Jain Rup Mandan

Author(s): Umakant P Shah
Publisher: Abhinav Publications

Page 46

CHAPTER TWO
Origin of the Jina-Image and the Jīvantasvāmi-pratimā
Prehistoric sites in India have not as yet yielded any definite clue to the existence of Jainism. A few seals from Mohen-Jo-Daro showing human figures standing in a posture closely analogous to the freestanding meditative pose (käyotsarga mudra) of the Tirtharkara, or the seals with a figure generally identified as "Siva-Pasupati as Yogi' (in a meditative sitting posture)2 cannot, in the present state of uncertainty of the meaning of the writing on the Indus-Valley Seals, be definitely used to attest to the antiquity of Jaina image or ritual. The standing figures seem to have some extra appendage on the head while the sitting figures have no resemblance with the known Tirthankara images in the padmāsana or the ardhapadmasana posture.
Jaina traditions ascribe the first twenty-two Tirthankaras of this (avasarpiņi) age to a period covering millions of years before Chirst, but modern scholarship accepts only the last two, namely, Pārsvanätha and Mahavira, as real historical personages. The possibility of the twenty-second Tirthankara Neminātha, cousin brother of Krsna of Brahmanical puränas, being a historical personage, depends on the historicity of Krsna.
The mutilated red-stone statuette from Harappa (Fig. 1), though surprisingly analogous to the Mauryan polished stone torso of a Jina (Fig. 2) obtained from Lohanipur near Patna, Bihar, has, in addition, two circular depressions on shoulder fronts which are not seen on any other Tirthařkara image known hitherto, hence the Harappan torso should better be regarded as representing an ancient Yakşa. Being a surface find, it is difficult to assign it with confidence to the age of the Harappan culture.
The origin of Image-Worship in Jainism may, on the basis of available archaeological evidence, be assigned to at least the Mauryan age, circa 3rd century B.C., the age of Samprati, the grandson of Asoka. Samprati is reputed in Jaina traditions to have been converted to Jainism and is said to have given much royal support to the monks of this faith. He seems to have installed many Jina images and even today pious Jainas ascribe all old images to Samprati's patronage. The evidence of the Lohanipur statue does lend support to Jaina traditions.
Line 12 of the Hathigumpha inscription of Kharavela, as read by different scholars, refers to the recovery and reinstallation of the statue of Kalinga-Jina, formerly carried away to Magadha by the Nanda-king. 5
So far as literary evidence is concerned, we have to weigh it with great caution since available texts of the Jaina canonical works are said to have been finally edited at the second council at Valabhi (Valabhi vacana) which met in the latter half of the fifth century A.D. There are a few references to worship of images, relics, and shrines of Arhats (Tirthaikaras) by gods and men, and these references may be at least as old as the Mathura council (which met in the beginning of the fourth century A.D.) and may be even somewhat older. Most of the art evidence obtained in Jaina canonical texts as available today speaks of motifs etc. found in the art of the Sunga and Kuşāņa periods.
But there are reasons to believe that attempts were made to worship an image (verily a portrait-statue) of Mahavira, even during his life-time. This portrait statue of sandal-wood (gośirşa-candana) was supposed to have been prepared when Mahavira was standing in meditation in his own palace, about a year or two prior to his final renunciation and dikşă. So this statue showed a crown, some ornaments and a lower