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Jaina Iconography
of burning up Dharana on the occasion of his uncanny practice".1 The name of Par va has been explained in Jaina literature differently. "He touches (Sprsati) all ideas by knowledge"is one version. The name was given him because his mother before his birth while lying on her couch, saw a black serpent crawling about. This is the version of the Pārsvanātha Carita also. Thirdly, he is the lord (Natha) of his Yakṣa named Pārs va."
Very little now remains to explain emblem of a serpent. Throughout his life and tradition, serpent plays a prominent part. We shall have a further occasion of dealing with the symbolism of the Yakṣas and Yakṣinīs separately. It here suffices to add that the Ganadhara-Sārddha-Sataka speaks of Pārsva wearing nine serpent's hoods; (Pārsvanātha Naraphana Dharana)." Thus, the canon of the numbers of hoods cited above is not always regular.
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Mahavira.
Mahavira, the twenty-fourth or the last Jina is the greatest of all the Tirthankaras. His position is of unchallenged eminence in the Jaina religion, history and iconography. Being the Lion among the Jaina prophets, rightly given was his emblem of a lion. His Yakṣa spirits are respectively known as Matanga and Siddhāyikā. The Magadhan King Śrenika or better known as Bimbisara acts as his Chowri-bearer. His Kevala tree is called Sala (L. Shorca Robusta).
1. M. Bloomfield: The Life and stories of the Jaina Saviour. Parsvanātha (Baltimore, 1914, based upon Pārscanātha Carita, p. 10. The same incident we find represented in some images of Parsva. Vide J. Ms. (Gupta Gallery) Indian Museum. "The rest of the slab is profusely covered over with human figures. demons, monsters, and animals, doubtless a representation of the attack of Pārsvanatha by his chemy Kamatha, treated after the fashion of the attack of Mara on Buddha Gotama" Anderson Catalogue Part II.
स्पृशति ज्ञानेन सर्वभावानिति पार्श्वः । तथा गर्भस्थे जनन्या निशि सर्पो दृष्ट इति गर्भानुभावोऽयमिति मत्वा पश्यतीति निरुक्तात्पार्श्वः । पार्श्वोऽस्य वैयावृत्त्यकरः यक्षः तस्य नाथः पार्श्वनाथः ।
2.
Abhidhanacintamani.
3. Bloomfield, Ibid. p. 20. See Weber-Verzeichnisse Vol. II. p. 982. Rohineya-carita, however, asserts clearly that Dharanendra here called 'Naga King of Patala,' covers him with seven hoods.
