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Indian Art: A History of Indian Art from the Earliest Times up to the Third Century A.D. c13.s4: Jaina Art of Mathura

Indian Art: A History of Indian Art from the Earliest Times up to the Third Century A.D. c13.s4

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Jaina Art of Mathura

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Mathura was an ancient centre of Jainism, like the Brāhmaṇas and the Buddhists the Jainas also made it the seat of their religion. It appears that the Jaina community at Mathura was rich and influential as shown by the magnificent monuments left behind by them. Indeed the Jainas have manitained their holy traditions at Mathura up to this day.

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The excavations at Kankali Tila yielded a number of sculptures and architectural pieces, which once belonged to the two Stūpas at that site. A very early Jaina Stūpa existed at Mathura which as we know from the inscriptions was called Devanirmita Stūpa (Epigraphia Indica, Vol. II, 20) may probably be assigned to the 3rd century B.C. An image of Arhat Nandyāvarta was installed in this Stūpa in the year 89 (=A. D. 167). The word Devanirmita points to an extremely early tradition attributing the Stūpa to a divine origin. It probably confirms the belief that the original Stūpa was made of gold and precious gems which was later on encased by larger Stūpas of bricks and stones. The brilliant description of the Vimāna of Sūryābhadeva in the Rāyapaṣeṇiya Sutta has recorded the tradition of an archetypal devanirmita Stūpa. Taranath records a tradition that the Mauryan monuments were believed to be the works of the Yakshas and that the art monuments of the preceding age were the works of the Devas. Although there is a mythical element in this description it does give some indication of the high antiquity of the original Jaina Stūpa. According to Jinaprabha Sūri it was believed that the ancient Stūpa was erected by Kuberā Yakshī in honour of the seventh pontiff Supārśva. At a later date the first Stūpa was encased in bricks in the time of the twenty-third Tīrthaṅkara Pārśvanātha. Thirteen hundred years after Mahāvīra Bappabhaṭṭa Sūri organised a restoration of the older Stūpa which seems to be confirmed by the post-Gupta and Gupta sculptures found here. It appears that there were more than

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hold on the minds of the people that they could not be eliminated and we find them transferred to the interior decoration of the Maṇḍapas in the royal palaces, where the poets like Kālidāsa and Bāṇa actually described them. Later on they were transferred to the exterior of the temples on their Śikharas and most of the motifs and poses described above are found in the temples of Khajuraho, Bhuvneshwar and western India. The Matsya Purāṇa mentions them as Devarāmā celestial women or Apasarsas, heavenly nymph and the same are translated in the later art as Devāṅganā, Deva-kanyā, Sura-sundarī, Madanikā, Prekṣaṇikā, etc. accommodated on the Jaṅghā, Vitāna or Stambha or pillars of temples. In Orissan art we get a list of 16 Alasa Kanyās, e.g. Alasā, Mugdhā, Padmagandhā, Chāmarā, Guṇthanā, Nartanī, Śuka-sārikā, Nūpurapadikā, Mardalā, etc.

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one restorations. The orginal Stūpa probably a small one was a mound of earth which concealed a miniature Stūpa of gold and gems. Later on, as the tradition says it was converted into a brick Stūpa. In the third stage the same was transformed into a stone Stūpa together with the addition of a large stone railing and gateways with a good deal of carving to give it the form of a lotus-railing, Padmavaravedikā, as described above on the basis of the actual art specimens and the description in the Rāyapaseṇiya Sutta.

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We are informed of an interesting fact by the *Vyavahārasūtra-bhāshya* that the Buddhist wanted to encroach upon the Jaina Stūpa claiming it as their own but after six months of quarrel the king gave a decision in the favour of the Jaina Saṅgha. The fact seems to be that quite in proximity of the Jaina Stūpa almost across the road the Buddhists also built a Stūpa of their own at the site now called Bhūteśvara where a large number of Buddhist railing pillars have been found. Since in the earlier Jaina Stūpa which was intact at that time there were no images to show its religious affiliation, as we have seen above in the description of the Padmavaravedikā, the Buddhists laid claim to its possession but were thwarted in their attempt by royal intervention. In persuance of the art movement during the Kushāṇa period the Jaina community, however, seems to have decided to build a new Stūpa with the same kind of lithic sculptures on the railing pillars as was the style of the age and of which numerous specimens have been found.

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A special feature of the second Jaina Stūpa is the discovery of numerous inscriptions dated in Kushāṇa era which give a detailed picture of the Jaina Saṅgha that is confirmed by the Kalpasūtra of Bhadrabāhu which points to the authentic nature of the Jaina accounts. We have already discussed the art evidence furnished by the numerous railing pillars which once formed part of the two Jaina Stūpa at Kaṅkālī Ṭilā. Our attention is now drawn by the large number of images of Tīrthaṅkaras and other deities which must have belonged to the period of the Stūpa when shrines began to be made.

