JAINA Convention 1993 07 Pittusburgh

Author(s): Federation of JAINA
Publisher: USA Federation of JAINA

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places. Temple making appears to have it start from north India.
The History of Iconogrpahy:
The historians and the archaeologists now agree that the pre- Vedic civilization in India had a rich heritage. The excavations carried out in Mohanjodaro (Sindh province of Pakistan) and Harappa (Montgomari Distt. in Punjab in Pakistan) in 1922 and thereafter give evidence of the pre-Vedic civilization. According to the former Director of the Archaeological Survey of India, SIR JOHN MARSHAL in Sind and Punjab areas such people lived five thousand years back, who had a developed civilization which excelled the contemporary civilization of Mesopotamia and Egypt.
The Panis or the Vratyas, adherents of Sraman Culture, are believed to have also lived in western and north India. While the Aryans entered India (C. 1500 years B.C.), they pushed many of those Dravids to the south. The Panis were expert navigators, successful businessmen, possessing knowledge and wisdom and knowing find arts. They also spread to many parts of the world and settled there. They were idol worshippers.
Some seals obtained from the Mohanjodaro excavations have the images of ascetics in Yoga-Mudra. One of the seals with an ascetic is in Kayotsarga (Khargasan), i.e. in standing posture absorbed in meditation with his cognizance the bull standing nearby This is considered by many as the earliest seals depicting the first Jain Tirthankar Rishabhdev.
There was also a red stone nude torso (without head, arms and legs) found from the excavations of Harappa (Indus valley civilization cir. 4000-5000 years back), and kept in the National Museum, New Delhi. If at any time it is established as a Jaintorso, the Jain icon making will have its history at least 4000-5000 years old from now.
There is reference in the Jain texts
like Avashyak Churni, Nsheeth Churni, Vasudeva Hindi, Tri-Sasti Salaka- Purush Charit that Uddayan, ruler of Sindhu-Sauvir had a sandalwood image of Bhagwan Mahavir. Made in the life time of Mahavir, it was, therefore known as Jiwant-Swami and shows Mahavir as a Prince, with crown on his head. The ruler of Avanti (Ujjain) king Pradyot is said to have managed to obtain this image through a maid-servant by replacing the original one with a similar looking wooden image.
In their earliest form, the Jain images were of clay which were baked for longer life. Those had proportionate figure. Such clay images have been found from the excavations of Harappa, Kdaushambi, Mathura etc. As the baked clay idols were not durable the making of stone idols came into vogue.
The earliest Jain stone idols are of Yakshas and Yakshies. Those are surprisingly not of Tirthankars and are also not of artistic significance. Many of them did not have proportionate figure. So far the known earliest Jain images are the two torsos found from Lohanipur area of Patna. These Tirthankar images were found while digging a sewer. Made of stone, these have no head and legs. These are exhibited in Patna museum. Having shining polish, which is a characteristic of the Mauryan sculpture, these are considered to be of Mauryan period (B.C. 320-158). Mauryan Polish is that famous technique of early craftsmen, who handles the rough material of the stone until it resembled glass in smoothness.
A Kalinga Jina (Rishabhdev image) is also mentioned in some Jain texts and the Hathigumpha 17 line inscription in Brahmi script in Idaigiri Hill, near Bhuvaneshwar. This is eulogy of king Kharwel (B.C. first century). There is mention in this earliest Jain epigraph that while conquering the Nadndas of Magadha, king Kharwel of Kalinga (present Orissa) brought back the image to his capital, which had been
forcibly taken to Magadha by Nanda. Some believe that the above Lohanipur bust is that early Kalinga Jina. There is, however, no historically established evidence on that.
The iconography saw its rapid development inn the Saka-Kusana period (1st-2nd century A.D.). Mathura was then its principal centre. Images in sitting posture of Tirthankars Adinath, Shantinath, Munisuvratnath, Neminath, Paraswanath and Mahavir were mainly made, which did not bear symbols or cognizance. Many of the earlier Adinath images are found with hair lock on the shoulders. Besides Tirthankar images, Ayagpattas, Stupas, images of Yakshas, Yakshis, Saraswati, auspicious symbols, Chaitya-tree were also made. A special feature of the period was introduction of four faced images-Sarvatobhadrikas.
The Gupta period (4th to 6th century A.D.) and the post Gupta period (mainly up to 10th century A.D.) had the best of iconography with the making of highly adorned images also having Tirthankar cognizance and auspicious symbols inscribed on them. Double, triple and four faced images as also Pancha-tirthi, Tri-tirhi and Swi-tirhi, i.e. having five, three and two Tirthankar images inscribed on the same slab or stone we also made. Making of Chaturvinshati Jain images, i.e. one stone/slab having inscribed images of the 24 Tirthankars was also in vogue. Goddesses with two, four, six, ten and twelve arms were made. Making images of some goddesses, with arms in front and back side and of some with arms in all the four sides was a very special feature of this period. Images of Yakshas-Yakshis, Vidyadhar goddesses, Panch-Parmestins, Bharat and Buhubali were also made. The Jain images in large number in Deogarh (U.P.) Chanderi, Gwalior, Khajuraho (Madhya Pradesh) and various other places are the master-pieces of this period.
The Swetamber Jain images began
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"I look with considerable appreciation upon Jain logic as having long distinguished principles
which only now are being re-discovered in the West."
-Dr. Archie J. Bahm, Professor University of New Mexico
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-7TH BIENNIAL JAINA CONVENTION - JULY 1993
Jain Education Intemational