Mahavira and his Teaching

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

Page 469

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B. UPADHYAY
from Chausa, Dist. Shahabad, Bihar. They are in naked form and Ka yotsarga posture. Man Bhumi (Bihar Pradesh) Bronze icon of Mahāvīra has Śrīvatsa and casted in Nalanda. Mediaeval period has yielded numerous Bronze images all prepared in mould. Nalanda was the nucleus of metallic icons and probably metal was obtained from the district of Hazaribagh (Bihar). Art critics have agreed that the system of moulding of Mahāvīra metal images was very much similar through out northern India. It is a matter of serious consideration that the 1st and 23rd Tīrthankaras also attracted the attention of the Jaina artists because Ādinātha and Pārsvanātha images were casted along with Mahāvīra. In this case the artists were not working on a hypothetical basis, but most probably the historical personalities drew the attention and their images occupied the prominent place in Jaina iconography. However, Vardhamāna Mahāvīra icons appear to be surmountable during the Centuries of the Christian era.
It is strange to notice that various cult icons of mediaeval period express the feeling of rivalry and jealousy. In the Tantric Buddhism some images emphasise the sectarian ill-feeling during the period under review. Attempt at reconcilliation and reapproachment between the rival creeds were being made even from a very early period. Many intellectuals among the followers of different cults knew that the respective God was a different aspect of one absolute God, but the following of the greatness of God of a particular sect helped the mentality of rivalry among the sectarians. This feeling was expressed by preparing the image of a particular sect in the attitude of humiliating the icon of other creed.
Archaeologists have noticed a Mahāvīra icon lying flat and being trampled by the Vajrayāna deity. (This syncretic icon is preserved in Nalanda Museum). Similar cases have been reported with regards to the Hindu deities. Buddhist divinities have been shown more superior to the deities of other cults. In the opinion of Dr. B. Bhattacharya, these conceptions of