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12
J aina Iconography
raised to the position of God by their renunciation and great services to religion for the deliverance of mankind.
Another name of the Tirthamkara is Jina or conqueror from which the religion has been named as 'Jaina'. The word "Jina” has the technical sense of one who conquers the enemies such as, lust, anger, etc".2 These "Jinas” are four-fold—viz, (i) Nāma Jiņā or those who were Jinas boy name, e.g. Rşabha and others, (ii) Sthāpanā Jiņā or images which are installed and are made of gold, stone, etc., (iii) Dravya-Jiņā or those beings who are endowed with a Jina's quality, e. g. Sreņika, (iv) Bhāva Jiņā or those who have attained the Samavasaraṇa.3 The Jaina literatures of both the sccts furnish the names and detailed history relating to 24 Tirthaikaras. From the early references to the name of Rsabhanātha, the doctrine of Arhat, Nirgrantha and the Syūdvāda in the Hindu and Buddhist books, there is nothing seemingly very incredible about the early authenticity of the Jaina incarnations. It is also a curious coincidence that the number 24 rescmbles exactly the number of 24 Brālmanic Incarnations of Visnu according to some accounts. In all likelihood, the carly Hindu number of 10 Avatāras might lave been also numerically strengthened under the Jaina or the Buddhist influence in later times. Of the 24 Tīrthaikaras, the most favourite ones among the Jainas are the first and the three last oncs but temples as well as images of the remaining ones are also met with in many parts of India.
Almost all the Tirtharkaras have been the subjects of many Carita books and Purāna books in Jaina Literature cither in an associated account or in a scparate account. For instance, we have the Adipurāna about the life of Rşabha, Uttara purāņa about the lives of the other Jainas, Bhavadeva Sūri's Pāríranāthacarila, Sakalakirti's Sānlinātha Caritra, Vijayagani’s Aris!a1. लोयस्सुज्जोययरे सुधम्मतित्थकरे जिणे वन्दे । अरहन्ते कित्तइसे चउवीसं चेव केवलिणो ।
Sāmāyika-Pāļha. 2. जयति निराकरोति रागढ पादिरूपानरातीनिति जिनः । सं २ सम० 3. नामजिणा जिणनामा ठवणजिणा पुण जिणिदपडिमानो। दव्वजिणा जिणजीवा भावजिणा समवसरणत्था ।
cr. Praracanasāroddhāra, 49 art.
