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JAINA BIBLIOGRAPHY
1019
900
Vasudeva Sharna AGRAWALA--Some Brahmanical Deities in Jaina Religions Art (Jain Ant. vol. III ; No. IV ; Arrah ; 1938 ; Pp. 83-92).
The Anantagumphā (Orissa) contains a Gaja-Lakshmi motif; fully described. Its representation betrays a similarity with the figures of mother goddesses found elsewhere. Sri also shares the same iconographic style. One of the dreams of the mother of Mahāvira was the consecration of Sri, standing in the midst of a lotus-pond, by elephants hoarding water in their trunks. Inscribed Saraswati sculpture from Kankāli Tilā (Mathura) - description given. An image of Tirthankara--one of the vertical hands of the slab show a female holding a child on her left thigh and a lotus flower in her right side ; she is seated on a lion-it represents Gauri or Ambikā the Yakshini of Nemināth ; there are figures of Baladeva, Vasudeva Balarām and Krisbna--the left side image is that of four-armed Vishņu ; full description and legend from the Jaina books given.
Image of Nemināth-its right-side figure is of a Nāgrāj--identified with Balarām the left-side figure is of Vishnu.
Yakshiņi Ambikā--an image of 8th-9th century; a seated Jina over the head of the Goddess-the Jina is flanked on either side by Balarām and Vasudeva--- description given.
So, the Gaja-Lakshmi, Sarasvati, Baladeva, Vasudeva and Ambikā of Brahmanical pantheon were assimilated in Jaina religious beliefs and represented in Jaina art from an early period.
901
H, D. SANKALIA--A Jaina Ganesa of Brass. (Jain Ant. vol. V; No. II ; Arrah; 1939, Pp. 49-52 & 1 plate).
The image of Gaņeśa exhibited in the collection of "Bronzes" in the Musuem of the Indian Historical Research Institute, St. Xavier's College, Bombay. He has 18 arms the additional 16 arms springing from the two main arms. It is remarkable for its number of arms, pose, trunk, kalasa-like ornament on the torana. It belongs to about 15th century A.D. Description given, iconography discussed. Gaņeśa is worshipped even by the Jains (Acharadinakara, published in the Kharatara Granthamālā).
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