Jaina Stupa At Mathura Art And Icons

Author(s): Renuka J Porwal
Publisher: Prachya Vidyapith

Page 44

The Place of Mathurā in Jainism
image. The earliest epigraph recorded here is of 2nd century B.C. and the latest is of 12th century A.D. Thus, the Jaina Sangha's fourteen hundreds years' history is available at this place. This is enough to know the ups and down of Jaina Sangha. To study the evolution of Jaina sculptures, this is the best site, as, from pre Kuşāņa to medieval period, inscribed images of Tīrthankaras are chiselled here. Here, the earliest depiction of Balarama (G. 215LM, fig. 29), the images of Kartikeya (42.2948MM), the Sun with a head gear and shoes (12.269 MM, fig. 30), Kubera (46.3232 MM, fig. 31), of pre Kuşāņa period are obtained from the site. Seeing the images of different religions at Kankālī Tīlā, it seems that Mathurā was a secular city. Even the development in the image making of different periods could also be judged from its stretched hands, various types of pedestals, position of wheel within, nimbus, etc. The progression in the language and scripts is noticeable here as they contain Brahmī and Devanagari, both scripts, in Prakrit and Sanskrit languages. Here most of the inscriptions between 1st B.C. to 3rd A.D. used Ardhamagadhi form 'na', not the Saurseni form 'na', as at that time Saurseni Prakrit was not developed as a separate literature form but only as a dialect. They could be compared with Hāthiguha's cave inscription, which commence with adoration to Arihanta and Siddha. Even the Āyāgapatas start with Namo Arihantanam. Actually, Saurseni Prakrit originated in this region, but developed in literature form in 3rd century A.D. Therefore, later on in Māthuri Vācanā, many words of this form of Prakrit appeared57. The Mathurā artists have chiselled the Jaina images of Rşabhadeva Aristanemi, Pārsvanātha and Mahāvīrasvāmi as per their life incidences which later on became their special characteristics in image-making. The two types of ascetics are available on pedestal of Jina, having clothes which Śvetāmbera Sādhu wears today and holding a small piece of cloth to cover inner parts. Here, lady ascetics are shown in sari. All SādhuSādhvis carry Pratilekhana, which is a must for śramana sadhu is seen here. On one of the pedestal of Jina, an ascetic holds a Jholi to keep vessels utilised for getting alms (fig. 87). This system still prevails within the Svētāmbara tradition. The inscribed images of medieval period of both traditions reveal that besides stūpa, many Jaina shrines existed at the site.
57 Jain S., 1998 op. cit. pp. 22-23.