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A Note on Jain Icons from Keshava Rai Patana
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The another image which is of Adinatha presents the deity in Kayotsarga posture and is made out of white marble The Tirthankara bears the sacred inark of Srivatsa on his chest Some of the mahapurusa laksanas lambakarna, trivali, and usisha-give the image an elegantlook The beauty of the image is lying in the background where the whole stele is covered with figures of the Vidyadharas, Jinas and male and female attendants on both the sides
The olher two images which have been identified as of Mahavira seem to us a little earlier in date than the Adinatha image One of them is comparatively mutilated and shows the seated Jina in meditalion pose over a seat supported by lions and its stele figures include Yaksa-Yakshuni, male figures holding flywhisk and the Vidyadharas The Jina's head is surrounded by undecorated prabhavalı under the cover of an umbrella The features of the second slaluc of Mahavira are more sharp and elegant This is also a sealed image with usual laksanas and stele covered with makara motif and the flying Vidyadharas having garland and musical instruments in their hands The lions on each side below the crocodiles, perhaps indicate the cognizance of Mahavira, the 241h Jina
The fifth image is of Rsabhanatha which is extremely elaborated It is a caturumshatipata image cast in brass depicting in its parikara twenty four jina figures in meditation pose All the figures have the sacred mark on the chest The central figure or Mulanayaka is bigger and flanked by lady Camaradharinis in front of the Mulanayaka his vehicle or the mark of his cognizance, the couchant bull is also depicted Above the head of this figure, the depiction of Parshvanatha with serpent canopy is also worth notice Stylistically it may be dated in 15th century AD
It appears from these images that in this area of Rajasthan from 10th to 15th centuries A D the artists were carving the jina images in close confirmity with Jain iconography And it is a well known fact that unlike Hindu divinities Jainas depicted their deities generally seated in padmasana or standing in Kayotsarga posture.
