Jain Temples of Rajasthan

Author(s): Sehdav Kumar
Publisher: Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Art Abhinav Publications

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Cosmic Being, Jain Book Cover, Gujarat, 18th century. Opaque watercolour on wood.
Lokapurusha, Cosmic Man, Rajasthan, c. 1884. Opaque watercolour on cloth. Linden Museum, Stuttgart
Lokapurusha, Cosmic Man, Rajasthan, c. 1775. Opaque Watercolour on cloth. The human body is divided into the adholoka, the madhyaloka and the urdhvaloka - lower, middle and upper worlds.
k for aymns of praise Inies are elaborare the
the Arhats and the Siddhas, particularly the Arhats - the tirthankaras. Their biographies are elaborate in many respects. There are hymns of praise in their honour, which are not intended to ask for anything from them, but the devotee who recites them hopes to develop their great qualities in himself. There are rituals, and pujās of various kinds to express devotion to the tirthankaras. All of these aim at purifying oneself by pious activities and finally at eliminating one's karmans, so that the atma becomes paramātman.
The most important ritual in a Jain temple consists of a sacred bath given to the image of a tirtharikara. This is a ritual reenactment of Lord Indra's bathing the tirthankara after his
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