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First in order come the beautiful Āyāgapaṭas or Tablets of Homage. The word *āyāga* is from Skt. *Āryaka*, meaning worshipful and is the same as in *āyaka-khambha* of the Nagarjunikonda Stūpa. These slabs were installed round the Stūpa to receive offerings and worship somewhat corresponding to the platforms for flower-offering known as *pupphādhāna* (Mahāvaṃsa 30.51,56) or *pushpagrahaṇī vedikā* (Saddharma-puṇḍarīka, 239.3¹). Āyāgapaṭa No. J. 555 (Smith, Jaina Stūpa, pl. XX) actually illustrates their position round the Stūpa where worshippers are offering flowers heaped on these platforms. Sixteen of them were installed round a stūpa, four in each direction as can be gathered from the Mathura figure. In the Nārāyaṇa Vāṭaka inscription from Gosuṇḍī there is mention of a pūjā-śilā which corresponds to an āyāga-paṭa. There are references to puhumī śila-paṭṭa in early Jaina Āgamas (Aupapātika Sūtra, 5) indicating that originally such slabs for worshipping the deity were made of clay. The Jaina āyāgapaṭas are thing of joy and beauty with perfect workmanship. They illustrate the continuity of symbol worship amongst the Jainas and also the introduction of image worship as combined with the symbols.

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¹ Edgerton, BHSD., p. 218, who translates incorrectly.

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The strong belief in the significance of symbols and powerful influence which the symbols exercised on religious worship are made manifest on these Āyāgapaṭa as nowhere else. They belong to a transitional period when symbols were as much meaningful as the Tīrthaṅkara image and the two were equally balanced inharmony with each other.

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The first place may be given to a slab (J 248, Smith, pl. VIII) which is based entirely on the conception of symbols. It is a chakrapaṭṭa showing a sixteen spoked chakra in the centre surrounded by three bands; the first one showing sixteen triratna symbols, second one eight maidens of space (aṣṭadikkumārikā) floating in the air and offering garlands and lotuses and the third showing a coiled heavy garland, and in the four corners supported by atlantes, figures of tritans (mahoraga) round a square framing in which on the four sides were shown four religious symbols like śrīvatsa, triratna, etc. each worshipped by a pair of human figures, male and female, having wings and hind parts of lions. [Fig. 140].

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The next stage is shown by another āyāgapaṭa known as Svastikapaṭṭa (Pkt. Sotthiyapaṭṭa) so called owing to the presence of a conspicuous svastika motif disposed round the figure of a seated Tīrthaṅkara under a chhatra in the central medallion encircled by four triratna symbols. Inside the four arms of the svastika again are auspicious symbols, viz. mīna-mithuna (pair of fish), vaijayantī (triangle-headed-standard), svastika and śrīvatsa. In the outer circular band are depicted four auspicious symbols, viz. bodhi tree in railing, Stūpa, a defaced object and a Tīrthaṅkara being worshipped by 16 vidyādhara couples. In the four corners are mahoraga figures in atlantic attitude, one side of the outer square frame has been widened to find place for a row of eight auspicious signs a svastika, a fish, a śrīvatsa. [Fig. 141]. The chakrapaṭṭa and svastikapaṭṭa were also carved in the Buddhist art at Amaravati. The former mentioned in a pillar inscription (chakrapaṭa, No, 1253 Lüder's list) and the latter (sothikapaṭa) in inscription No. 1287 of Amaravati (Lüder's list). A third kind of āyāgapaṭas were named as chaityapaṭas of which two specimens have been found among Mathura āyāgapaṭas; No. J 255 in the Lucknow museum showing a Stūpa with a sopāna toraṇavedikā, two side pillars, śālabhañjikā figures and an elongated Stūpa or chaitya after which the name was derived. Strangely enough we also have a Buddhist chaitya slab *chetiyapaṭa* at Amaravati (Luder's list Insc. no. 1225) which records the gift of two chaitya slabs as at Mathura.

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The other *chaityapaṭṭa* from Mathura is no Q. 2 in the Mathura museum of which the exact place of origin is not certain but which was installed in a Devakula of Nirgrantha Arhats and hence in all probability belonged to the Jain sanctuality of Kaṅkālītilā. On this slab (height 2'.4", width 1' 9¾") is carved a Stūpa or Chaitya surrounded by a railing and an ornamented gateway approached by means of the flight of steps. The Stūpa is flanked by two pillars, the one topped by a wheel (*chakradhvaja* and the other by a sejant lion (*siṃhadhvaja*). On each side of the Stūpa are two flying naked munis, two suparṇas and two *śalabhañjikā* figures. On each side of the stair-case is an arched niche containing a human figure representing the male and female donors. It may thus appear that the artists at Amaravati were indebted to Mathura which supplied them the prototype of these slabs.

