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A.K. Bhattacharyya: Studies in Jainalconography
merit and spiritual potency from almost the beginning of human thought.
The Mirror (Darpanam) forms the first of the group of Astamaigalas. The delineation of the mirror before a Tirthankara symbolises the fact that people given to rigorous austerities, high charities, abstinence, and service unto others, do so with a view to attaining knowledge about the self (soul) and that a place where such people on attainment of omniscience can reside must be one not only clean and pure in itself but on which everything unclean and impure is clearly reflected."
The second syimbol of the Astamangala group, the Bhadrāsana symbolises the touch of the Jina in one of his associated symbols. It is on the Bhadrasana that the Jina places his feet and because of this it is regarded as endowed with extra-ordinary merit (atiprabhavaih). This second symbol practically is an extension of the first from an ideological point of view. The Bhadrāsana is to be represented as the Pitha to place the feet of the Tīrthankara.45 This bears a close parallel to the mode of represention pādukās in place of the Lord. The Lord's presence was felt through the padukas. Attention may also be drawn to the tradition of repreenting Visņupadas, Buddha-pada" etc.
The third symbol in the group is the Vardhamana Samputa. This symbolises the favour of Lord Mahāvīra through whose grace the devotee (bhavvajana) gets piety, faine, influence, greatness, prosperity, learning, peace and (fulfilment of all) desires. The
44. cf. Ātmālokavidhau janopisakalastivramtapoduscaram
dānambrahmaparopakarakāranar kurvan parisphärjati / so'yam yatra sukhena rājati sa vai Tirthādhipasyāgrato nirmeyah paramārthavịttividurah sajjnanibhir darpanam ! Acāradinakara, pp. 197-98.
45. Cf. Jinendra-pădaih paripūjyaprsthair atiprabhāvair api sannikrstam
Bhadrāsanam bhadrakaram Jinendrapuro likhenamangalasatprayogam Ibid, loc. cit.
46. A.K. Coomaraswamy: History of Indian and Indonesian Art. p. 44.
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