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CHAPTER 333
INSCRIPTIONS
Jaina a ry at Vata-Gohali, to which a Brahmaņa donated some land for the worship of the divine Arhats there and which was presided over by the Sramanācārya Guhanandin belonging to the Pañca-stöpa-nikaya of Kasi (i.e. Våräņasí).
eogarh, in Jhansi District, possesses a rich collection of Jaina works of art, many of them inscribed. About forty Jaina temples and as many as four hundred Jaina epigraphs bearing dates ranging from the ninth century onwards are known from this place. The earliest of them dated in Vikrama year 919 and Saka year 784 (A.D. 862) is a pillar-inscription belonging to the time of the Pratthāra king Bhoja, recording the creation and erection of the pillar in question in front of the temple of Santinātha on the Lacchagira (modern Deogarh). From other records of the place we come to know that the temples there contained dvåras (entrances), stambhas (pillars), salas (halls) and mand apas (court). There were also pădukas (footprints) of both Tirthankaras and Acāryas, set up by individuals. In front of the temples of the Jinas were set up mana-stambhas or pillars of homage bearing miniature figures of Tirthakaras or other deities of Jainism.
Most of the Deogarh inscriptions are found on the pedestals of images, Often they are associated with the lanchanas or distinguishing-marks of the respective Tirthankaras, like the deer of Santinátha, kalasa of Mallinātha, horse of Sambhavanātha, lotus of Padmaprabha, bull of Adinatha and so on. At times, the inscriptions themselves contain the names of the Tirthankaras like Rşabha, Pārsva, Candraprabha, etc. A sarvatobhadra-pratima or caumukha is labelled as caturmukha-sarva-deva-sangha. Among the other images bearing labels mention may be made of those of Purudeva, Gobhata, Cakresvari, Padmāvati-devi, Sarasvati and Malini.
Jaina scriptures associate each of the Tirthankaras with his own Yaksa and Yakṣi whose names are specified. In the figures of the Jinas on the wall of the main temple (12) at Deogarh, the Yakşis are represented and labelled. Interestingly, however, their names as given on the labels do not always follow either the Digambara or the Svetămbara canons. This feature makes these figures all the more useful for the purpose of the study of Jaina iconography, particularly in view of the fact that a label-inscription bears the date of Vikrama year 1126 (A.D. 1069-70). The names of the Yaksis according to the labels are
[ See above, chapter 14.-Editor.)
Annual Report on Indian Epigraphy 1955-56 to 1959-60, and 1970-71 (unpublished); Annual Progress Report, Archaeological Survey of India, Northern Circle, 1915, 1916, 1918.
For the list according to the Digambara and Svetämbara traditions, sec above, pp. 14-16.-Bditor.]
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