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Description of Plates
161
bears seven Jinamätä figures and two pairs of ärädhakas and ärädhikäs at the extremities, one standing to the left and other to the right of the mother. The second stratum contains the same number, the third and the fourth each show five mothers. All of them are set in plain panels. Their faces are largely effaced, and there are label inscriptions for identification of each one of the Jinas' mothers. The apex shows seated figure of a Jina.
238
Of the three fragments of a Saptatiśata-Jina-patta that once was in the & güdhamandapa of the Neminatha temple. More will be said on the concept 239. that underlay and the nature of the patta while discussing Plate 242. 240. The Vis-viharamāna-patța depicts the 20 currently existing Jinas in the mythical Mahavideha-kṣetra of the discoidal continent of Jambhudvipa which is at the centre of the countless number of ring-shaped island continents. alternating with ring oceans. However, no āgama, no agama, including the Samaväyänga-sütra (on its 20th 'sthäna' or location), refers to these Jinas. The concept apparently was formulated in the sixth century when the niryuktis and the bhāṣyas were composed.
Jain Education International
This inscribed patta, originally was in the Neminätha temple. Its execution is very mediocre and stylistically it seems not earlier than the late 13th century, maybe even later: It has Jina Sīmandhara, the first of the 20 Jinas, at the apex, the others follow in sequence of 5, 7, and 7, the last image mutilated. The pattas of Vis-viharamāna-Jinas are very rare to meet with. They, too, like the Sammetaśikhara-patta bearing 20 Jinas (with which they sometimes have been confused) seem to have been originated in the 13th century.
241. The Nandiśvaradvipa-paṭṭa placed in a khattaka in the eastward extension of the trika is dated S. 1211/A.D. 1267. Nandiśvaradvipa is the seventh island continent counting from Jambudvipa. No human life exists there; but there are eternal shrines of the 13 Jinas around each of its cardinal Meru mountain, totalling thus to 52. These Jinas include 24 of the present and 24 of the past megacycles of time, plus four eternal Jinas, namely Candranana, Väriṣena, Rṣabha, and Vardhamana.
The patta illustrated here shows the Nandiśvaradvipa encircled by the eighth ocean. Inside are indicated forests through stylized trees surrounding the shrines. Eight figures of Harinegamesa, two on either side of each 13
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