Studies in Jaina Art

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

Page 98

5. SAMAVASARANA
Samavasaraņa 1 literally means assemblage and refers to the Preaching Hall of a Jina, constructed by gods, where gods, men and animals assemble and take their apportioned seats to hear the sermon which a Tirthankara delivers immediately after enlightenment. The belief is common to both the sects, the Svetāmbaras describe it as the work of Vyantara gods at the bidding of Indra, while the Digambaras say that Indra himself was the architect (who of course erected it with the help of his attendant gods ).
It is a special structure, usually an elaborate circular theatre with fortifications, for beings to sit in and listen to the discourse. The Samavasarana, primarily described as constructed for the first discourse of every Jina, is sometimes understood to have been prepared for other sermons also, or when a powerful god pays his visit to a Jina, he erects a similar special structure. 3
Detailed descriptions of such Assembly-Halls are obtained in the Jaina Purāņas of both the sects, typical elaborate examples of which are available in the Trișașțiśaläkāpuruşacarita (parva I) of Hemacandra, in the Svetāmbara tradition, and the Mahāpurāņa of Jinasena in the Digambara tradition. 5
The Kalpa-sūtra does not refer to the Samavasaraņa or the festival
1 First discussed by Bhandarkar, D. R. Jaina Iconography, Indian Antiquary, Vol. XL (1911), pp. 125-130; 153-16r. Also, Ramacandran, T. N., Tiruparuttikunram and its temples, pp. 105 ff.
? Explained by Dhanapāla as ATTİ ETKİ A ai Hautalica in his comm, on Sobhana, Stuticaturvimśatikā, verse 94.
3 Cf. A samavasarana was erected when Mahāvīra visited the Vipulagiri at Rajagrha, Padmacarita, 2.102 ff. pp. 17-18. Avaśyaka Niryukti, gathās 540 and 544
" Trişasti., (text), parva I, ( ed. of Caranavijaya ) sarga 3, vv. 422 ff., transl., GOS. Vol. LI, pp. 190 ff. and 334 ff.
5 Mahāpurāna (Adipurāņa), 22.76.312, pp. 515-538. Amongst other sources of both the sects, see, Avaśyaka Cūrņi, pp. 324 ff; Vasudevahindi, pp. 341, 345; Avaśyaka-vrtti of Haribhadra, pp. 229 ff., Padmacarita of Ravişeņa, pp. 17 ff. 58 ff, Harivamśa of Jinasena, 17 ff, 652 ff., Samavasarana-stava, with avacũri of Dharmaghosa, discussed by Dr. Bhandarkar, op. cit; Samavasaranafacana-kalpa of Jinaprabha in Vividhalirthakalpa, pp. 87-88, Samavasaranastotra of Vişnusena (date uncertain ), published in Siddhāntasārādi-saṁgraha (M. D. J. Series, Bombay, No. 21, ), pp. 133-139.