Jinamanjari 2000 09 No 22

Author(s): Jinamanjari
Publisher: Canada Bramhi Jain Society Publication

Page 56

of an illustrious person, to be Tirthankara, who would rejuvenate the Jaina Path of Purification, and heralds a historic event in the renaissance of the faith, as and when they are bom. Janmabhişeka: An auspicious event of birth of a Tirthankara. The Mahāpūrāņa text describes the event in this fashion:
Saudharmendra accompanied by his consort Sachidevi and retinues proceeds to pay homage to the born baby, whom he joyously carries on his lap riding Airavata, to the summit of Mount Meru. Celestial devas follow him in procession holding festoons and curis.
Renunciation: The celestial devas lead the Tirthankara to the forest in a grand procession for the illustrious soul is about to leave everything and get initiated to renouncing the material world.
Kevalagnāna: When a Tirthankara attains omniscience, the celestial devas under the instruction of Saudharmendra begin to create samavasarana mantapa - heavenly pavilion from where the kevalin begins to expound the philosophical doctrines and sermons.
Moksa Kalyāna: This is the final and the fifth event in the life of a Tirthankara, when he attains final liberation, never returning to the life cycle. Saudharmendra orders the celestial devas to make funeral pyre from the wood of the fragrant trees, and Agnikumara produces fire. The material body of the enlightened soul thus reaches an end as the body is engulfed by the flames.
These five rites headed by Saudharmendra and his retinues are represented beautifully by the dikpālakas in procession on the lower tier of the mānastambha platform. From the point of Jaina panergytic system, the pancakalyāna rites are a must for consecrating and installing Jina images in the temples.
In the same fashion, the religious sanctity and the erection of the mānastambha in front of the temple is inherent in the Jaina system. Because, mõnastambha forms a part of the auspicious samavasarana mantapa, built by the Indra and other celestials. The Mahāpūrāna contains an elaborate description of the samavasaraṇa and the mānastambha. Accordingly, mānastamha is described to have been erected on the outer rampart of the samavasarana, and it constitutes huge column placed on the pedestal. The top of the columns are decorated with flags and festoons and below them are niches containing images of the Jina.