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SYMBOL WORSHIP IN JAINISM
shone the resplendent bhāmandala (halo ). In the sky rose the sound of celestial drums beaten by gods.
Descriptions in traditions of both the sects agree in broad outline, viz., a central pavilion for the Jina, placed on a big platform, and surrounded by three different fortifications each having four archways in four directions. Originally the conception of the Samavasaraṇa seems to be circular in plan and the square plan seems to be a later conception. But it shows that the samavasarana has for its prototype the big stūpa (the harmikā of stūpa may be compared with Gandhakuți or Devacchand-pitha for the Jina ) surrounded by a circumambulatory path with a small railing reached by a fight of steps. At a lower level or on the ground level, running around this central structure and at some distance from it is the bigger railing (a sort of rampart) with ornamental torana-gateways. Add to this a third similar rampart and we get the plan of the Samavasaraņa.
But the more elaborate Digambara description, in the Mahapurāņa of Jinasena, summarised above, includes in it the various constituents of a big city and may be an ideal description of a big city-site with three fortifications, a surroundig moat, pleasure resorts, stepwells, theatres, lawns, lakes, palaces etc., and having in its centre the Royal Palace. Viewed in this light, these descriptions are of special interest as providing us with architectural data of considerable value.
In Kalpa-Sūtra miniatures Samayasarana is generally represented as circular and occasionally as square in plan. Brown's Pl. 23, fig. 80 shows Mahāvira sitting in the padmāsa na in the centre of the samavasaraņa, with a yakșa standing as an attendant on each side. Mahāvīra is not in a monk's garb, but with ornaments etc., az is often done in Svetāmbara worship- Four highways lead to the central Jina. The ornamental concentric bands round the Jina represent the usual fortifications. The whole is enclosed in a rectangular panel, at four corners of which are represented pairs of animals who have natural animosities, which they are supposed to give up under the spiritual atmosphere of this great congregation. Brown's figures 113, and 126 are of a similar composition, representing the samavasarana of Ariştanemi and Rşabha respectively. His fig. 99 represents the second type, here a samavasaraņa
1 The square or circular Samavasaraṇa has for its prototype the square or circular funeral mounds (or structures ) referred to in the Satapatha Brāh. maņa, or the Eduka-Aidluka of Mahābhārata, Vişnudharmottara and other texts. A more critical study of the detailed measurements of the Samavasaraṇas described in the Tiloyapannatti etc., would probably give us a plan of square or circular stūpas in ancient India.
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