ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 04

Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies

Page 26

1.1. a
Landmarks of Jaina Iconography
Prof. Maruti Nandan P. Tiwari
The study of Jaina art has drawn considerable interest of the scholars both from India and abroad for over a hundred years. It may be noted that Jainism remained a popular religion throughout, having the support of all the ruling dynasties and the masses, and above all from the business class. There are ample inscriptional evidences found at Kankali Tila, Mathura, Osian, Khajuraho, Deogarh, Jalore, Delvada and at several other places which frequently refer to the shrethin, sarthavaha, gandhika, svarnakara, vardhakin, lauhakarmaka, navika, nartaka, vesyas and different gosthis of traders making significant contributions to Jainism, including the erection of temples and carving of images.
A figure on some of the seals from Mohenjodaro and a male torso from Harrapa (the earliest Indian Civilization, known as Indus Valley Civilization, C. BCE 2300-1750) remind of jina images on account of their nudity and posture. They are similar to the more emphatically exhibited kayotsarga-mudra' in the Lohanipur torso. Nevertheless, nothing can be said with certainly until the Indus Valley script is deciphered. Apart from this lone doubtful instance, no literary or archaeological evidence regarding any Jaina image prior to Mah vra has ever surfaced. Mah vra is said to have never visited any Jain temple or worshipped any Jaina images. In this connection, it would be relevant to make a reference to the Jivantasvamin Mah vra image, which is said to have been carved in the lifetime of Mah vra [c. BCE 6th cent.], hence the name Jivantasvami. According to the legend, a sandalwood image of Mah vra was carved in his lifetime, during the period of his tapas in his palace, about a year prior to his renunciation as a prince. This image is said to be adorned with mukuta and other ornaments befitting royalty. Just like the Bodhisattva is the stage before reaching Buddhahood, likewise Jivantasvami images came to the notice of the scholars. Scholars have so far accepted this literary theory and conceded that the Jivantasvami image was carved in the lifetime of Mah vra. To reinforce his views further, he took the help of two Jivantasvami images of the early Maitraka period discovered from Akota in Gujarat. These images exhibit Jivantasvami standing in the kayotsarga - mudra and wearing imperial dress and ornaments, and one of them bears the world Jivantasvami in the pedestal inscription.
However, there is no mention of Jivantasvami images in the Kalpas tra and other early literary works like the Paumachariya of Vimala Suri [CE 473]. The earliest references to these images are found in the later commentaries of the Agamas (c.mid 6th century CE] and in other works which mention the existence of the Jivantasvami images at Kosala, Ujjain, Dasapura [Mandasaur). Vidisa, Puri and Vitabhayapattana." The Trisasti-salaka-purusacharita (CE 1169-1172] of Hemachandra deals at length with the legend and the iconographic features of the Jivantasvami images (parva 10, sarga 11]. It mentions that Kumarapala Chaulukya commissioned excavations at Vitabhayapattana and unearthed a Jivantasvami image. According to Hemachandra, the first and original image made by Vidyunmalideva was installed at Vidisa. However, there is no mention of these figures in any of the Digambara literary works, and as a consequence no such figures have been encountered from their sites. Probably this absence was due to the representation of the Jivantasvamiwith dress and ornaments.
Since there is no literary and archaeological record of these images prior to the 5th - 6th century CE, hence, the contemporary tradition of Jivantasvami image having being carved during the lifetime of Mah vra is not acceptable. The available evidences point at the prevalence of such a belief in the later Gupta period. It may be observed here in passing that the early concept of Jivantasvami Mah vra was further broadened between the 10th and 15th centuries CE, by the depiction of some other Jinas as Jivantasvamis. The fact is further supported by later literary references in the Prabandhakosha of Rajashekhar (CE 1348] and the Kalpapradipa or Vividhatirthakalpa of Jinaprabha Suri (CE 1350]. The former text refers to the Jivantasvami Santinatha image. Several other inscribed Jivantasvami images, namely, Rishabhanatha, Sitalanatha [CE 1449], Chandraprabha (CE 1465] and Sumatinatha (CE 1444) from western India have also been found. It may be concluded that the concept of Jivantasvami was further widened to cater to the needs and aspiration of the devotees, by transmitting the massage of observance of austerity and the renunciation of a passionate life along with all the worldly obligations. In a few examples from Osian [Jodhpur, Rajasthan, 11th century CE].
Page 16 of 556
STUDY NOTES version 4.0