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

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Page 68
________________ 55 Notes on the Jaina Pantheon last eight derive names from gods of the same name superintending over them, while the first one is so called from the Siddhayatanas or Temples of the Siddhas situated on it. Such shrines are also known as Sāśvata-Jina-Bhavanas with images of Sāśvata-Jinas installed in them.19 Next to Jambu-dvipa is the Lavanoda ocean, then the Dhataki khanda, then the Kaloda ocean and following it is Puşkaravara-dvipa. Half of the Puşkaravara is inhabited by human beings. The human world, therefore, is made up of two-and-a half continents, two oceans, thirty-five zones in all and a number of mountains, rivers etc. Beyond it is the Manuşottara, a mountain range, round like a city-wall, surrounding the human world. Situated half-way in the Puskaravaradvipa and golden, Mānuşottara is so called because 'man is not born except on this side of it', which is the ultimate limit of regions inhabited by human beings. Surrounding the Puşkaradvīpa is the Puşkara ocean, followed by continents and oceans called the Váruņivara, the Ksiravara etc., the eighth from Jambū being the Nandiśvara-dvipa, which resembles a heaven. The Nandiśvara-dvipa20 is a land of delight of the gods with gardens of manifold designs, adorned and honoured by the visits of gods devoted in the worship of the Tirthankaras. In its central part are four Anjana mountains of black colour, situated in the four directions; Devaramana in the east, Nityodyata in the south, Svayamprabha in the west, and Ramaniya in the north. On their tops are temples of the Arhats (Tirthankaras), one hundred yojanas long, half as wide and seventy yojanas high, each shrine having four doors. Within the temples are jewelled platforms, sixteen yojanas long and wide, and eight yojanas high. On the platforms (manipithikā) are diases (devacchandaka) of jewels whose length and width exceed the platforms, and on them are one hundred and eight eternal statues (säsvata-bimba) of each of the Arhats named Rşabha, Vardhamana, Candránana and Võrişena in the paryanka posture, made of jewels, attended each by a beautiful retinue consisting of two Nāgas, two Yaksas, two Bhūtas, and two pitcher-carriers while behind each statue is a figure of an umbrella-bearer. On the diases are incense-jars, wreaths, bells, the eight auspicious marks, banners, umbrellas, festoons, baskets, boxes and seats as well as sixteen ornaments such as full pitchers etc. There are gleaming entrance-pavilions (mukha-mandapa) of the size of the temples, theatre-pavilions (prekşá-mandapa), arenas (akşa-vāțaka), jewelled platforms, beautiful stūpas, and statues, fair caitya-trees, indradhvajas, and divine lotus lakes in succession. In the four directions from each of the Mt. Anjanas there are big square lotus-lakes, Nandisena, Amogha, Gostūpa etc., and beyond them are great gardens named Asoka, Saptaparna, Campaka and Cūta. Within the sixteen lotus-lakes are the crystal Dadhimukha mountains, each having a SaśvataJinālaya with images of Sāśvata-Jinas described above.21 Between each two lakes are two Ratikara mountains thus making a total of thirty-two Ratikara Mts. These mountains have again thirty-two SāśvataJinālayas on them. This makes a total of fifty-two such Eternal Temples of Arhats on the Nandiśvaradvipa (4 on Anjana Mts.+ 16 on Dadhimukha Mts. +32 on Ratikara Mts.).22 In the eight directions on the two southern Ratikara Mts. are the palaces of the eight queens of Sakra and on the two northern mountains are those of the queens of Isanendra, all these being adorned with the temples of the Jinas. Here and elsewhere on the Nandiśvara-dvipa, Indra and other gods celebrate eight days festival (astâlnika-mahotsava) every year on different holy (parva) days. Next follows the Nandiśvara ocean, then the Arunavaradvipa, the Arunoda ocean, and the ocean and dvīpa called the Arunabhäsa, then the Kundala dvipa with four Jina temples, the Kundaloda ocean followed by the Rucaka-dvipa. In the centre of the Rucaka-dvipa is the Rucaka-giri (mountain) with four Eternal Temples. On all sides of these temples, on different mountain tops, stay the thirty-six Dik-kumāris of the upper Rucaka-giri while four more Dik-kumāris stay on tops in the centre of the mountain. The last in the series of oceans and continents is the Svayambhuramaņa ocean. In this continent of Jambu-dvipa there always flourish four each of Tirthakrts, Cakrins, Vişnus (Väsudevas) and Baladevas at the minimum. At the maximum, there are thirty-four Jinas and thirty kings, and twice as many in Dhataki and the inhabited half of Puskaradvipa.23 Mount Himavata bounds the Bharataksetra, while there is another Mt. called Vaitādhya, parallel to Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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