Book Title: Jain Rup Mandan
Author(s): Umakant P Shah
Publisher: Abhinav Publications

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Page 337
________________ 324 Jaina-Rupa-Mandana Sarasvati below the kalaśa, see Bannerji, J.N., Development of Hindu Iconography (second ed.), p. 197; and A.S.I.A.R. for 1911-12, p. 50, pl. XVIII (for the Bhita seal). Sarasvats in this sculpture sits in a peculiar posture with leg tucked up from knees, i.e. with "knees up", which was the posture in which Mahāvira obtained highest knowledge (Kevala-jñāna according to Jainism). The goddess carries a book in her left hand. The right hand is broken but beads of a rosary held in this hand are preserved near the wrist. Copyright, State Museum, Lucknow. In Jaina iconography, this is the earliest form of this goddess. Later, in the bronze image of Sarasvati from Vasantagadh (ref. Akota Bronzes, Fig. 19) and in the loose images of Sarasvati from Akota, Sarasvati is two-armed and shows the lotus and the book with her right and left hands respectively. See Akota Bronzes, Pls. 18, 33, 37, pp. 34, 43, 46. For Iconography of Sarasvati-Śrutadevată-see Shah, U.P., Iconography of the Jaina Goddess Sarasvati in Journ. of the University of Bombay, Vol. X (September, 1941), pp. 195-79 and plates. Fig. 21 (Pl. XI). Tablet of Kanha Samaņa (a stone Tablet of Homage-āyāgapata) depicting the ascetic Kanha (Kļşņa), from Kankali Tila, Mathura, now no. J.623, State Museum, Lucknow. Dated Samvat 95(=173 A.D.). Ref. Smith, JS, pl. XV 208 24; Aspects of Jaina Art and Architecture, paper no. 6, Fig. 15 and p. 61. Note the Stūpa in the upper panel of this Tablet, perhaps it is a model of the Jaina stupa at Mathura. Copyright, State Museum, Lucknow. Fig. 22 (Pl. XII). Brass or Bronze statue of Adinatha from Akoța, now in the Baroda Museum, no. AR.542. Ref. Shah, U.P., Akota Bronzes, Figs. 8a, 86, pp. 21 and 25. This is the earliest image so far discovered showing a Jina with a lower garment. The image is assigned to c. 450-500 A.D. For its bearing on Jaina image worship, see Shah, U.P., Age of Differentiation of Digambara and Svetämbara images and the earliest known Svetambara Bronzes, Bulletin of the Prince of Wales Museum, no. 1. Photo Copyright, American Institute of Indian Studies, Varanasi. Fig. 23 (Pl. XII). Pārsvanatha in padmāsana with a canopy of seven-hooded snake at the back overhead. Stone, from Kankali Tila, Mathura, now no. J.39 in State Museum, Lucknow. The Jina seems to have a clean-shaven head; age, Kuşāņa. Faint Srivatsa mark on chest. Copyright, State Museum, Lucknow. Fig. 24 (Pl. XIII). Stone sculpture of Párávanātha in padmāsana, from Rajgir, Bihar. Age, early mediaeval, c. 7th cent. A.D. Pārsva with a canopy of seven snake-hoods over which are the triple umbrellas, on two sides of the latter are two divine garland-bearers. On the right of the Jina, beginning from the top (below the māla-dhara), are four planets headed by Súrya. Similarly on the left are four remaining planets, the last one being Rahu. Ketu is not shown. Upto about the end of the tenth century only eight planets are shown in Jaina sculptures. The pedestal face is only partly preserved. But the figure of elephant to the left of the now defaced dharmacakra in the centre is quite clear and better preserved. This is a very rare instanco where an elephant, rather than the snake, is shown as the cognizance of Pärsvanatha. There is another smaller stone sculpture of Pārsva at Rajgir where a conch on each side of the dharmacakra is shown as cognizance of Pārsva. Photo Courtesy & Copyright, Indian Museum, Calcutta. Fig. 25 (Pl. XIV). A stone sculpture of Rşabhanātha standing in kayotsarga mudră, from collections of Musee Guimet; probably hails from Orissa. The beautiful sculpture shows the first Jina with a high (crown-like) jațā overhead and hair-locks on shoulders, arms reaching knees, attended by a standing câmaradhara each side. Above these are small figures of four planets on each side of the Jina. Above them there are heavenly māla-dharas (suggesting sūra puspavęsti, an atiśaya, a part of parikara) and a pair of hands beating the drum, on each side, representing the heavenly music and drum-beating (dundubhi). Above the jață of the Jina are the triple umbrellas with a leaf on each side suggesting the caitya-tree, the aśoka-tree. Behind the head of the Jina is the bhamandala (halo). The Jina stands on a double-lotus (a viśvapadma) under which is the small figure of a bull (rşabha), the cognizance of the first Tirthankara; the yakşa-yakşi pair is not shown. The sculpture, of Pala art of c. 9th and 10th cent., shows an evolved parikara of the Jina image representing most of the aşta-mahäprätihāryas. Preserved in Musee Guimet (Paris), no. 3944. The tradition of representing the planets on two sides of the Jina Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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