Jaina Stupa At Mathura Art And Icons

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

Page 65

64
The Jaina Stupa at Mathura: Art & Icons
will be clarified by deity only. Keep a painted cloth (pado) with the name of one's own deity and hide it. The Devi will keep her own faith and other padas/planks will be thrown out.” Jaina Sangha wrote Supārsvasvāmī on the plank and this pado/plank remained there and others were thrown by Devi70. The king declared the shrine as Arihanta Deva stūpa and the painted cloth with the name of Arihanta - Supārsvanātha was carried around in a procession, later, in the city. From the above references, one can conclude, that the stūpa was erected by the deity, therefore it is said to be 'Devanirmita'. There was a quarrel between Jaina and other faiths regarding their rights in the same, where Jaina Sangha's claim was passed by the king. Thirdly, it also proves that Jainas were worshipping the stūpa before and after the issue arose about its belonging.
2.9
The Stūpa Architecture: The construction of stūpas in the memories of great people is available in all Indian traditions, as the art and architecture of India was never sectarian. Marshal associated the Sirkap stūpa near Taxila with Jainism. Havell, the historian, talks about the existence of many Jaina stūpas during the Mauryan period As we have seen, the stūpa at Mathurā, was the oldest known building structure after Mohen-jo-daro, as described by V.A. Smith. He suggested that the same was erected not later than 600 B.C.72. The inscription on a pedestal (J.20LM., fig. 24) informs us that it was established by deities. This may be one of the reasons, as we have similar legends about the city Dvārakā and the pyramids of Egypt, also being constructed by deities. In all the above cases, their antiquity might be forgotten, and hence they were called erected by deities. Even the art before Mauryan period was called 'Deva art'. The available entrance Toraņa archway,
70 तओ मज्झत्थपुरिसेहिं भणिअं - मा कलहेह । एस ताव देवनिम्मिओ ता सो चेव संसयं
भंजिस्सइ त्ति । अप्पप्पणो देव पडेसु लिहित्ता निअगुट्टीसमेआ अच्छह । जस्स देवो भविस्सइ तस्सेव इक्को पडो थकिस्सइ। अन्नेसिं पडो देवो चेव नासेहिइ। संधेणावि सुपाससामिपडो लिहिओ। तओ लेहिअनिअनिअदेवपडा सगुट्टीआ पूअं काउं नवमीरत्तीए सव्वदरिसणिणो गायन्ता ठिआ। अद्धरत्ते उदंडपवणो तणसक्करपत्थरजुत्तो पसरिओ। तेण सव्वे वि पडा तोडित्ता नीया। पलयगज्जिरवेण नट्ठा दिसोदसिं जणा। इक्को चेव सुपासपडो ठिओ। विम्हिआ लोआ। एस अरिहंतो देवो त्ति । सो पडो सयलपुरे भामिओ।
-V.T. Kalp, pp.17 71 V.K. Sharma, History of Jainism.., 2002, pp. 224 72 V.A. Smith, op.cit. 1900, introduction.