Book Title: Sumati Jnana
Author(s): Shivkant Dwivedi, Navneet Jain
Publisher: Shantisagar Chhani Granthamala

Previous | Next

Page 213
________________ 190 Sumati-Jñāna Pişhal Gaccha in inscriptions on them which clearly indicate these images belong to Śvetambara sect. This is further certified to the carving of these images that are made according to Śvetambara sect as the eyes and śrivatsa on chest of Jinas are overlapped by different metal coat. The next important site is the town of Ater in the same district (nearly 30 kms from district headquarter) where in a Jaina temple more than 30 bronzes are recorded by the author which represent the figures of Rṣabha, Pārsva, Candraprabha, tritīrthī of Śānti-KunthuAranātha, Bahubalī, yakṣhī Ambikā and a composite yakṣhi panel, all of 14th-15th century AD. Most of the specimens are of Tirthankara Pārśvanatha shown as described earlier. One Pārśva image has an inscription of samvat 1454 magha sudi soma (1397 AD) mentioning the names of ācārya Kṣemkīrti and sādhu Jasakīrti. One Ṛṣabhanatha image, in the form of caturviṁśati, is also important. In its stele, 23 tiny images of Tirthankara are depicted among which Jina Supārśvanatha, with five serpent hoods and Pārsvanatha, with seven serpent hoods, can be identified shown respectively right and left side of Rṣabhanatha. The image has an inscription of three lines but not quite legible. One tritīrthī image of Santi-KunthuAranatha has an important inscription of samvat 1535 (1478 AD) recording the installation of the image by Bhaṭṭāraka Gñyānabhūṣaṇa, disciple of Bhaṭṭāraka Bhuvanakīrti of mūlasaṁgha. A number 1234 is also incised on the back of the image which may be the number of manufacturing of the image given by the metal image-casting factory. If it is right it means 1233 images had already been casted and circulated. One image is of two-handed yakshi Ambikā, standing in tribhanga posture, holding an amralumbi in her right hand and a child in her left hand, shown with a tiny image of Jina above the head. Another child is standing on pedestal. Her mount lion is also depicted. The most significant and peculiar image of this treasure is the composite depiction of yakṣhī Ambikā, Padmāvatī, Cakreśvarī, devī Sarasvatī and a male and a female figures (Pl. 24.11). In the image, Yakshi Ambikā is placed at extreme right side, then yakṣhī Padmavati, then a male and a female figure, then Sarasvati and then yakṣhi Cakreśvarī at the extreme left side. Ambika and male and female figure are two-handed whereas rest are fourhanded. All are seated in lalitasana posture. Ambika, seated on her vehicle lion, holds an amralumbi and a child respectively in her right and left hands. An amravṛkṣa is also shown above the head. Padmavatī, crowned with seven serpent hoods, holds a padma in her both upper hands, a fruit in her left lower hand and varada-mudrā in her right lower hand. Sarasvati holds a padma and varada-mudra in her right hands and a manuscript and kamandalu in her left hands. Cakreśvarī, seated on her vehicle Garuda, holds cakra in her both upper hands, akṣasūtra in her right lower hand and a sankha in her left lower hand. The male figure holds a fruit and akṣasūtra in his left and right hands respectively. The female figure holds a fruit in her right hand and a child in her left hand. A tree rising from the pedestal between male and female figure is an outstanding feature of this image on which top a miniature image of a Jina in padmasana-mudrā is placed. A tiny image of Jina is also depicted above the head of each yakshi excluding Cakreśvarī. The image has an inscription, dating back to 15th century Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

Loading...

Page Navigation
1 ... 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337 338 339 340 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 348 349 350 351 352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360 361 362 363 364 365 366 367 368 369 370 371 372 373 374 375 376 377 378 379 380 381 382 383 384 385 386 387 388 389 390 391 392 393 394 395 396 397 398 399 400 401 402 403 404 405 406 407 408 409 410 411 412 413 414 415 416 417 418 419 420 421 422 423 424 425 426 427 428 429 430 431 432 433 434 435 436 437 438 439 440 441 442 443 444 445 446 447 448 449 450 451 452 453 454 455 456 457 458 459 460 461 462 463 464 465 466 467 468