________________
CHAPTER VII
MISCELLANEOUS JAINA DIVINITIES
Under this hcad, we propose to trcat of certain other dcities of Jainisin, who do not prove to be constituent osa distinct class of importance but still figure promiscuously in Jaina temples and rock sculpture. The inodels of their representations except in the casc of Naigameșa or Nameso, and Sāntidevī must have been originally Brāhmaṇic, though, of course, as they are in Jainism, much modified and inaderenascent. It is very interesting as we shall notice in this topic, that Jainism with its absolute doctrine of Ahimsā or non-killing should have, alongside with the later Buddhism adopted even minor goddesses of Tantricism. Nor should it be css interesting to observe that exactly like the Brāhmaṇic custom of giving a prior worship to Gaņeśa and Lakşmi, the Jainas, including their merchant class, attach a high importance to the veneration of these deities.
Harinegamesī or Naigameșa
He is represented in Jaina religious art, as a male figure, either with thc hcad of a ram or antelope or a goat. We have the noteworthy example of the god's icon in the Jaina antiquities of Mathurā. In this, Naigamcşa is represented as bearing a goat's head.
The god with his variant names is mentioned in the Kalpasūtra, Neminālhacarita and Antagadadasão. He is primarily the captain of the foot forces of Indra, at whose command, he transferred the embryo of Mahāvīra from the body of the Brāhmaṇi Devanandā to the womb of Ksatriyāņi Trišalā. Hence, he acquired the power of granting the boon of child-birth. Thus, we
1.
The Jaina Stupa and other antiquities of Mathura by V.A. Smith, PI, XVIII (obversc and reverse) “The Obrerse shows five figures. The principal figure is a goat-headed deity seated in an easy attitude. The deity is labelled Bhagarā Nemeso, dating from about the beginning of the Christian era or earlier. To the right are three standing females, and a male infant stands by the left knee of the deity.
