Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies Vol 01 Jaina Art and Architecture

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

Page 440

418
Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies
alongwith Jina's seat in the centre. The description provides architectural data of considerable value.
The Avasyakaniryukti also gives the description of Samavasarana. Both the sects, Svetāmbara and Digambara, agree in broad outline of Samavasarana for example, a central pavilion for the Jina, places on the big platform surrounded by three fortifications, each having four gateways on four directions.
The representation of Samavasaraña is not available in early Indian art. In the sculptural representations, the Samavasarana scenes are carved with the narratives showing the lives of Jinas at Svetāmbara Jaina sites of 11th-12th century A.D. These narratives are carved in the ceilings and represent mainly the Pancakalyānakas of the Jinas which pertain to the lives fo Rşabhanātha, Šāntinātha, Neminātha, Pārsvanātha and Mahāvīra. Such ceilings are mainly found in the temples of Santinātha and Mahāvīra Jinas at Kumbharia (11th cent. A.D.) and Vimalavasahi and Lunavasahi at Mt. Abu. The enormous examples of Samavasarana, in Jaina paintings, are also known from different collections from India and abroad. Of all the examples of Samavasaraņa in narrative sculptures, paintings and independent examples, Pārsvanātha and Mahāvīra Jinas outnumber all other Jinas, obviously for the reason that they were the historical and most popular ones.
The sculptural representations, based on literary details, mostly show a circular structure with three ramparts, one above the other, surmounted by a square pavilion with the seated figure of Jina. However, the details like water-ponds, animals, divine figures etc. are absent in such representations. As contrary to the concept of Samavasaraņa the sculptural examples as well as paintings only show one seated figure at the top, while the texts envisage that the Jina was sitting facing east, and for the sake of the convenience of the audience three images of the self-same Jina were installed on three sides to make him visible from all the sides However, the four figures of Jinas are carved mostly in the independent sculptural examples of the
Samavasarana known mainly from Svetāmbara Jaina sites of India, and datable between 11th-15th centuries A.D. The Mahāvīra and sāntinātha temples at Kumbharia show some such examples.
In wall paintings, the Digambara Jaina temple known as Sri Kundavi Jinālaya at Tirumalai (north Arcot district) and the Vardhamana temple at JinaKāñchi contain the representation of Samavasarana. On stylistic grounds the Sri Kundavi Jinālaya example may be placed in 11th-12th century A.D. and the Vardhamana temple example in 10th century A.D. In bronze, one example of 11th century A.D., showing Samavasaraņa, is known from a Jaina shrine in Marwar, at present in a Jaina shrine at Surat. Another belonging to 12th century A.D. is known from Cambay. A number of loose examples in stone and metal are scattered in Jaina shrines all over India.
There is a large number of Jaina miniature paintings in palm-leaf and paper manuscripts (13th-20th centuries A.D.) showing Samavasaraṇa scene (Pl. 291). The examples on cloth were also rendered in large scale and a few are found even in wood. In miniatures the scene is represented in details and very close to textual descriptions as found in stone sculptures. The number of Jinas increased in miniatures. The vitarāgi Jinas in miniatures in most of the examples are surprisingly adorned with ornaments. This adornment goes against the tradition. In miniatures Jinas are always shown in dhyānamudră usually with an unidentified object in their hands (Pls. 292-293). Their lāñchanas and astaprātihāryas are mostly absent in miniatures.
In the manuscript paintings the Samavasarana scenes are related to different Jinas mainly on the basis of inscriptions or texts. However, in case of Samavasarana of Pārsvanātha as found in the Kalpasūtra paintings the seven-hooded snake canopy is provided for the idendification of the Jina. Most of the examples of Samavasarana in manuscript paintings are from Kalpasūtra. Besides Kalpasūtra, Adipurāņa, Satapadikāgranthapaddhati (13th cent. A.D.), Sri
Jain Education Intemational