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CONTRIBUTIONS TO LITERATURE. ETC.
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conducive to its own growth. Even religion is emotional, and in the conventional Jaina art the ethical object predominates. The dominance of this ideal is indicated by sculptures representing scenes from the lives of their saints, rather than heroes in any other walk of life. For instance, in the Candragupta Basti at Śravaņa Belgoļa, the façade is made of a perforated stone screen containing as many as ninety sculptured scenes of events in the lives of Bhadrabābu and Candragupta. 175
This also finds illustration in the pictorial art of painting. On the walls of the Jaina Maţha at Belgoļa are several examples of how the chief tenets of their religion were sought to be inculcated by means of this art. In one of the panels (North) Pārsvanātha is represented in his samavasaraña or heavenly pavilion where the Kevalin or Jina preaches eternal wisdom to the śrāvakas. A tree with six persons on it illustrates the six lêśyas of Jaina philosophy by which the soul gets tinted with merit and demerit. Neminātha is also similarly represented in the act of expounding religious doctrine. The only secular scene that finds a place there is that of Kțşñarāja Odeya III during his Dasarā-darbār (on the right panel of the middle cell). 176 But even such paintings are very rare in Karnāțaka. There is nothing in what has survived of Jaina art in Karnataka comparable with the immaculate Buddhist frescoes of Ajantā. A few traces of old paintings are still to be seen on the ceilings of the Ellorā caves. There are also some at Kāncipuram and Tirumalai in the South. 177 Dubreuil has drawn attention to others at Sittanavasal in Pudukoțțai State, near Tanjore, assigned to about the 7th cent. A. D. 178 These paintings are in a Jaina rock-cut temple, akin in their style to Ajanta, but less forceful and impressive. 179 More interesting, perhaps, are
176 Rice, Mysoro and Coorg from the Inscriptions, p. 6; cf. Smith, op. cit.,
p. 270. 176 Of. Ep. Car. II Introd., pp. 30-31. - 177 Coomāraswamy, op. cit.,pp. 118-19; cf. lbid. III. Pl. LXXX, 256. 178 Dubreuil, Pallada Painting, p. 8; Coomāraswamy, op. cit., p. 89. 179 Of. Ajit Ghose, Comparative Survey of Indian Painting, I. H.Q
II 2, p. 303.
| SR No. | 011062 |
| Book Title | Jainism and Karnataka Culture |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | S R Sharma |
| Publisher | Karnataka Historical Research Society Dharwar |
| Publication Year | 1940 |
| Total Pages | 263 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 9 MB |