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God : The Jaina View and Jaina Religious Images
duced during this period. The distinguishing cognizance (lāñchana) of the twentyfour Jinas or Tirtharkaras appear for the first time. 1 The first decorated image found from Akota in Gujarat, was also carved in this period. The image is in kayotsarga-mudra and bearing usual dress and ornaments. It also bears the word Jivantasvämi in pedestal inscription.2 Jaina images of Gupta period are reported from several sites, like Mathura, Rajagira, Vidisa, Varanasi, Chausa and Akota. The images of Rşabha, Candraprabha, Puşpadanta, Nemi, Pārśva and Mahavira were carved.
Mathura, the capital of the Souras, had been a great centre of Jainism from very early time. As we are not discussing the history, it is wise not to enter into obscure or Pauranic details. No doubt we cannot sidetrack the ligend of Krsna and his cousin Nemi, who happens to be the twenty second Tirthankara.
Excavations at Mathura have revealed abounded art remains, which narrate the details themselves. The region of Saurasena had been a strong hold of Jainism from second-first century B. C. to about 11th century A. D. The Jaina sculptures exhibit different stages in the development of Jaina iconography. For the first time we coine to know about the popularity of stūpa worship in Jainism. 8 Jaina literature abounds in references to stūpas but the only extent remains are of one or more stūpas in Kańkälitilä at Mathura of the Centuries immediately before and after the Christ. The references to earlier stūpas, such as the one at Vaisali dedicated to Munisuvrata, the twentieth Tirthankara, believed to be contemporary of Rama, are paralleled by similar references in Buddhist literature.
Independent Jina image standing and seated, fourfold images or Pratimā-sarvatobhadrikā, some narrative scenes from the life of the Jina, a few other gods and goddesses, symbols, tablets of homage and srivat sa as special feature of the Jina images are found in the Mathura sculptures. The rendering of the sina in Padmasana or seated in dhyāna
1. Tiwari, Maruti Nandan Prasad, op. cit., pp. 49-52. 2. Shah, U. P. Akota Bronze, Bombay, 1959, pp. 26-28. 3. Smith, V., Jaina Stupa and other Antiquities from Mathura',
Allahabad, 1901. 4. Buhler, G., 'Specimens of Jaina Sculptures from Mathura Epi.
graphia Indica, Vol. II, pp. 314-18.
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