Mahavira and his Teaching

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

Page 506

IS JAINISM AN OPPONENT OF HINDUISM?
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so many Hindu goddesses modelled on the Yaksinīs by the Jainas. The Jainas make a special ceremony of Sarsvatīpūjā (Sarsvatī heading the 16 śruta or Vidyā devís) on the Sukla Pañcami day of the Kārtika month called by them Jñāna Pañcami.
Without going into their details of the Vahanas, the lanchanas the weapons etc. (which are easily understandable in the writer's Pr. Laks. p. 274-75) let us only tabulate their names:
1. Rohiņi 2. Prajñapti 3. Vajraśrņkhalā 4. Vajrānkuši 5. Apraticakrā
6. Naradattā 7. Kāli 8. Mahākali 9. Gaurí 10. Gāndhárī
11. Mahājvālā 12. Manaví 13. Vairogyā 14. Acchuptā 15. Mānasi 16. Mahāmānasi
Dikpālas:
Like the majority of Hindu gods imported into the Jaina pantheon, the Dikpālas were a direct over taking. They are also called lokapālas and are also worshipped as Vāstu-devatās. Brindāvana says that one śvetāmbara text makes them functioning as Kumāras, who differ very little in nature from the gods of quarters.
A very succinct description of these Dikapālas has been made by me in my Pratimā-Vijñāna and the reader is referred to read them there. The names of the ten Dikpālas however may be enumerated here along with their overlordship of the directions: 1. Indra(E)
2. Agni (S.E.) 3. Yama(S) 4. Nirriti (S.W.)
5. Varuņa(W) 6. Vāyu (NW) 7. Kubera(N)
8. Iśāna (N.E.) 9. Nāyadeva 10. Brahmadeva
(nether (upp. regions)
regions) Other Miscellaneous Deities:
Have also a tradition both in worship and art among the Jainas and a few words may be said on them. Only a few