana are found mainly from Deogadh, Khajuraho, Navamuni and Bārabhuji caves, Kumbharia (Mahavira - A.D. 1085 and Pārsvanātha - A.D. 1202 temples), Radhanpur (Gujarat), National Museum, New Delhi (metal image
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