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CHAPTER XI
OTHER JAINA GODS AND GODDESSES
This chapter deals with the art and iconography of some such gods and goddesses who occupy important position in Jaina tradition and art and who reveal distinct bearing of Vedic-Puranic tradition to suggest mutuality and commonality of Indian heritage. The chapter includes besides Sarasvati, Lakṣmi, Gaṇeśa, Brahmasanti and Kaparddi Yakṣas, Kṣetrapāla, Naigamesī, Aṣṭadikpälas, Navagrahas and some Jaina upadevatās (Minor deities)
SARASVATI
Sarasvati (also called Śārada, Bhāratī, Vāk, Vāṇī, Vagiśvari), the ancient most goddess of learning and music, enjoyed unquestionable popularity among both the sects of the Jainas from at least Kuṣaṇa period. The earliest known image of Sarasvati, procured from the Kankali Ṭīlā, Mathura (now in State Museum, Lucknow, J. 24, A.D. 132), was also prepared by the Jainas. As Śrutadevata she represents the personified knowledge embodied in the sacred Jaina scriptures preached by the Jinas and the Kevalins (Vyakhyā- Prajñapti 11.11.430 and Paumacariya - 3.59). The dvadaśānga- the twelve angas texts are described as the different limbs of the Śrutadevata, while the fourteen purva-texts are said
to be her ornaments.
Sarasvati was fashioned in three varieties of forms, namely the two-armed, the four-armed and the multiarmed. In sculptures, as against the iconographic texts, sometimes she is also carved with six, eight and sixteen hands. The symbols invariably held by Sarasvati are vīņā, pustaka (manuscript), lotus, rosary and the varada or abhaya-mudra, the former three being of more frequent occurrence. She rides a swan occasionally replaced by a peacock. She mostly appears as sudarśana (beautiful) and seated on a lotus in lalitäsana.
The popularity of worship of Sarasvati in Jainism is also established on the testimony of literary references
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in the Vyakhya-Prajñapti (c. 2nd-3rd century A.D.), the Dvādasaranayacakravṛtti of Simha Sūri Kṣamāśramaṇa (c. A.D. 675), and the Sarada-stotra of Bappabhaṭṭi Sūri (c. 3rd quarter of the 8th century A.D.). The popularity of her worship can also be understood from the large number of Sarasvati images found on different Jaina temples of both the Svetambara and Digambara sects. A special festival held in the honour of Sarasvati is called Jñana-Pañcami in the Śvetambara tradition and Śruta-Pañcami in the Digambara tradition. Besides this festival, special penance like the Śrutadevată-tapas and Śruta-skandha and Śrutajñāna-vratas are also observed by the Jainas.
Sarasvati at some stage in pre-medieval period began to be invoked by the Śvetämbaras as goddess of Power (Vidyadevi). The pursuit of supernatural powers and the development of rites to attain them had acquired strong Tantrika colours by medieval period and as a natural corollary, the hymns addressed to a number of Jaina goddesses, including Sarasvati, were composed after the Tantrika mode.
The earliest representation of Sarasvati from Mathura (A.D. 132) is two-armed (Pl. 211). The goddess, seated squatted on a rectangular pedestal, holds a manuscript in her left hand, while her mutilated right hand was showing abhayakṣa. The swan mount is not carved in the present instance. Deogadh has yielded a number of independent figures of Sarasvati, datable between c. 9th to 12th century A.D. Sarasvati in Deogadh, riding either a swan or a peacock, is represented with two or four arms. The rendering of Sarasvati twice in the group of 24 Yakṣis is particularly interesting. These figures, carved on the facade of the temple No. 12 (A.D. 862) at Deogadh, represent her as the Yakși respectively of Jina Abhinandana and Jina Supārsvanatha with the labelling Bhagavati Sarasvati and Mayüravahini.
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