Studies in Jaina Art

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

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STUDIES IN JAINA ART
celebrated by gods at the time of the Kevalajñana of Mahavira. But the Āvaśyaka-Niryukti does describe it, ? It may be noted that not a single representation of the Samavasarana is known from the Ayāgapațas from Mathurā. The elaborate conception of the samavasaraņa, if at all it existed in the Kuşāņa age, has to be inferred from representations like the mutilated Toraņa-arch from Mathurā, (now in the Lucknow Museum), fig. 16 slowing gods and men going to worship a Jina. The term samavasaraṇa, for such an elaborate conception, seems to have originated from texts like the A upapātika, sūtra 10, where Mahāvīra is said to have arrived at Pūrņabhadra Caitya near Campā, with a view to hold a congregation ( samosarium käme.)"
According to Hemachandra, 5 when Rşabha cbtained Kevalajñāna, Indra ordained the Vyantara gods to erect a Samavasara ņa. The Vāyukumāras first cleaned the ground for one Yojana, the Meghakumāras then sprinkled it with fragrant water, the Vanavyantaras showered flowers on it. The Vyantara gods covered the surface of the earth with shining mosaics of gold and jewels and, in four directions, they created arches (torana) of jewels, rubies and gold, having on their tops tall puppets (Salabhanjika) with reflecting surfaces. Makara-ornaments of glistening sapphire shone on the arches, giving the impression of banners abondoned by the dying Makaraketu (Cupid .7 The arches were adorned with flags and white umbrellas above and the eight auspici. ous symbols (aştamangalas--svastika, etc.) below looked like those on offeringslabs (Balipatļas ).
1 Kalpa-sūtra, sūtras 120.121, Jacobi's transl. SBE., p. 263. Brown says that it is implied in KS. 120-121, see p. 38 of his Miniature Paintings of the Jain Kalpa Sutra.
Avasyaka-Niryukti, gāthàs 539-569, Avaśyaka-Vytli of Haribhadra, pp. 229-235,
3 Smith and Codrington, History of Fine Arts In India And Ceylon, pl. 21 ; Bühler, Ep. Ind , Vol. II, pp. 319 ff. pl. III.
• Aupapātika, sű to, p. 39, cf. :-' 391 att gruasi AHRS F1A.'
6 Summarised from Trişasti, op. cit. For comparison I have quoted the Niryukti gåthās at some places.
6 A Jaina Yojana=8 miles approx., See Johnson, Trişasti, parva I, pp. 192, ff. n. 452. 7 Cf. :-- 0 UTTUfari Hati Ara ar
आजोअणन्तरेणं करेन्ति देवा विचित्तं तु ॥ ५४५ ॥ वेण्टट्ठाई सुरभि जलथलयं दिव्वकुसुमणीहारी । पइरति समन्तेणं दसावरणं कुसुमवासं ॥५४६ ॥ मणिकरणगरयणचित्ते चउद्दिसिं तोरणे विउव्वन्ति । सच्छत्तसालभंजियमयरद्धयचिंधसंठाणे ॥ ५४७ ॥
Avasyaka Niryukti, in Araśyaka Vrtti, pp. 230-31.