Book Title: Jaina Iconography
Author(s): B Bhattacharya
Publisher: Motilal Banarasidas

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Page 80
________________ Tirthařkaras 41 ing upon him in the image are named Tumbaru and Mahākāli. His chowribearer is called Mitravirya. The sculptures extant agree with the rules of Iconography as given before. Besides the fundamental marks, which specialise one Jina from all the rest, the sculpture contains the figures of the flying garland-bearers, the drums etc., and sometimes miniature figures of other Jina which with the main figure complete the number of twenty-four. The lion-seat is meaningly borne by a pair of lions. Two elephants often are seen either pouring showers of water or merely standing at the top of the 'main figure. Apart from the special cognizance of the Jina, a Cakra or whce! is noticed represented on the pedestal. The donor's image is also included below the fect of the statue. Images of Sumatinātha have been found in many places in Northern India, the most noteworthy figure to be mentioned is the one discovered at Sahet Mahet." The Sumatinātha's native place and his parents have een mentioned in the Jaina traditional history. His birth place was Ayodhyā (Sāketa), his father was called Mcgharatha and mother Mangalā.? When and how he attained the kevala knowledge and what palanquin carried him, ail these are given in the Uttaraburāna. Wc omit, however, those details as rather too far from our main topic. With regard to the derivation of his name, there is, as usual. a story to explain it. "The child was called Sumati. nātha, because cvcn before his birth his mother's inrellect (Sumati) was so sharpened. To prove the queen's ability, a story resembling that of the judgment of Solomon runs. An old Brahmin did, leaving two wives; both women laimed the only son as their's and the dispute was taken to the queen to settle, who decreed, as Solomon did (and with similar result, that 1. Sec. Arch. Surv. Rept. 1997-8. 2. द्वीपेऽस्मिन् भारते वर्षे साकेते वृषभान्वये । तद् गोत्रे क्षत्रियोऽस्तारिः श्लाघ्यो मेघरथोऽभवत् । मङ्गलाऽस्य महादेवी वसुधाराऽपि पूजिता ॥ Ullaralurāna.

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