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Dikpālas
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The conception of the Jaina Yana is almost identical to that of the Brāhmaṇic God of the same name. The only diffcrence seems to be the Jaina Yama's wife being Chāyā, who, in Brāhmaṇism, is known to be the wife of the Sun-god Sūrya. There is some justification on the part of the Jainas to inako Chāyā as the wife of Yama, who has been called Dharma-rāja, by which appellation the Sun-god is also known. In this connection, it is to be pointed out that Candraprabha's Yaksa Vijaya or Syāma has some radical identity by name and symbols, to this god of death. Vijaya literally means Yana and Shyama's wife Jvālini actually rides a buffalo, the vehicle of the Dikpāla of the south. Nairta
Naista, the guardian-god of the south-west quarters, is made to ride a corps or a goblin according to the Svetāmbara texts. In the vicw of the same, he wcars a tiger's skin and holds a club or a sword and a bow (Pināka).1 The Digambaras represent the god as riding a bear and holding the same attribute of a club.
The general conception of this Lokapāla or Dikpāla is due to the Brāhmaṇic influence. There are points, however, which make the Jaina God in some ways distinct. The attribute of a bow, his vehicle of a bear and the tiger's skin are of clearly Jaina origin.
1. नैऋति हरितवर्णं शववाहनं खड्गपाणि
.Vircākaliki (Agra MSS). Cr. धूम्रवर्णाय व्याघ्रचर्मवृताय मुद्गरहस्ताय प्रेतवाहनाय
Trīradinakara (Ramaghāļa MSS). Further,
Nigare: fangray(?) 74: SECTEUTHERNET: 1 foaia
77475 Gafa i 1749rgaard FATT I Ibid. 2. *7** ÇEHETETUi fimraerthi
Dernbūjā (Arrah MSS). T6...VÌ KHIỸ (?) HH cf. p houryeta fafazau FireTourets
Pratisthāsāroddhāra.
| SR No. | 011018 |
| Book Title | Jaina Iconography |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | B Bhattacharya |
| Publisher | Motilal Banarasidas |
| Publication Year | 1974 |
| Total Pages | 247 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 17 MB |