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Asanas and Mudrās
139
described as a posture in which the Jaina or any devotee squats on a seat with legs folded, the right leg being on the left thigh and the left leg on the right thigh, while the eyes are fixed upon the tip of the nose. The position of the arms varies.
There is a religious prescription to the effect that the image of Mahāvīra, Rşabhanātha and Neminātha should be constructed in this posture or Asana.? The extant sculptures of the Tīrthankaras mentioned do not always support the injunction.3
Ardhaparyaṁkāsana
While the Paryamkāsana is sitting on the hams, the Ardhaparyamkāsana is half sitting on hams. In the latter posture, one leg hangs angularly, the other remains folded. The same Asana is also called Paryamkâsana māna, which has been defined as the position in which the Yogi lessens the weight of his body by one-third.4 This posture is not common to the images of the Jinas. We get, however, instances of this in the case of the Yaksas and Yakṣiṇīs. The figures of Cakreśvari from Gandhawal in Gwalior State and Nirvāṇi Yakşiņi explored by me are represented in this posture.
Khadgāsana
The standing posture with feet at a distance of about two inches from each other, the hands resting naturally by the sides,
1. Cf. The Antagada-Dasão (Oriental Translation Fund) p. 59, footnote. 2. For an illustration of this posture refer to the image of Rşabhanātha,
from Maheth, Distt. Gonda. 3. The injunction runs like this
वीरः, ऋषभः, नेमिः, एतेषां जिनानां पर्यङ्कासनम् । शेषजिनानामुत्सर्ग THE 1
Sativusāroddhāra, 151 dvāra 4. पर्यङ्कासनमानन्तु स्वदेहमानात्तृतीयभागोनं यदा करोति तदा पर्यङ्कासनमानं
Hanifa i Ibid. Cr. उर्ध्वतस्तस्य मानार्धमुत्सेधं परिकल्पयेत् । पर्यङ्कमपि तावन्तं तिर्यगायामसंस्थितम् ॥
Pratisthāsāroddhāra (MSS Jaina S. Library=Arrah).
