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तीर्थंकरनी मातानु पुत्रदर्शन
Painting 23: Gods, the happiest of all beings send aside the hirelings and carry the palanquin meant for the initiation of Bhagavan Mahavira the lord of the three worlds. The illustration teaches the lesson that the saviours should be served, not through hired persons but personally. In the palanquin are also the elderly women of the family as well as women moving the chowries as a mark of devotion. Painting 24: The illustration is self-explanatory. Standing under the Ashoka tree before the people Bhagavan Mahavira plucks off the hair five times with the fist. Indra collects the hair in a piece of cloth and Bhagavan Mahavira wears on his left shoulder a divine cloth presented by Indra, the ruler of heaven.
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Painting 25: The illustration shows black drones attracted by the fragrance emanating from the body of Bhagavan Mahavira. He bears their stings out of equanimity instead of driving them away.
Mark the face of Bhagavan Mahavira during the period of ordeal. Peace and patience are wonderfully reflected on the face. The paintings which follow teach the lesson that one must cultivate tolerance and forbearance under all the ordeals of life.
Painting 26: The pictures of Tirthankar Bhagavan seen in the 'Kalpa-Sutra-Barasa and sometimes in other places are presented in almost the same style. These pictures are drawn in Indo-Iranian style. To present a thing with shapes or sketches is the chief characteristic of this style.
These pictures lack deep artistic insight and sense of proportion and realistic attitude to life. The pictures in the Kalpa Sutra from the 14th century to the 18th century, if observed, will reveal the same style. All show the same colour scheme, the same method of drawing i.e. long sharp nose, long eyes, short legs, short beds, the same style of dress and ornaments, the same methods of presenting trees and animals etc. We can write a volume on this style. However, this is not a suitable place for it.
Bhagavan is considered to be super-human. In what sense or reference is he treated to be so? There is no need for us to ponder over it. Tirthankars are considered to have conquered their passions. They are 'Vita-Ragas, so there was a natural restriction on the selection of the subjects for the pictures of Tirthankars. There was a firm conviction that Tirthankars, Sadhus and Shramans were renouncers of wordly life. So only a special kind of subject was selected. Owing to this conviction the pictures in the Kalpa-Sutra ignored the realistic side of the life of Bhagavan Mahavira. These pictures lack in variety too. Light and shade have no place in Indian style. Inspite of these difficulties I have tried to show a little reality, a little variety in the third edition of the album. Let us consider the picture No. 26, by putting a fullstop to all these things.
In this picture Bhagavan Mahavira is shown on his religious walk in a forest. At the end of the left side he is shown in Kayotsarga pose absorbed in meditation-(Dhyana). In the first picture of the two pictures below we were unable to show 'Panch Divya' five celestial substances. In the fourth picture Bhagavan the Kshatriya Prince who is recently initiated is portrayed. Sanyasis rebuked Bhagavan Mahavira but he who had taken the vow of abstaining from speech kept mum. His expression of tranquility inspires the same in us.
Painting 27: Bhagavan Mahavira gives away half of the divine scarf to a poor Brahmin who entreats him for the
same.
Painting 28 to 30: The illustrations are self-explanatory.
१७ बला (अच्युतबला)
१८ धारिणी
१९. वैदया (धरणप्रिया)
२० नरदत्ता (अच्छुप्ता)
Painting 31: The demi-god Sudanshtra is shown in water under the ship. In the corner of the ship are shown gods who have run to Bhagavan Mahavira's rescue. Painting 32: Observe the miraculous sense of forbearance on the face of Bhagavan Mahavira who passes through numerous ordeals.
२१. गांधारी
Painting 33: The illustration shows the plight of a princess and her redemption and rise when she comes in contact with Bhagavan Mahavira, the touchstone. It also shows the great value of what is given by the saviour, a superman. Chandana, the princess was appointed as the head of the order of female ascetics when the new order was heralded by Bhagavan Mahavira, she being the first among the female ascetic as well. She was then known as Arya Chandana. Having reached the state of absolute enlightenment she attained redemption in that very life. Painting 34: Chaupanna M.P. (hariya' mentions another technique of removing the wooden spikes. See the footnote 36 in the Appendix 7.
Painting 35: There is a purpose behind keeping a border around this illustration. The illustrations in the border depict the similies given in the original text of Kalpa Sutra (an authoritative scripture of Jainism), and which give the idea of the fulfilment of meditation, penance and other practices, performed by Bhagavan Mahavira before he reached the state of absolute enlightenment. (I look upon this part as the heart of the text as it gives glimpses into the noble soul of Bhagavan Mahavira. In the border from left to right are shown the sun, the tortoise etc. which are in all 18 illustrations of similies.)
The similies are further explained below:
(1) He was bright with enlightenment like the sun because of his bright gross body, complexion and inclination, (2) Like a tortoise his senses were turned inward, (3) Like a conch unaffceted by water, he was immune to attachment and other evil tendencies, (4) Like a single-horned rhino, he struggled single-handed against unworthy actions, (5) Like the moon he was gentle and serene, (6) Like the sky he sought no support, (7) Like the lotus unaffected by water he was untouched by actions, (8) Like birds he moved freely, (9) Like the boundless wind, he had no boundaries, (10) Like a bull he was capable to bear the rigours of mighty vows, (11) Like the serene ocean he maintained his equanimity on occasions of joy and sorrow, (12) Like the lion he was difficult to be faced with violence. as he was unmolestable by brutal ordeals. (13) He was stable like the mountain Meru as he remained unshaken in ordeals, (14) Like the elephant he had venturing spirit as he was brave against unworthy actions, (15) Like gold he was pure and bright as he was free from the impurities of actions, (16) In ancient India there was a strange bird called Bharand which had two necks and three legs. There are references about this bird being used as a means of conveyance in the air. This bird had two separate souls and because of two separate necks, they had two similar desires at a time but if the two parts desired to eat separate fruits the bird would die. To avoid such a catastrophy the bird had to remain advertant. Like this bird he was always alert, (17) Like the clean water in the autumn he had a
9. The story of Chandana has some point of difference between Shvetambara and Digambara texts. Shvetambara texts differ here. Had she fetters both on the legs and the hands or only on the hands? Difference exists even on this point.
10. In Africa there are two-horned rhinos
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