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faina Iconography of Orissa
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soles of feet and palms, hands and the Srivatsa mark on chest, etc. taken from traditions of mahapurașa laksana came to be regarded as chief characteristics of a Tirthankara image. The texts do not refer to garments on the figure of the Jina.
Jaina traditions maintained that the Tirthankaras have certain extraordinary qualities (atisayas). But the group of eight mahāpratihāryas, well known as the Parikara of the Jina image, is not separated in the list of the atisayas given in early texts like the Samavdyänga Sūtra. The emphasis on, only eight, atisayas treated as mahāpratihāryas came with the emergence of the full-fledged parikära on images of both the sects. The process was gradual as can be seen by comparison of Tirthankara sculptures of the Kushāna and Gupta periods with those of the post-Gupta and medieval periods. The astamahāpratihāryas as per the text consists of (1) a heavenly tree, (2) a throne seat. (3) trilinear umbrella and lion throne, (4) aura or a beautiful radiance. (5) drum (divyadhuni), (6) showers of celestial blossoms, (7) two chauries, and (8) heavenly music.
The different Tīrtharkaras are identified with the help of lāñchanas carved on or below their seats. Both the sects give lists of these recognising symbols. A comparison of the list of lāñchanas of both sects shows that the points of difference are with regard to the cognizance of (1) the fourteenth Jina Ananta, who has the falcon symbol according to Hema Chandra but the bear according to the Digambaras, (2) of the tenth Jina Sitala, who has Srivatsa (Hemachandra) but the Svastika (Tiloya pannanti), or the Sri-druma (Pratisthāsarodhara) according to the Digambaras, and (3) of Arānātha, the eighteenth Jina who has the fish-symbol according to the Digambaras but the nandyavarata according to the Svētambaras.?
The respective lanchanas of the Tirthankara made very late appearance on the sculptural representations and the different cognizances, specially the different animal symbols signify the influence of a primitive religion and society based on totemism upon Jainism. The Vrsa lañchana pertaining to the first Jina Adinātha or Rşabhanātha speaks about the influence of the bull cult on Jainism and traces of which may be seen manifested on the Indus valley seals of the dim protohistoric past. In the pithikā of the early Jaina sculptures we do not find such a varicd form of lāñchana, instead we find below their seat the dharmachakra like the Budha image.
A noteworthy feature in Jaina inconography is the complete agreement in both the sects about the names of all the twenty-four 'l irthankaras.
Images of Tirthařkaras were made of costly gems, metals, stones, wood and clay. The Acharadinańkura observes U.P. Shah lays down certain injunctions on the selection of any of these materials.
7 U.P. Shah, Ibid, p. 469. 8. D.K. Chakravarti, Chotelal Smriti Grantha, p. 47. 9. U.P. Shah, Jaina Art and Architecture, Vol. III, A. Ghosh, (Ed.), p. 471.
