Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies Vol 01 Jaina Art and Architecture

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

Page 374

352
Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies
The Nandīśvara-dvipa has been held very sacred in both the sects and hence stone and metal sculptures or plaques of it were installed in Jaina shrines. The subject has sufficient scope for showing compositional varieties.
T.N. Ramachandran has published a metal sculpture of the Nandiśvara-dvipa from south India which is pyramidal in shape. Thirteen Jinas are shown as sitting in padmāsana on each side. He has also published a bigger stone sculpture of the Nandiśvara-dvipa, shaped like a vimāna, superimposed on a square base, the sides of which reveal Jinas (Siddhas) seated in meditation. SAMMETA-SIKHARA AND
PAÑCA-MERU The representations of Sammeta-Sikhara are worshipped in Jaina shrines, a famous example of which is available in the triple-Jaina shrine built by Vastupāla-Tejapāla on Mount Girnar. Such representations are known as avatāra' or 'uddhära' of a particular tirtha in Svetāmbara Jaina terminology. A small plaque, representing avatāra' of the two tirthas at Satrunjaya and Girnar are now in worship in a shrine at Varkana in Rajasthan.
Representations of Panca-Meru mountains of different dvipas showing a Siddhayatana (suggested by a four-fold Jina image) on each tier, one above the other (in five tiers) and surmounted by a finial, are more common amongst the Digambaras. One such Panca- Meru is also obtained in a Svetämbara shrine, in the Hastiśālā of the Lūņa-vasahi (Mt. Abu). The five Merus are Sudarśana in the midst of Jambūdvīpa, Vijaya in eastern Dhatakikhanda-dvipa, Acala in western Dhätakikhanda-dvipa, Mandara in eastern Puskarärdha- dvipa and Vidyunmāli in the western Puskarardha- dvipa. According to the Digambara belief, in all there are 80 Siddhayatanas (eternal shrines or shrines of Siddhas) on the five Merus. A Digambara Panca-Meru bronze, installed in V.S. 1514 (1457 A.D.) is now in worship in a shrine in Surat.
MANASTAMBHA The Mänastambhas or Mänavakastambhas were erected as free standing pillars or votive columns in front of the Jaina temples. The Adipurāņa of Jinasena speaks of the Mānastambhas to be carved in the first rampart of a samavasaraņa. At the base of these pillars four golden images of the Jinas were placed on four sides (22.92.109). Being erected by Indra they are also called Indra-dhvaja. These are also described in the Tiloyapannatti which says that the Jina images were carved on top of the pillars (4.779).
The Mānastambhas are also referred to as Kirtistambha as known from the inscriptions of Chittorgarh (Rajasthan), belonging to a period from 13th to 15th century A.D. (Pl. 130). The Jaina Kirtistambha (c. 1300 A.D.) of Chittor, though a Caturasra (square) stone structure of seven storeys with an inner spiralling stairway, has been denoted as Kirtistambha and Mānastambha both in the inscriptions.
The erection of Mānastambha or Indradhvaja or Kirtistambha has been very popular at the Digambara Jaina sites and as such free standing columns erected near a Jaina temple, mainly in front of the temple, are profusely found in south Indian Jaina temples. An early example of such pillar (A.D. 461) with four different Jinas on four sides at the top and one at the base is known from Kahaum (Deoria, U.P.). The prolific site of Deogadh was very rich in respect of the Mānastambhas and about 19 Mānastambhas (c. 9th-13th centuries A.D.) are found at the site. These Mānastambhas usually show the figures of the Yaksīņis like Cakreśvari, Ambikā Padmavati, Rohini, and sometimes even kşetrapala on four sides at the base while the top usually depicts the figures of the four Jinas seated or standing on four sides. Sometimes three Jinas are carved on three sides and the fourth side is occupied by the figures of Jaina Upādhāyayas and Sadhus.
PARENTS OF JINAS The parents of the Jinas have been paid due
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