Jain Spirit 2003 03 No 14

Author(s): Jain Spirit UK
Publisher: UK Young Jains

Page 33

ART & LITERATURE
Sculptors Reveal
Inner Beauty
Sudha Seshadri analyses the subtlety and patronage of sculpture
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HE ADI PURANA RECOUNTS THAT AS conditions on earth became increasingly difficult, Rshabha taught the people the skills of survival such as agriculture and commerce, and he also taught them handicrafts- the arts of sculpture, painting and architecture. Further, when Rshabha attained kevala-jnana, Indra, aided by the other gods, prepared the samavasarana for his first discourse." writes Saryu Doshi in Masterpieces of Jain Painting
In India, expressions of the soul have always been and are integral to existence. From pre-historic to present times our thoughts and emotions have found expression in sculpture, wall paintings, bronzes, clay images and manuscript illustrations.
Historically, the earliest examples of Jain images are from the Mauryan period dating upto the 3rd century BC. The headless torsos, found at Lohanipur near Patna, have the polished surface that the Mauryan period (c. 475-220 BC) is renowned for. In architecture, the earliest examples of rock-cut architecture are found in the granite hills of Barabar and Nagarjuni, where there are seven cave temples, built as retreats for Jain monks in the rainy season. One of the caves was a donation made by the Emperor Ashoka himself.
From the Mauryan period until the present times, one is able to study and enjoy the images of Tirthankaras, yakshas, yakshinis, vidyadevis, dikpalas and other gods and goddesses as well as celestial dancers and musicians. These images are not static - they convey to the viewer the very essence of what they represent. Hence, the image of a seated Tirthankara with hands folded and eyes half-closed, portrays a being who 'has looked within himself, is at peace and has achieved both enlightenment and liberation. He will help his followers to cross the ford of life. In contrast, the image of Indra or a celestial dancer will be infused with life, it will have an earthliness trapped within itself.
Working in stone, marble or bronze, the artisans were able to infuse life into the images they carved. They worked to a set precept and followed the instructions laid out in the shilpa texts. In their work they were guided not only by the mastercraftsmen who headed their guild but by a monk who was learned in iconography. If the figure was that of Ambika, she would be shown holding a twig of the mango tree with fruits hanging from it and with a child on her lap. If the image was that of Jivantaswami, a representation of Mahavir before he renounced the world, then the artist would show him as a prince
Role
Jain Spirit March - May 2003
wearing a cylindrical crown and jewels. Images of Rshabha or Adinatha always have 'hair-locks' on the shoulders. One will also find that images of the Tirthankaras are always made with the mahapurusha lakshanas, the distinguishing features of great men who have long arms with palms reaching the knees, long ear lobes, and arched eyebrows. Since ancient times in India, detailed texts were written describing how an image was to be made and what were the characteristics to be conveyed while making an image of a prince or a religious preceptor. This knowledge was passed down through generations more often than not from father to son through the oral tradition.
Who patronised the making of the images? History records that rulers of the Maurya, Gupta and subsequent periods were great patrons of art. Even if they were not Jains, donations were made by them. Inscriptions on the images as well as on the walls of the shrines are the records of donations, and we find that donations were not only made by rulers and members of their court but also by merchants, nuns, householders, dancing girls, as well as potters, smiths and others. It was believed that donating images and painted manuscripts or giving monies towards building a temple would result in religious merit. For example, the world-renowned temple of Ranakpur was built by Dharna Sah, a wealthy merchant and the chief minister of Mewar. A pious man, he followed the teachings of the Jain monk, Shri Somasundara Suri. The temple he had built is a transformation into reality of a celestial vehicle that he saw in a dream. A long dedicatory inscription in the temple records has details of the donor and his donations.
An inscription on a bronze image of Sarasvati, from Akota, of the 7th century says: 'Ganini Isiya made this pious gift in the Nivrutti Kula.' Sarasvati, the goddess of learning is worshipped by the Hindus, Buddhists and Jains. In Jainism she presides over the preachings of the Tirthankaras and is a part of the group of sixteen vidyadevis. Similarly, at Shravana Belgola in Karnataka, Mangayi Basti was built in 1325 by a royal dancing girl, while the central image of Shantinatha housed within the shrine was donated by Bhimadevi, the wife of Devaraya, the Vijayanagara ruler.
The guilds did not only make images, they also carved decorations on pillars, ceilings and door jambs. At