Nav Smarana

Author(s): Vinod Kapashi
Publisher: Vinod Kapashi

Page 92

The Tilypannati (sixth century) mentions the thirty-four atishayas that are given earlier in this section, Highlighted words are called pratihäryas however the total number of bold words in that list is less then eight.
Not only does the older literature ignore all eight pratihäryas but older images and idols of the Tirthankaras, which have been found, are seen without all eight pratihäryas inscribed around the idol. If we examine older idols, we can see that the sculptures have not strictly followed any particular rule or guideline. Some images have just a canopy over the Tirthankara's head, whereas in some of the images we can find whisk-bearers in attendance and a halo around the head of the Tirthankara. The same can be said of other images. Some images are found with the Tirthankara seated on a throne. Flowers were shown around some images, which can be interpreted as flowers being showered upon the Tirthankara. One thing, of course, is that it was impossible to show the 'sound', the 'speech' of the Tirthankara.
The above points lead to one interpretation that there was no clear-cut concept of the pratihäryas in the Agamic period. Though the atishayas were mentioned in earlier texts, the concept of the pratihäryas was not fully developed. Some of the atishayas were made or created by the gods and are later regarded as pratihäryas. Some were added later and the clear concept of the eight pratihäryas thus developed.
It is quite possible that the Bhaktämara Stotra was composed before the concept of the eight pratihäryas was fully developed. In the Mäntungächärya or Unke Stotra' (by M. Dhanki and J Shah) the authors mention that books like the Avashyak Niryukti, the Visheshävshyak Bhäsya, the Ävashyak Churni and the Väsudeva Charit do not mention all eight pratihäryas.
It is however worth noting that one of the nine recitations, the Kalyan Mandir Stotra, does narrate all eight pratihäryas of the Tirthankara. In this beautiful poem which has been composed in praise of the 23rd Tirthankara, Lord Pärshvanätha, the poet Siddhasena Diwäkar has described these eight pratihäryas in following order:
No.
Verse No.
Name of the Pratihärya
119 2 20 3 21 4 22
The Ashoka tree. The flowers. The divine speech (language aspect). The whisks. The throne. The halo. The Devas playing instruments. The canopies.
6 7 8
24 25
It is widely believed by many lay people and devotees that because the Kalyan Mandir Stotra has verses narrating the eight pratihäryas, the Bhaktämara Stotra should have eight pratihäryas too. Because of these Pratihäryas, the Digambaras
Mantugacharya or Unke Stotra' (by M. Dhanki and J #n) Page 44. Published by Shardaben Chimanlal Education Trust. Ahmedabad 1997,
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