Jainism in India

Author(s): Ganesh Lalwani
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

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JAINISM IN INDIA
symbol and the 'all pervading conception of three into one' according to some scholars, essentially and originally belonged to Jainism. The very title ‘natha' of Lord Jagannatha is a characteristic title of Jainism and the figure of Jagannatha is only a combination of the Jaina baddhamangala and nandipada. The Jñana siddhi of Indrabhuti describes Lord Jagannatha as being worshipped by all the Jinas.
The Jaina art treasures of Orissa form an important branch of Indian religious art. The Jaina art and architecture of Khandagiri and Udayagiri have been elaborately discussed by various scholars and these monuments mark the height of glory of Kharavela's dynasty when freedom had been own, the defeat from Magadha avenged, the sacred seat of Jaina recovered and the revival of Jainism was in full force. Images of Jaina Tirthankaras are found in Jeypore, Nandanpur, and in Bhairavasinhapura of Koraput district. Images of Parsvanatha, Rsabhanatha and Mahavira survive in many places of Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj district as symbols of their contribution in the realm of art. The Orissa State Museum possesses four images of Jaina Tirthankaras from the village Charampa in the Balasore district and some of these images have a number of double concave marks on their bodies. The Jaina temple at Cuttack has many rare specimens of Tirthankaras of mediaeval period as objects of devotion. Among them the representation of Rsabhanatha and Mahavira on a single slab and a wonderful slab containing Rsabhanatha in the padmāsana pose being attended by Bharata and Bahuvali along with more than a hundred miniature standing figures, are of great iconographic interest. The two miniature caityas containing Tirthankaras in their sides resemble the caitya described by N.N. Vasu from Bada Sahi in Mayurbhanj. In Jajpur (Cuttack district) also we notice Jaina images in the Akhandalesvara temple and inside the Matrika group of temples, while a very beautiful image of Parsvanatha is being worshipped as Ananta Vasudeva in a temple at Narayan Chowk of the town. The images of Santinatha (32" X 161") of the Matrika temple with triliner umbrella overhead is in the käyotsarga mudrā. The image is flanked by 24 miniature Tirthankaras on its side and 2 cauri-bearers, while at the top we find the usual lāñchana, 2 kalasas on one side and another kalasa and a devotee on the other side. Made out of chlorite the image is a remarkable piece of Jaina art. The image of Santinatha (45" X 221") inside the compound of the Akhandalesvara temple is equally beautiful. The standing image is surrounded by 8 planets carved four each on the two sides, the 9th planet Ketu being absent. The image is attended upon by two cauri-bearers and overhead there are two flying vidyādharas. In the pedestal not only we find the
usual lāñchanas but on the left side we find Laxmi flanked by elephants