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STUDIES IN JAINA ICONOGRAPHY
A.K. Bhattacharyya Chapter - II (continued)
The fifth symbol to be seen in the dream is the garland. The significance of the garland is nothing but that it only speaks of the fragrance which stands for fame and beauty of the person to be born. The garland as a symbol (ratna) for Vasudevas is also very important. It is there the 7th symbol. The garland signifies here the sentiment of love. The garland as one of the chief artmotifs figures in Indian artrepresentations from the earliest times. We know of the Yakşa-cult as being the result of the indigenous influence on the one hand and as being the guiding force in the anthropomorphic representation of images in later ages on the other. The Parkham Yakşa from Mathurā during the Maurya period supplied the anthropomorphic types which begin to get definite recognition in religious art from the Kuşāņa period onwards. But very little attention has hitherto been given to the garland bearers and the meandering garland carved out in stones from the same period as the earlisest Yakṣa forms. Garlands and their representation in art had their origin in the natural human attraction for foliage motifs in decoration. Secondly, flowers as embodiment of all beauty and prosperity were a centre of folk-attraction and ultimately became associated with worship of deities. It is thus that we find that the lotus symbolises all prosperity and being the symbol of the Goddess of Prosperity, Lakşınī often stands for her and she is to hold them in her hands and is to have a seat of lotus. The beautiful arrangement of its petals most probably is responsible for the name of the most beautiful sitting pose of the deities represented in the human form, i.e., the Padmāsana. This is how flowers or garlands of flowers came to be an important objects for being offered unto gods and goddesses. In later ages this motif continued to be adopted and could not be replaced
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