Jinamanjari 2000 09 No 22

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

Page 63

pillars with huge capitals, cārumañjarika (foliage ornamentation) and jewel-strips of various colours, ratna catuṣka (jewel-studded quadrangle), and a lion-figure projection. The canopy made of white silk had strings of pearls knitted into the edges. Cāraņas had written Subhāșitas on the top of the doors, and young men, fond of gambling, had carved out various gambling boards on the floor of the sapphire window.
On the pāścătya-bhitti (western wall), a marble slab with a prasasti (eulogy) engraved was set into the surface. The sapphire floor of the temple had a quadrangular design of pearls. As for garbhaveśman (sanctum), the ground floor had a series of moonstone stairs leading to the emerald gate and to the mandapa door. On one side of the gate an image of a yakṣa was installed and white cămara was suspended from nāgadanta (peg) fixed to a wall. A javanikā (curtain) covered the body of the icon. On the jayantikā, vajraghanță (adamantine diamond bell) was suspended by a golden chain.
The image of Rsabha -- in padmāsana with the palms place upright in the lap -- was carved out of philosopher's stone. It was set on simhāsana (lion throne) with frescoed motifs of a group of constellations, a deer and a lion. The curls of hair reaching both the shoulders had foliage decoration. The ends of the eye seemed to touch the root of the ears (front view), and the eyebrows were slightly fallen suggesting a state of perfect mental poise and total absence of perturbation. The face resembled the lunar disk. On either side of the image was a figure of Indra carrying a white cămara on his shoulder. Other accompanying features were: a circular halo around the face, three white parasols, figures of various flying gods -- some playing divine trumpets, some showering flowers, some folding their hands and nymphs in aeroplanes. These features in their totality constitute what is technically known as parikara in Jaina iconography.
Lord Mahāvīra Temple at Mt. Ranakūta
This was also a prāsāda-style structure, and was built with jewel slabs. The high vikatapīța (bandy-shape basement) of the temple was built of emerald slabs, and sopānamālā (staircase) -- with steps studded with moonstones -- led to the wide mandapa-dvāra. The hall itself had numerous mattavāraṇaka (turrets) made of ruby, and the bracketing sālabhañjikās (female figures) were also carved into ruby slabs.
The stambha-śkhara (pillar capitals ) were made of topaz, kalasa (crest-pitcher) was carved from ruby, jālaka (frets) were made from diamond needles, sitapataka (white flag) fluttered on the
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