Jain Journal 1983 04

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

Page 31

APRIL, 1983
Some Jaina Images of Monghyr
Monghyr,1 the ancient city of Mudgagiri, was an important centre of Jainism during the early historic period. We know from the Padmacarita of Acarya Ravisena that Jaina cult was in flourishing condition in the vicinity of Monghyr during the 7th century A.D. Temples of the Tirthankaras were being built and teachers were always moving in these sacred places propagating the principles of Jainism. Acarya Jinasena and Acarya Haribhadra3 (circa 8th century A.D.) also described the Anga region as a centre of Jainism. Recently, the author of this paper has published a torso of Bhagavan Parsvanatha discovered from the Monghyr Fort area. It belonged to the circa 9th century A.D. and carved out of black stone. It supplemented the literary evidences regarding Jainism in Monghyr.
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Some Jaina sculptures are enshrined in the Sri Parsvanatha Digambar Jain Mandir, Bara Bazar, Monghyr. The present temple according to its Secretary was constructed in the Vikram Samvat 1936 (1879 A.D.). The temple is dedicated to Bhagavan Parsvanatha, the twenty third Tirthankara. It is worshipped by the Digambara Jainas. It is said that the present temple was erected upon the ruins of an old temple. At present the population of the Jainas in this town are not more than one hundred.
The author of this paper, who inspected the images enshrined in side the temple, has selected three of them for study. All the three represents Bhagavan Parsvanatha. Two of them bears the date V.S. 1936 (1879 A.D.) while the third one is very important from the archaeological point of view. It represents Padmavati, the Sasanadevi of Bhagavan Parsvanatha over whose head the Jina is seated. It is dated in the year V.S. 1548 (1491 A.D.).
Let us examine the iconographic details of two images of Bhagavan Parsvanatha. The black stone image of Bhagavan Parsvanatha measures 16 x 10 inches. The Jina is seated in samparyankāsana. The seven hooded serpent is canopied over his head from back. His hair style is typical. His long ears, half closed eyes, frivatsa mark over chest are
'O'Malley, Bihar and Orissa District Gazetteer-Monghyr, Patna, 1926, pp. 30-52. 2Sinha, B.P. (ed), The Comprehensive History of Bihar, Vol. I, Pt. II, Patna 1974, p. 457.
3Ibid., p. 458.
"Sinha, A.K., 'A Torso of Parsvanatha in the Bhagalpur Museum (Bihar)', Jain Journal, Vol. XVII, No. 3 (Calcutta, 1983), pp. 101-102.