Jainism Early Faith of Ashoka

Author(s): Edward Thomas
Publisher: Trubner and Company London

Page 48

14
THE EARLY FAITH OF AŞOKA.
circle of similarly-shaped blocks--proceeding, in the second stage, to their adornment with red-ochre tipped with white, to imitate fire, the further development of the central block into "a human figure," " with two arms," and its coincident promotion to the shelter of a temple with more complicated rites and ceremonies; and, finally, in other cases, to the transformation of “the form of a man, but without arms or legs," into "a fierce and gigantic man, perfect in all his parts."
Dr. Stevenson, in a subsequent article, followed up his comparison of the later images of Vithoba3 with the normal ideals of the Jaina nude statues. One of his grounds for these identifications is stated in the following terms: “The want of suitable costume in the images (of Vithoba and Rakhami), as originally carved, in this agreeing exactly with the images the Jainas at present worship, and disagreeing with all others adored by the Hindus”—who, "with all their faults, had always sense of propriety enough to carve their images so as to represent the gods to the eye arrayed in a way not to give offence to modesty."
The author then goes on to relate how the Brahmanists of
Şiva, and wonderful exploits performed by him are related in a book called the Vettal Pachísi; but which composition has not had the good fortune to gain the voice of the Brahmans and be placed among the Mahatmyas. On the contrary, they look upon it merely as a parcel of fables, and dispute the claims of Vettal to any divine honours whatever."-Dr. Stevenson, J.R.A.8. Vol. V. p. 192.
i Dr. John Wilson, J.R.A.S. Vol. V. p. 197. “The temple of Vetál at Aráwali, near Sawant Wadi.”
* J.R.A.S. Vol. VII. p. 5.
3 The legend of the creation of Jagganátha, accepted by his votaries, points to an equally simple origin, which, in this instance, took the form of a drift log of Ním-wood. This, dára or “branch" having been pronounced on examination to be adorned with the emblems of the Sanka, Gadd, Padma and Chakra, was afterwards, by divine intervention, split “ into the four-fold image of Chatur Murti. A little colouring was necessary to complete them, and they then became recognized as Sri Krishna or Jagannath, distinguished by its black hue, Baldeo. a form of Şiva, of a white colour, Subhadra, the sister, .. of the colour of saffron."
In this case the Brahmans seem to have surpassed themselves in their theatrical adaptations, for they are said to have adopted a practice of dressing-up the figure of Sri Jia, in a costume appropriate to the occasion, to represent the principal deities of the ruling creeds. “Thus at the Ram Navami, the great imago assumes the dress and character of Rama; at the Janam Ashtamí, that of Krishna: at the Káli Pája, that of Kali," with two other alternative green-room transformations, which we need not reproduce,-Stirling's Orissa, Asiatic Researches, yol. xv. p. 318.