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Jaina Iconography
Varuna
Divergence exists among cven tho Svetāmbara texts with regard to the vehicle of Varuna, the guardian God of the west. Some texts assign to him the vehicle of a dolphin, others a fish. He is, however, unaniinously represented as bearing a noose and figuratively wears the ocean. The other sect makes him appcar in icons bedecked in pearls, corals, etc., riding a dolphin and bearing a noosc.!
The Jaina form of Varuņa may be distinguished only by his symbol of a fish, as some texts render him. In all other respects, he is the same as the Brāhmaṇa guardian-god of the west. The symbols of a dolphin, noosc, pcarls etc., all originate from the god's connection with the west and the ocean. We find, among the Yaksas, one named Varuna but he rides a bull. On the contrary, Pātāla Yaksa of Ananta Jina, rides a dolphin and has among his attributes a noose. Either of them presumably has been influenced by the original idea of Varuņa.
Vāyu
He rides a deer according to all Jaina authorities. Some Svetāmbara texts give him the attribute of a Vajra, others give him a banner.2 The Digambara account of him only differs
1. वरुणं धवलवर्ण मकरवाहनं पाशपाणिम् ।
Nirvanakalikā. Cr. श्रीवरुणाय पश्चिमदिगधीशाय समुद्रवासाय मेघवर्णाय पीताम्बराय पाशहस्ताय मत्स्यवाहनाय
Ācāradinakara. पद्मिन्याश्रितदन्तिदन्तमकरारूढं भुजङ्गायुधं मुक्ताविद्रुमभूषणं च वरुणं काष्ठां प्रतीचीं श्रितम् ।
Derohija. cr. प्रोत्फुल्लत्पद्मखेलत्करकरिमकरव्योमयानाधिरूढं प्रेवन्मुक्ताप्रवालाभरणमुपस्थावृदा राहताक्षं (?) स्फूर्जद्धीमाहिपाशं वरुणमपरदिग्रक्षणं प्रीणयामि ॥
Pratisthāsāroddhāra. 2. ओं नमः श्रीवायवे वायव्यदिगधीशाय धूसराङ्गाय रक्ताम्बराय हरिणवाहनाय. ध्वजप्रहरणाय...
Acāradinakara.
