Jaina Stupa At Mathura Art And Icons

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

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The Jaina Stupa at Mathura: Art & Icons
them to carry to Meru hill for adoration but they refused, as they saw the Meru with their own Agamic power- . “Sāhu bhaṇanti-Amhehim Āgama baleņam ceva meru dittho.” (V.T. Kalpa, pp.17) Jinaprabhasūri further noted that the deity got disturbed with this answer but as she really wanted to favour Jaina Sangha, she constructed a stūpa for veneration, having images of jewels similar to MeruDevie bhaniaṁ-"jai evaṁ tā padimāhiaṁ sohiaṁ Meruāgāraṁ kāuí dāvemi / The kathā further continues, to describe the stūpa- Then she made a stūpa of gold studded with jewels, adorned with toranas, gateways, banners, three vestibules for pradaksiņā, having an umbrella40 at the top41. Devas, sādhus and laymen were coming for veneration. Later on a controversy arose between three main-faiths regarding this wonderful stūpa, where the king supported the Jaina Sangha and passed the judgement in his favour. The process of adoration is mentioned in the kalpa42 that on every ekadasi (11th day of the bright and the dark half of the month) abhiseka of milk, curds, ghee, candana and kumkum were performed on images through thousands of kalaśas. (The sprinkling of pious material is called abhișeka). After abhișeka, flowers, garlands, clothes, incense were offered to Jinas. The splendid stūpa remained open until the 23rd Tīrthankara Pārsvanātha visited it. In his period a local king attempted to grab its treasure, but was killed by the deity. Afterwards, she requested Jaina Sangha to hide the same with bricks and to establish an image of Pārsvanātha for protection. The deity even made it a norm, that whoever becomes a king at Mathurā, must establish a Jina Pratimā, otherwise he will not survive. Later on, Jaina laymen set up the arhat images in their homes for worshipping, they even placed the same on the door lintels for protection.
40 तओ तीए देवीए कंचणघडिओ रयणचिंचईओ अणेगसुरपरिवरिओ तोरणझयमालालंकिओ सिहरोवरिछत्तत्तयसाली
रत्तिं थूभो निम्माविओ मेहलातिगमंडिओ। इक्किक्काए मेहलाए चाउद्दिसं पंचवण्णरयणमयाइं बिंबाइं । तत्थ मूलपडिमा सिरिसुपाससामिणो पइट्ठाविआ।
. - V. T. Kalp, pp. 17 41 सिहरोवरिछत्तत्तयसाली रत्तिं थूभो निम्माविओ मेहलातिगमंडिओ। इक्किक्काए मेहलाए चाउद्दिसं पंचवण्णरयणमयाइं बिंबाइं।
- ibid. 42 तओ एगारसीए दुद्ध-दहि-घय-कुंकुम-चंदणाईहिं कलससहस्सेहिं सड्ढा न्हाविंसु । पच्छन्नठिआ सुरा न्हाविंति । अज्जवि तहे व जत्ताए, आर्विति। कमेण सव्वेहिं न्हवणे कए पुफ्फ-धूव-वत्थ-महाधय-आहरणाई आरोविंति ।
- ibid. pp. 18