On Indian Sect of Jainas

Author(s): Jas Burgess
Publisher: Jas Burgess

Page 31

Dhâtuki-kanda and Pushkarârddha; and of each of these there are eastern, and western Bharata and Airavata regions, whilst of Jambûdvîpa there is also a Bharata and an Airâvata region: these make the following ten regions or worlds:--
1. Jambûdvîpa-bharata-kshetra. 2. Dhâtukî-khanda pûrva-bharata. 3. Dhâtukî-khanda paschima-bharata. 4. Pushkarârddha pûrva-bharata. 5. Pushkaravaradvîpa paśchima-bharata. 6. Jambûdvîpa airâvata-kshetra. 7. Dhâtukî-khanda pûrva-airâvata. 8. Dhâtukî-khanda paschima-airâvata. 9. Pushkarardhadvîpa pûrva-airâvata. 10. Puskararddha paschima-airâvata.
To each of these is allotted twenty four past, present and future Atîts or Jinas,--making in all 720 of this class, for which they have invented names: but they are only names. [
Of the Tîrthakaras of the present age or avasarpini in the Bharata-varsha of Jambûdvîpa, however, we are supplied with minute details:--their names, parents, stations, reputed ages, complexions, attendants, cognizances (chihna) or characteristics, etc. and these details are useful for the explanation of the iconography we meet with in the shrines of Jaina temples. There the images of the Tîrthakaras are placed on highly sculptured thrones and surrounded by other smaller attendant figures. In temples of the Svetâmbara sect the images are generally of marble-- white in most cases, but often black for images of the 19th, 20th, 22nd and 23rd Jinas. On the front of the throne orâsana are usually carved three small figures: at the proper right of the Jina is a male figure representing the Yaksha attendant or servant of that particular Jina; at the left end of the throne is the corresponding female--or Yakshini, Yakshi or Sâsanadevî; whilst in a panel in the middle there is often another devî. At the base of the seat also, are placed nine very small figures representing the navagrahaor nine planets; that is the sun, moon, five planets, and ascending and descending nodes.
In the Jaina Purânas, legends are given to account for the connexion of the Yakshas and Yakshîs with their respective Tîrthakaras: thus, in the case of Parsvanatha, we have a story of two brothers Marubhûti and Kamatha, who in eight successive incarnations were always enemies, and were finally born as Pârsvanâtha and Sambaradeva respectively. A Pâshanda or unbeliever, engaged in thepanchågni rite, when felling a tree for his fire, against the remonstrance of Pârsvanatha, cut in pieces two snakes that were in it; the Jina, however restored them to life by means of thepanchamantra. They were then re-born in Pâtâla-loka as Dharanendra or NagendraYaksha and Padmavatî-Yakshiņi. When Sambaradeva or Meghakumara afterwards attacked the Arbat with a great storm, whilst he was engaged in the Kâyotsarga austerity--standing immovable, exposed to the weather--much in the way that Mâra attackedSâkva Buddha at Bodhgaya, Dharanendra's throne in Pâtâla thereupon shook, and the Nâga or Yaksha with his consort at once sped to the protection of his former benefactor. Dharanendra spread his many hoods over