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SYMBOL WORSHIP IN JAINISM
89
In the first rampart is the place for the sådhus and the sādhvis. The Vaimānika women enter by the east-gate and take their seats between these two groups, in the south-east direction. Entering by the south-gate, the women of the Bhavanavāsi gods, Jyotişkas and Vyantaras stand in the southwest. Entering by the west-gate, the Bhavanapatis, Jyotiskas and Vyantaras stand in the west. Entering by the north-gate, the Kalpavāsi gods, men and women, stand successively in the north-east. The animals stand inside the second wall and the animals used as conveyances in the third wall. 1
According to Jinaprabha, 1000 steps lead from the ground to the outer rampart, 5000 more from the third to the second, and 5000 from second to the first or the innermost). At each gate are erected flag-posts and jewelled arches, figures of eight auspicious marks are drawn, a full-vase ( kalas'a ) and garlands placed, small statues (pāñcālikās) and umbrellas decorate the gates. The samavasaraņa may be either circular or square, if circular, there are two wells (vāpi) in each gate; if square, a well is provided in each corner. 2
A very interesting account of the Samavasaraṇa is however provided by Jinasena in his Mahāpurāņa.3 Indra himself is the architect of the Samavasaraņa, which is circular in plan with a diameter of twelve yojanas, * and made of indra-nila (blue) gems. It was surrounded by a mud-wall (dhuli-sāla) of dust particles of various gems, which produced rain-bow effect with rays of different colours. On four sides were torana-dvārās (arched gateways) of golden pillars shining with makara faces having jewel garlands hung on them.
Going a little inside the dhūlisäla, in the midst of roads (vithi ) were erected tall Mäna-stambhas or pillars, made of gold, one in each direction. They stood on platforms ( pithika ) reached by a flight of 16 golden steps, and situated in the midst of a Jagati (lit, area or basement mouldings), purified by the ablution waters of the Jina, surrounded by three walls (sāla ) and having four gates (gopura ). Reaching the sky, the pillars, true to their name, curbed ( stambha )
1 Av. Nir. verses 558-560. The details regarding entrance are first given by Bhåşya verses 116-119 on above. See Av. vrtti, pp. 232-234.
8 For Sve. account, also see Abhidhāna Rajendra, Vol. VII. pp. 466 ff.
8 Ramachandran, op. cit. p. 105, has noted that similar accounts are also obtained in the Tamil epics Śri-Purāņa and the Merumandara Purāņa (a Tamil classic by Vamana, alias Mallişeņa c. 14th Cent, A.D., ed. by Prin. A. Chakravarti, Madras). His description does not strictly follow Jinasena and seems to have mainly followed either or both the Tamil works. Tiloya. pannatti, 4th adhikāra, vv.717 ff, Vol. 1. p. 212 ff. is another Digambara source giving such details.
24 angulas (inches) = 1 hasta ; 4 hastas = I dhanus; 2000 dhanus = 1 kros'a ; 4 kros'a = I yojana--See Ramachandran op. cit., p. 106. n. I,
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