Vastu-shastra (Vol. I: Hindu Science of Architecture; Vol. II: Hindu Canons of Iconography and Painting) v2.c75.s2.44

v2.c75.s2.44

**Evolution of the Jina-icons :—**A word may also be said here on the evolution of Jina icons illustrating the different phases of the Jain iconography as found in Indian sculpture. This development of Jina-images may be viewed in three stages of development of (i) Pre-Kushan (ii) Kushana and (iii) the Gupta ;—corresponding to the three stages of iconology in which they were conceived namely simple images (ofcourse with certain symbols), without any characteristic lāñchana the developed paraphernalia of an image for worship and thirdly endowed with lāñchanas together with the accessories and Cinhas etc. The earliest historical representation of the Jinas was found in the Ayāgapaṭas (the tablets of homage) discovered at the Kankali Tila of Mathura. Three of them show the Tīrthankara figure seated with hands laid in the lap. Some of the Jain Aṣṭamaṅgala-symbols such as a pair of fish, a svastika etc. also figure here, but there is hardly any specific lāñchana characteristic of a particular Jina by which we can recognize him. ‘One tablet, however, shows the figure of a Jina, which by its mark of snake-canopy, we can identify as that of Pārśvanātha’; Brindavana, therefore, concludes (J. I. p. 47) : ‘The reprentation of Jinas in these Ayāgapaṭas of pre-Kushan age, as may be proved from the script of the inscriptions on them, appear to be the earliest in the stages of Jain iconography. Thus we can infer that in the first stage of iconic development Jinas had no lānchanas or distinctive marks, the Pārśva figure had the invariable symbol of snake-canopy and some of the Aṣṭamāṅgalikas had been very primitive in their growth.’