________________
Jaina Iconography-A Brief Survey
193
Indra, the great Vedic deity was assigned the role of a principal attendant of the Jina or the Buddha by the Jainas and the Buddhists. Most of the other deities of the list were deities worshipped by the common man, the masses, and were not necessarily derived from Vedic priestly cult.
Skanda, the Commander of Gods in Hindu mythology is the commander of the infantry of the Jajna Indra. But the goatfaced Naigames'in who was associated in ancient times with procreation of children as Nejamesa was also worshipped by Jajoas (cf. Gajasukumara adhyayana of Antagadadasao), 1
Sarasvati or Srutadevata-the Goddess of Learning :
Amongst other ancient Jaina deities may be mentioned Sørutadevata or Sarasvati, the Goddess of Learning and Sri-Laksmi, the Goddess of Abundance and Beauty. An early image of the former is obtained from the Kankali Tila, Mathura and shows her seated with upright legs and carrying the lotus and the book. The peculiar posture of the goddess is not without any significance. For, according to the Acaranga sūtra, Mahavira himself obtained knowledge while he was sitting with knees held up (ukkurudiae Janu) in the godohika asana, i. e. the posture adopted while milking a cow. Sarasvati in this image, is therefore, seated in an asana associated with the attainment of Kevala jšana by Mahavira.2
Later images of Sarasvati show her as having two, four & eight and even twenty-four arms. The four-armed variety is the most common and the goddess generally carries, the viņa, and the book in two hands and showing the amistaghata (purņa-kalas'a, and the lotus or the varada mudra in two others. The swan is generally shown as her va hana. 3
Bahubali, the elder son of the first Tirthañkara Rsabhanatha is very popular amongst the Digambaras and colossal statues of Bahubali (also known as Gommates'. vara, are found at Sʻravana Belgola, Karkal and Venur in the South, in the Mysore State. The conception of the rigorous penances practised by Bahubali is comparable with the penances of Valmiki, around both of them, plants grew and creatures crawled on their bodies. Images of Bahubali show him nude, standing in the Kayotsarga posture, and engrossed in meditation, with creepers and reptiles entwining his legs.
1. For an exhaustive account of this deity, see, Shah, U. p., Harinegames in, JISO A, vol. XIX (1952-53)
pp. 19-40 and plates. 2 Dated in the year 54, the image was the gift of a smith Gova, See Smith Jaina Stupa and other
Antiquities from Mathura, pl. XCIX , pp. 56 ff. Also see, Acharanga sutra, 2. 15. 24-25, SBE. · Acbaranga Sutra, (transl.) p. 201.. 3. Shah U. P., Iconography of the Jaina Goddess Sarasvati, Journal of the University of Bombay
X (1941).
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
