Studies in Jaina Art

Author(s): Umakant P Shah
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 59

STUDIES IN JAINA ART
adorned with caityas and yapas. The association of caityas with Brahmaghosa and yajñamandapa is also seen in Mṛcchakatika, X. 12 as pointed out by Dikshitar.
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But in the Rāmāyaṇa and the Mahabharata, Caitya is used in a wider application as well. In Rāmāyaṇa, for example, we hear of Caitya-grhas (V. 12.15), Caitya-prāsādas (V.43.3), or Caitya-vrksas (V.12.8, and in MBH. VI. 3.40). The Caitya in Rāmā yudh. 85.29., is the shrine of the city-goddess of Lanka while Caitya in ibid., 39.24, is the palace of Ravana.
The Arthaśāstra of Kautilya refers to Caitya in several contexts, in many cases caitya is used in the sense of a shrine with an icon worshipped in it, compare: आकोशाद्देव चैत्यानामुत्तमं दण्डमर्हति ( III. 18 ) or देवतं चैत्यं सिद्धपुण्यस्थानमौपपादिकं वा रात्रावुत्थाप्य यात्रासमाजाभ्यामजीवेत् (V. 2 ) or एवं गृहीतदुर्गे वा प्राश्यप्राशं चैत्यमुपस्थाप्य देवप्रतिमाद्धिं प्रविश्यासीत् (XII. 5) चैत्यदेयतद्वार रक्षास्थानेषु च सत्रिणः समयकर्मनिक्षेप हिरण्यामिज्ञानमुद्राणि हिरण्यभाजनानि प्ररूपयेयुः (XI. 1. ) . The Nikumbhilā Caitya of Latika mentioned in Ramayana, yuddhakanda, 85.29, 82.24, 84.14 étc., was a shrine dedicated to Nikumbhilä according to commentators. Thus the caitya-daivata
of the Arthasästra means a deity in a caitya or shrine (edifice) and daivatacaitya of the same text refers to a sanctuary or edifice dedicated to a god or a spirit,
Kautilya refers to paja offered to caityas by people in order to avert evil attacks of demons. On the full and new moon days the caitya was propitiated by offering at the altar an umbrella, a small flag and goat's flesh (Bk. IV. chp. 3). We see the prominence of Caitya worship in the age of the
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ततो धान्यधनोपेतान् दानशीलजनाश्रितान् ।
अकुतश्चिद्भयान्रम्याँ बैत्ययूपसमावृतान् | Ramayana, II. 50. 8.
cf. देवायतनचैत्येषु सान्नभक्ष्याः सदक्षिणाः ।
Rāmāyana, II. 3. 18.
Here चैत्य is explained by comm. as रध्यावृक्ष.
निकुम्भिला चैत्यममिवयौ, चैत्यं रावणपालितम् ॥ Rāmā. VI. 85.29; also see ibid., VI. 82. 24: 84.14
Compare Rama. VI. 39. 21-23. ——
घनैरिवातपापाये मध्यमं वैष्णवं पदम् ॥ २१ ॥ यस्य स्तम्भसहस्रेण प्रासादः समलंकृतः । कैलासशिखराकारो दृश्यते खमिवोल्लिखन् ॥ २२ ॥ चैत्यः स राक्षसेन्द्रस्य बभूव पुरभूषणम् ।
cf. Comm.: - चैत्यं वर्तुलाकारत्वात् बुद्धायतनमिव प्रासादम् ।
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Also see, Arthasästra, IV. 3; XIII-1.; XIII. 2; and comm. of Madhavayajva on all these passages.