Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies Vol 01 Jaina Art and Architecture

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

Page 430

408
Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies
The story behind the scene is as follows. Vajranga, with his wife Srimati, on the way to his mother-in- law's house met two carana sages who narrated his previous birth stories on his request. He also requested the sages to narrate the previous birth stories of his wife, minister, purohita (preceptor) and others. While the previous births were being narrated the four beasts, a tiger, a boar, a monkey and a mongoose, were also listening the same. The king being desirous to know about them requested the sages to narrate about the animals. The sages narrating the previous existences of these animals concluded that these animals remembered their past births and were therefore listening to the exposition of dharma by them.
In the painting the king and queen are sitting with folded hands in worship, listening with devout attention to two sages on the right, two are narrating the previous life stories of king, queen and the animals standing and listening to them. The animals referred to are also seen in the scene.
Next painting shows Vajrajangha and his wife, who were now born as twins in bhoga-bhūmi and became husband and wife again, and the four animals also born in the bhoga-bhūmi as Aryas, listening the carana sages. Further, the next two births are illustrated The painting though much obliterated represents Sridhara as a deva, and his wife who was born as Suvidhi, a king of the city of Susimă in the territory of Vatsa. The king is shown in the painting twice, first as departing evidently to a forest followed by an attendant and secondly as sitting under a tree with hands placed together in worship in front of a naked sage, also sitting under a tree, who has got his right hand in a teaching attitude.
The next scene illustrates the next two lives, the life of Acyutendra, a deva, and the life of a monarch called Vajranābhi. The persons represented in the painting are Acyutendra and his wife. Acyutendra died and was born as a monarch under the name of Vajranābhi. After some time the king with his eight brothers and merchant
friend got disgusted with worldly life and commenced observing penance (dikṣā) and the austerities prescribed. Vajranäbhi was enabled by his penance to leave embodied existence and enjoy the condition of a class of devas, called Ahmindradeva. The next painting shows Vajranābhi sitting between two of his queens, one on either side. Two attendants waiting outside to minister to his wants. As the life of Vajranäbhi was considered important, it is done elaborately in the paintings and five more rows are devoted to it. The next two rows show the king's eight brothers and his merchant friend who helped him to rule the land.
The next scene shows a procession of men on palanquin and elephants. In one palanquin king's merchant friend is carried on an elephant driven by a mahāvata. Vajranābhi's brothers, Vaijayanta and Jayanta, are seen within the howdāh. The procession continues in the next scene which shows two persons, Subāhu and Mahābāhu, seated in a chariot. The flag and parasol are clear in front of the chariot. In the procession the brothers of Vajranābhi are represented on the elephants and horse back. The attendants are holding umbrella, festoon and flag.
The king is sitting on a chariot drawn by horses, his brothers and merchant friend precede him on horseback while some attendants go in front of him and some others follow him. Next scene is the continuation of the procession showing Vajranābhi, his brothers and merchant friend proceeding for dīksā., There are persons in the procession, one is blowing the trumpet, another holding the flag and other beating the drum etc. No doubt, the scene represents the paraphernalia of royalty.
The next scene represents Vajranābhi hearing the address of Vajrasena who is seated cross-legged on a pedestal under a tree. The naked figure of Vajrasena is in clear contrast to the dressed figure of Vajranābhi, who is still in kingly attire. Another scene is much obliterated and shows only few figures. Further, the three kalpavíkşas, namely as bhojanāngam (food giving), bhājanāngam (vessel giving) and vastrangam (cloth
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