Jaina Monuments Of Orissa

SR No.: 022826
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: R P Mohapatra
Publisher: D K Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 384
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 20 MB

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Jaina Iconography of Orissa
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respectively depict a tree being worshipped by devotees. Again Mañchapuri-Gumphā of Udayagiri shows an unidentifiable symbol being honoured by a royal family (Fig. 15). On the back wall of Ananta-Gumphā at Khandagiri, appears a nandipada on a pedestal flanked on either side by a set of three symbols, a triangle headed one, śrivatsa and svastika without forming part of a scene, all of which are also represented on the Jaina āyagāpatas of the Kushan period from Mathurā. The Hathi-Gumphā inscription of Khāravela is also enclosed between two pairs of such symbols, one to the left of line 1-2, the second to the left of line 3-5, the third at the end of line 3 and the fourth at the end of line 16-17. Besides, some of them are repeated over the pointed archbands of Rāni-Gumphā, Ganesa-Gumphā and Ananta-Gumphā. Carving of the triangle headed symbol as well as the svastika are also found in the Bāgha-Gumpha. These symbols are regarded by the Jainas as good omen and form four of the eight auspicious objects (asamangala).
Three worship has been vividly depicted in the third tympanum of AnantaGumphā and in the back wall of Jaya-Vijaya-Gumphā being honoured by devotees with floral offerings reverently held in their hands and carried by flying Vidyadharas. These panels are counterparts of the adoration of bo-tree of which so many representations are available in the sculptures of the Buddhist shrines at Sāñchi and Amarāvati.
We have at both Maheñjodāro and Harappa two forms of tree worship represented, one in which the tree itself is worshipped in its natural form, the other in which, the tree spirit is personified and endowed with human shape and human attributes. This is precisely what we find also in the sculptures of Bhārhut and Sāñchi and others of the early Indian school. In such cases as there, it is the tree itself that is personified as a deity and becomes an object of worship and there can be no doubt that such personification is illustrated on our Indus seals. In later Jaina sculptures this tree had to be introduced on sculpture of Tirth ankara by showing its foliage spread over his head, because of the great popular appeal the tree had in ancient India. Tne Sasanadevi like Ambā or Ambikā is also represented in the canonical literature as seated or standing under mango tree.
Along with the conception of trees may be noted the conceptions of the Tree of Life and the wish-fulfilling Tree (Kalpadruma) in Brahmanical and Buddhist texts. Jaina texts also speak of ten Kalpa-drumas. These are described in detail in the Jamvudvipaprajñāpati. Hemachandra describes ten kinds of Kalpa-tree in the Uttarakurus as follows. The ten kinds of wishing trees, madyāngas, etc., always give to people whatever they desire without effort on their part. Among these, madyangas give wine, the brțngas dishes, the turyāngas choice musical instruments. The dipa-śikhās and jyotişkas give wonderful light, the Chitrāngas furnish ornaments, the chitrarasas, in turn, food. The manyāngas furnish ornaments, the gehakāras houses and the anargas various kinds of divine apparel
The Jainas have assigned the spirits connected with the tree worship to the class of Vyantara Gods. The Vyāntaras are sub-divided into eight groups, pisachas, bhutas,