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Jaina-Rupa-Mandana
of the images of the Lord are placed bells, candanakalašas (the same as mangalakalaśas ?), auspicious pots made of sandal-wood, bhľngåras (jars), mirrors, dishes, vessels, seats, empty jars, boxes of jewels, necks of horses, elephants, men, kinnaras, kimpurusas, mahoragas, gandharvas, bulls, caskets (cangeri) of flowers, garlands, flowers, unguents, etc. or mops of peacock-feathers, baskets of flowers, garlands, powders (cūrna), etc., 108 each of the lion-thrones, umbrellas, fly-whisks, oil-pots (samudgaka), and pots of kostha, coyaka, tagara, haritala, hingula, manahsila, collyrium and 108 banners.69
On tops of the Siddhöyatanas were placed numerous figures of the auspicious eight symbols (aşta-margalas).70
Though the set of astantahápratihāryas is not given the term astamahaprätiharya is not known to the Agamas), some of them do figure in the above description. The conception of assamangalas is however an ancient one since it is already known to the Agamas.
But the above description obtains interesting comparison with Tirthankara images of the Kusana age obtained from Mathura (nos. J.7, J.60, J.117, Lucknow Museum, J.268, B.63, Mathura Museum, no. 161, Bharata Kala Bhavana, Varanasi, illustrated by us in Aspects of Jaina Art and Architecture, paper no. 6, figures 3. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10-12). We find here, on each side of Jina, a chowrie-beare- a Nang standing with folded hands, and occasionally a maladhara on each side at top of the sculptu.e; kundadnaras, according to commentators, are minor gods who are issued orders (ajñādhārins), but if kunda was understood as a type of water-vessel in those times, then we have a parallel in Mathura where sometimes an attendant figure on one side carries a water-pot as in the well-known inscribed headless image of Sarasvati from Kankali Tila, Mathura. The triple-umbrella is also shown on Mathura sculptures, as also the Caitya-tree, and in rare cases, an umbrella-bearer or the Caitya-tree on the back of the Jina images.
The above description makes no mention of the lañchanas or the attendant Yakşas and Yakşinis (Sasanadevatās). These motifs are absent in Mathura sculptures of the Kuşāna period. Especially noteworthy is the Sri-vatsa mark on the chest mentioned by the canons and almost invariably obtained on Tirthařkara images of the Kuşāņa age. It seems that marks on soles of feet and palms of hands and Sri-vatsa mark on the chest--which are amongst laksanas of a Mahapurusa-were regarded amongst the chief characteristics of a Tirtha kara image. The canonical description does not refer to any garment on the Saśyata-Jina-Pratimă which is also the case with all the Jaina images in India, of the Kuşana or earlier periods, known hitherto.
But nowhere in the above references from Svetāmbara as well as Digambara texts do we come across a reference to those figures on the simhasana (or pedestal) of a Jina which we find in a number of sculptures of the Kuşana period from Kankali Tila, Mathura.
Firstly, the dharmacakra, shown in the centre of the lion-throne, is often placed on top of a pillar, sometimes with the rim facing us and sometimes with the broader side with the spokes shown. In a rare case we have a dwarf holding the Wheel of Law above his head. In a few cases the Wheel is placed on a tri-ratna symbol.
Secondly, to the right of the Wheel of Law we have a monk with a rajoharana (broom with a handle, a broom-stick) held in his right hand and a broad piece of cloth on the wrist of the left hand held in such a way that the privies are shielded from view. All the Jaina monks on these pedestals and even in the Tablet of Ascetic Kanha (Fig. 21) hold this piece of cloth in this fashion and are otherwise naked. To the right of the monks are found in order figures of one or more monks and/or figures of lay Jaina male devotees in full attire. To the left of the dharmacakra is usually a Jaina nun with a long coat-like garment and an under-garment, and carrying a rajoharana in one of her hands.71 Next to her are either one or more nuns and/or standing female lay worshippers carrying long objects which are either garlands or purses. Sometimes some dwarfish figures accompany the śrävikäs. They may be children or attendant servants.
Obviously, the earliest known tradition showed, in the parikara (or parivāra ?) of a Jina, the four-fold Jaina Samgha (constituted by the sadhu, the sādhvi, the śrävaka and the sråvikä) on two sides of the dharmacakra. In the case of the standing figure of Aristanemi (no. J.18, Lucknow Museum, and Fig. 19 in Evolution of Jaina Iconography and Symbolismi, Aspects of Jaina Art and Architecture, Paper 6), there is a
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