Jaina Iconography

SR No.: 011018
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

Page 57

Jaina Iconography 16 diya Devis or class-goddesses. The author describes the goddesses as on dais, on field, installed in a cave or in a palatial temple, cither as a symbol as self-created or created by man, sectarian goddesses such as Ambā, Sarasvatī, Tripura, Tārā etc., Kuladevis such as Chandi, Kanthe vari, Vyāghrariji etc. This, indeed, is a more exhaustive classification of gods and goddesses. From this as well as from other references to Jaina books, it is clear that a grcat many Tāntric goddesses have found a room in the Jaina Pantheon. We come across the names of Goddesses of clearly Tantrik nature such as Kaiikili, Kali, Mahakali, Camunda, Jvalamukhi, Kamakhya, Kapalini, Bhadrakali, Durgii, Lalita, Gauri, Sumangala, Rohini, Sulakata, Tripura Kurukulla, Candravati, Yamaghanta, Krantimukha etc.2 In a Mss. of the Jaina collection of Jñāna Mandir in Baroda, I found a passage which gives a further list of Tantric Goddesses -- suchas--Ganesvari, Pretaksi, Sanikhini, Kali, Kalaratri, Vaitali, Bhūtaļāmnarī, Malākālī, Virūpākṣī, Candi, Vārāhī, Karikāli, Bhuvanc: vari, Yanmaditi, etc. called Catussasli Troginis or 64 Yoginīs. This predominent Tantrik element in Iconography seems to be represented by the Svetāmbara sect, who like the Mahāyāna Buddhists, developed by assimilation and invention,
...तत्र देव्यस्त्रिधा-- प्रासाददेव्यः संप्रदायदेव्यः कुलदेव्यश्च । प्रासाददेव्यः पीठोपपीठेषु क्षेत्रोपक्षेत्रेषु गुहास्थिता भूमिस्थिताः प्रासादस्थिता लिङ्गरूपा वा स्वयम्भूतरूपा वा मनुष्यनिमितरूपा वा । सम्प्रदायदेव्यः अम्बासरस्वतीत्रिपुराताराप्रभृतयो गुरूपदिष्टमन्त्रोपासनीयाः । कुलदेव्यः चण्डी चामुण्डा कण्ठेश्वरी सरीसत्यका (?) सुशयना व्याघ्रराजीप्रभृतयः ।
Pralişthū-l'idh:.
Activarlinakara. • कङ्काल्यै नमः । कराल्यै नमः । काल्यै नमः । महाकाल्यै नमः । चामण्डायै नमः । भद्रकाल्यै नमः । दुर्गायै नमः। अम्बिकायै नमः । ललितायै नमः । कुरुकुल्लायै नम: । Ibid. The first nanie kaikili opens the cluc how a great number of Jaina sculptures were exposed to view from the same named Karikäli pilä at Mathura.. पद्मावत्यै नम: । दिव्ययोगी महायोगी सिद्धियोगी गणेश्वरी। प्रेताक्षी शङ्गिनी काली कालरात्री निशाचरी ।। प्रोङ्कारी सिद्धवैताली 'चतुःपष्टि: समाख्याता योगिन्यो हि वरप्रदाः ।।