Jain Journal 1969 04

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 83

188
JAIN JOURNAL
auspicious symbols, viz., bodhi tree in railing, stūpa, a defeated object and a Tirthankara being worshipped by 16 vidyādhara couples. In the four corners are mahoraga figures in atlantic attitude. One side of the outer square frame has been widened to find place for a row of eight auspicious signs.
A third kind of āyāgapata was named as caityapattas of which two specimens have been found among Mathura āyāgapaļas; No. J255 in the Lucknow Museum showing a stūpa with sopāna toraņa vedikā, two side pillars, śālabhanjikā figures and an elongated stūpa or caitya after which the name was derived. The other caityapatta from Mathura in No. Q2 in the Mathura Museum of which the exact place of origin is not certain but which was installed in a devakula of nirgrantha Arhats and hence in all probability belonged to the Jaina sanctuary of Kankalitila. On this slab (height 2'4", width 1' 9") is carved a stūpa of caitya surrounded by a railing and an ornamented gateway approached by means of the flight of steps. The stūpa is flanked by two pillars, the one topped by a wheel (cakradhvaja) and the other by the sejant lion, (simhadhvaja). On each side of the stūpa are two flying naked munis, two śālabhanjikā figures-on each side of the stair case is an arched niche containing a human figure representing the male and female donors.
From the point of view of art highest place is taken by the āyāgapața J 249, Lucknow) set up by Simhnadike for the worship of the Arhat which is organised as Tirthankara patta showing the Jina seated in padmāsana in the central medallion enclosed by four triratnas. Its outer frame is conceived with rows of eight auspicious signs which have now become standardised as the group of eight minamithuna, devagļha, śrivatsa, ratnapātra, above ; below triratna, puşpasraka, vaijaynnti and purnaghata. On one side is a cakradhvaja and on the other a hastidhvaja both of which are placed on the top of lion capitals consisting of four-winged lions. Another āyāgapatta (J 252 gift of Acala) is of similar design but with some difference in the number and form of the auspicious symbols. Cakradhvaja is common to both, the elephant-topped pillar of the former gives place to a simhadhvaja in the latter which, however, is much defaced.
Tirthankara images. The sculptures from the second Jaina stage of the Kankali tila show a good number of Tirthankara images dated from the Kushana year 5 to 95. They are of four kinds : (1) standing images in kāyotsarga mūdrā in which nudity is clearly indicated. (2) seated images in padmāsana, (3) pratimā sarvatobhadrikā or fourfold images in standing posture and (4) the same in seated posture. In