Mahavira and his Teaching

Author(s): C C Shah, Rishabhdas Ranka, Dalsukh Malvania
Publisher: Bhagwan Mahavir 2500th Nirvan Mahotsava Samiti

Page 439

JINA IMAGES IN THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM, KHAJURĀHO 411
Pārsvanātha and Mahāvīra, the second, seventh, twentieth, twenty-third, and twenty-fourth Jinas respectively, are sometimes dropped, while at few others they are substituted by two small Jina figures. The representation of the twenty-four Sāsanadevatās is unknown in Khajurāho. However, the standardized and distinctive forms of the three rakṣa-rakṣī pairs, namely, Gomukha and Cakreśvarī, Kubera and Ambikā, and Dharañendra and Padmāvatī, the Śāsanadevatās respectively of Rsabhanātha, Neminātha (twenty second Jina) and Pārsvanātha, were known to the Khajuraho sculptors. The representation of these three pairs does not correspond fully with any of the available iconographic prescriptions.
Pārsvanātha and Mahāvīra, of whom eleven and nine images are available, were relatively less favoured than Rsabhanātha, represented as the Jina is by more than fifty images. This is further supported by the fact that all the three remaining Jaina temples, namely, the Párśvanātha (954), the Ghaņķāi (late tenth century)2 and the Ādinātha (latter half of the eleventh century) were dedicated to the first Jina Rsabhanātha, as indicated by the figure of Cakreśvarī, the yakṣī of Rsabhanātha, carved in the lalāta-bimba of each of the three temples. All other Jinas, barring Abhinandana, Sumatinātha, Padmaprabha, Candraprabha and Munisuvrata who have been represented by one sculpture each, are represented by two to six images.
(Regarding the popularity of the Jaina goddesses, it would suffice us to note that Ambikā, Cakreśvarī, Laksmī, Brahmānī, 1.
The presence of the figure of Cakreśvari, the yakși of Rşabhanātha, in the middle of the door lintel (lalata-bimba) of the mand apa of the Pārsvanātha temple so also of the bull cognizance carved in front of the original throne of the image installed in its sanctum demonstrates that the temple was, beyond doubt, dedicated to Adinātha. This is further supported by the representation of the usual yakşa-yakşi figures of Rsabhanātha, namely, Gomukha and Cakreśvari, in two recessed corners of the original
throne. Hence, the present name is misnomer. 2 Now its ardhamandapa and mahåmaņdapa only being extant.