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Tahsildar Singh
ware raised in the centre of the jagarī (platform) on a pithika (basegment) approached by a flight of 16 golden stsps, purified by the waters of Jina's ablution, had four gopuras (gateways) and surrounded by three salas (walls). The sky-high manastambhas were so called because they curb (stambha) the pride (mana) of the infatuated. They looked like diggajas bedecked by dhvaja (flag), ghanță (bell) and camara (fly-whisk). The golden images of Jinendras worshipped by Indras with the waters of Kairasagara, were enshrined at the bases of the manastambhas. The pithika in the middle of jagat was studded by the articles of worship like flowers etc. Dance and music were performed continuously before the images of the Jinas. The pithika was trimekhala (three-tiered). On these stood the manastambhas, adorned with three chattras (umbrellas) on their top. Being erected by Indras they are also known as Indradhvajas. Their height measuring the three, worlds give them the name manastambha.16 An elaboration of this concept of manasiambha, the pillar of honour, became the kirttistambha, the pillar of glory, in the later times.
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In the Västuvidya of Viśvakarma (late 11th-early 12th cent.) too, the kirtsistambhas are mentioned but unfortunately the text is still unpublished because it has so far been lost though now retrieved by P.O. Somapura.17 The continuation of the tradition, initiated at Kahaun in Gupta period, ia perceived at Deogarh with satisfactorily faithful implementation of the details established in the contemporary literary accounts. I will endeavour to illustrate this viewpoint in following lines.
Actually, manastambha is treated as an significant part of a sarana in the Digambara tradition. Therefore it has been very popular amongst the followers of Digambara sect and such free-standing stambhas are commonly found erected near a Digambara Jaina temple either in front of it or in its courtyard. At Deogarh there is a sizable number of such manastambhas erected near and in front of a number of shrines in the Jaina group of temples.
As their large number and numerous varieties suggest, manastambhas seem to have been votive pillars at Deogarh, This fact is also vouched by the language of the inscriptions engraved on the manastambhas standing in front of Temple 18.
The left-hand pillar reads:
Mula-samghe Yaśaḥkirtty-acaryena-gau[ravanvi ?] tau
Rajyapala-mathasyägre mänastambhau prakalpitau samvat 1121
The right-hand pillar reads :18
Śrimad-Vimalakirttyäkhya-guror bhakty ayam śr Viracandra muning dastambhaḥ prakalpitaḥ samvat 1121
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