________________
As Represented in the Kalpasôtra Paintings
1 61
પાંચમા રૂપે સૌથી પાછળ ચામર વીંઝતા દેખાય છે. ચિત્રનાં પાત્રા વેગવાન છે, જે ચિત્રકારના પીંછી ઉપરના અદ્ભૂત કાબૂ દર્શાવે છે.
Fig. 127. Sakra in five fold and Mahavira's birth. JSM. Fol. 39. Size 32"x3" two scenes in one: (a) Sakra in five fold; (b) Mahavira's birth.
Story begins from the lower portion. It was in the summer season in first month in the second demi-lunation, during the bright half of the month Caitra, on the thirteenth day, after a gestation of nine months and seven and half days, that the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira was born, a faultless child. When the planets were at their greatest elongation, and when they were in a fortunate conjuction with the moon, while all the region were in a state of placidity, while there was no darkness, but all luminous without any louring redness and nightingales singing song of triumph and the purifying winds moving gently along, and circling around the place where lay the Lord Mahavira and his mother. The joyous multitude were engaged in celebrating the vernal festival and even the earth seemed to share in the delight. It was at midnight, under the constellation of Uttara Phalguni, at a lucky conjunction of the moon and planets that the event took place. On the night in which the Adorable Ascetic was born, many gods and goddesses continued going and coming to and from this world with a divine splendour, manifesting, by laughter and other signs, the intensity of their joy. On the night in which the Adorable Ascetic Mahavira was born, many divinities dwellers in the world under the command of Kubera raíned down showers of precious ores, gold, diamonds, garments, jewells sweet-smelling leaves of flowers, fruits, seeds, garlands, ambergris, sandal-wood, and strings of pearls. The four classes of gods, those who dwell in subterranean places, those of the aerial regions, those of the stairy firmament, and those from the highest heavens, allflocked to the abode of the noble Siddhartha to hold high festival of the inaugaration of the Tirthankara.
Trisala is represented lying on a golden couch furnished with the usual type of bed, with the usual types of vessels beneath it, the babe Mahāvīra held in her right arm. Her sari is decorated with a flower pattern, a scarf covering her coiffure is wrapped round her waist and she wears ornaments. A female chauri-bearer standing behind the couch and three out of 56 dikkumaris are shown in the right side of the painting.
In the continuation of the lower portion, we have to see the scene of upper portion. Sakra is represented in five fold in the upper portion. With one self he held the child in his arms (here instead of Sakra, Haripaigamesin is represented), with a second self he held a parasol (chhatra) over the child, with a third and fourth he stood beside it waving. fly-whisks, and with the fifth, bearing the thunderbolt, he danced before the child. Then all went to Mount Meru for the ceremony.
In the middle of the painting Haripaigameşin (instead of "Sakra") shown going immediately with babe Mahavira held in his raised arms, with a second self in left he is. waving fly-whisk, with a third self he held a parasol, with a fourth self het is waving flywhisk and with the fifth, bearing the thunderbolt and seeing babe Mahavira. The lovely dyes of the garments and well-balanced patterns put on by Trisala and Sakra in five fold
૧૬
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org