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From the point of view of art the highest place is taken by the *āyāgapaṭa* J 249 (Lucknow) set up by Siṃhanādika for the worship of the Arhat which is organised as a *Tīrthaṅkara-paṭṭa* showing the Jina seated in *padmāsana* in the central medallion enclosed by four *triratnas*. Its outer frame is conceived with rows of Eight Auspicious Signs (*Aṣṭamaṅgalika chihna*) which have now become standardised as the group of eight : *mīna-mithuna*, *devagriha*, *śrīvatsa*, *ratnapātra*, above; below *triratna*, *puṣhpasraka*, *vaijayantī* and *pūrṇaghaṭa*. On one side is a *chakradhvaja* and on the other a *hastidhvaja* both of which are placed on the top of lion capitals consisting of four winged lions. [Figure: 142]. Another *āyāgapaṭṭa* (J 252 gift of Achalā) is of similar design but with some difference in the number and form of the auspicious symbols. The *chakradhvaja* is common to both but the elephant-topped pillar of the former gives place to a *siṃhadhvaja* in the latter, which, however, is much defaced. According to the Mahāvaṃsa there were 16 such slabs or tablets out of which about 12 have been found from the Kankali Tila Stūpa, a number very nearly confirming the ideal number.

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Several other notable sculptures peculiar to the Jainas include a bas-relief depicting Āryāvatī, attended by the female attendants holding a fly-whisk and an umbrella, established in the year 42 of Shoḍāśa; a bas-relief of Naigamesha the deity presiding over child-birth who as Naigameya formed part of the cult of Kārttikeya; and Sarasvatī holding right hand in *abhayamudrā* and a manuscript in left hand dated Saṃvat 54; all three being iconographic novelties presented by Jainas of Mathura.

Tīrthaṅkara Images

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The sculptures from the second Jaina Stūpa of Kankali Tila show a good number of Tīrthaṅkara images dated from Kushāṇa year 5 to 95. They are of four kinds (1) standing images in *Kāyotsarga mudrā* in which nudity is clearly indicated; (2) seated images in *Padmāsana*; (3) *Pratimā sarvatobhadrikā* or four-fold images in standing posture and (4) the same in seated posture. In Mathura art of the Kushāṇa period we do not find the distinctive signs (*lāñchchhana*) of the Tīrthaṅkaras excepting in the case of Adinātha or Ṛishabhanātha who has a couple of loose locks falling on shoulder and Supārśvanātha marked by a canopy of serpent hoods. On the pedestal of these images we find the figures of lions and a *Dharmachakra* in front. Generally we find the Śrāvaka householders including men, women and children depicted as worshippers. From the point of view of art these images are rather stiff as required by their contemplative mood (*samādhi*) and austere penance (*tapas*). Even then in a couple of images of the Gupta period there is some degree of relaxation, in the pose and beauty, and the decorative motif. There is however an image of Mahāvīra seated in *utthita padmāsana* (G 1. Mathura meuseum) having a lotus halo behined the head and hair arranged in short schematic curls in which austere stiffness has given place to subtle grace and a divine effulgence on the face. It should however be noted that those very artists when engaged on carving the railing pillars showed themselves equal to experienced masters in the delineation of the human form and the rendering of the difficult poses. [Figs. 143-4]. The variety of scenes on the railing pillars has already been marked and their aesthetic quality has also been noted. The groups of householders on the pedestals and specially on the tympanum (No. J555 Lucknow Museum) are possessed of great charm. The latter showing an exceptional mastery of composition and figure carving. In lunate arches of the three tympana found at Mathura the one from Kankali Tila is in excellent taste like the best of the *āyāgapaṭṭas*.

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The Tīrthaṅkara images are distinguished by the Śrīvatsa symbol in the centre of the chest and haloes round their head except where there is a canopy of Nāga hoods. On the pedestals we see either a *chakra* either alone or placed on pillar or a seated Jina or a lion figure. In some cases the name of the Tīrthaṅkara is mentioned e.g. pedestal No. 490 stating it to be *Vardhamāna pratimā* dated in the year 84 of Kushāṇa era. It should be noted that the *śrīvatsa* symbol is found only on Jaina images and never on Buddha images. The Jainas had adopted quite early the *śrīvatsa* as their distinctive sign as we find it in the beginning of the Hāthīgumphā inscription of Khāravela. In seated Tīrthaṅkara figures we find only one *mudrā*, viz. *dhyāna mudrā*.

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The Jaina community of Mathura was interested in particular kind of *vyūha* worship as shown by a number of conjoint fourfold images, *pratimā sarvatobhadrikā* (inscriptions, Smith, p. 46-7), the four pontiffs selected for this purpose being Ṛishabhanātha the first, Supārśva the Seventh with a canopy of serpent hoods, Pārśvanātha the Twenty-third and Mahāvīra the Twenty-fourth Tīrthaṅkara,

Cites (7)