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Sumati-Jñāna the earlier Tirthankaras Jainism has accommodated the long tradition of preceptors from the Harappan times. Thus, not only material remains but belief systems and legends also transcend wide time and space due to mutual links, movement of people and oral traditions. Perhaps in this context the Jain tradition of 24 Tirthankaras and Buddhist belief of 6 Manushi Buddhas preceding Gautam Buddha and the over 500 Jatakas is interesting. As some of the sages and the stories related to them may have had their origin in the Harappan times. It is not that Jainism and Buddhism were merely reactions against aspects of Brahmanical religion but a large volume of thought was already in the society as oral tradition. The cognizance to Tirthankaras before Mahavira and 6 Manushi Buddhas before Gautam Buddha is balancing the knowledge of a glorious past from the Harappan times onwards. Moreover, it is no coincidence that the general region of mid Ganga Valley and the undivided Bihar in particular has yielded voluminous evidence of Harappan influence (Sharma, 1960, p. 14; Sinha, 1993, pp. 135-139; Saran and Sant, 2002, pp. 129-140), and was also crucial for the origin and development of Jainism and Buddhism. Pertinently, the two religions have carried along several aspects and motifs of Harappan period across large spans of time and space. Evidently, like the Saiva and Sakta cults, both the religions are traceable from the Harappan times.
In this paper, assertions by several earlier scholars and new suggestions of the possible commonalities regarding Harappan civilization and Jainism are being enumerated. The nude standing figure from Harappa (Fig. 3) (Marshal, 1931, p. 45 pl. X) is one interesting image which has been in focus for many decades now. Several scholars like Ramchandran (1957: pp. 157-161) and Craven (1992: pp. 23, 24) have asserted the possibility of this image to be of a Jaina Tirthankara. Tiwari (1981: p. 5) also draws attention to the same figure but is of the opinion that the image cannot be taken as belonging to Tirthankara of the Harappan times as historical evidences are lacking. Deshpande (1974: p. 21) has drawn attention towards the suggestions of earlier scholars relating a standing figure in Kayotsarga mudra depicted on a Harappan seal with the Jaina tradition (Fig. 4). Deshpande in the state of knowledge available then, however concluded that unless the Harappan script has been deciphered nothing definite could be said. Earlier, Ramchandran (1957: pp. 157-161) commenting on the depiction of standing figures in kayotsarga mudra on the Harappan seals went on to suggest the existence of Jainism and images of Tirthankara Rsabhanatha in the civilization.' Evidently, such suggestions did not get acceptance from the community of scholars. It is interesting that few terracottas (Fig. 5a & 5b) (Lal, 1997, p. 172 & pl. XLVII b; Jansen, 2002, p. 210 & Pl. 3a) from Mohenjodaro showing nude male figures in kayotsarga mudra are to the present authors, quite reminiscent of Tirthankaras that too Rsabhanatha who is shown with an elaborate Jatamukuta. However, admittedly, these images are having crowns on there head, which is not in concurrence with Jaina religion wherein the Tirthankaras are shown without any ornamentation and crowns, etc except for Jiwantaswami pratimas (image fashioned during the life time of the lord) (Shah, 1987, pp. 33, 34) of Tirthankara Mahavira. Thus conceptually speaking crown and ornamentations on the body of Tirthankara
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