Indian Art: A History of Indian Art from the Earliest Times up to the Third Century A.D. c13.s4.7

c13.s4.7

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.