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Jain Remains of Ancient Bengal

by Shubha Majumder | 2017 | 147,217 words

This page relates ‘Images of Tirthankara Dharmanatha� of the study on the Jain Remains of Ancient Bengal based on the fields of Geography, Archaeology, Art and Iconography. Jainism represents a way of life incorporating non-violence and approaches religion from humanitarian viewpoint. Ancient Bengal comprises modern West Bengal and the Republic of Bangladesh, Eastern India. Here, Jainism was allowed to flourish from the pre-Christian times up until the 10th century CE, along with Buddhism.

Images of °ÕÄ«°ù³Ù³ó²¹á¹…k²¹°ù²¹ ¶Ù³ó²¹°ù³¾²¹²ÔÄå³Ù³ó²¹

The fifteen °ÕÄ«°ù³Ù³ó²¹á¹…k²¹°ù²¹ ¶Ù³ó²¹°ù³¾²¹²ÔÄå³Ù³ó²¹ was born as the prince of king µþ³óÄå²Ô³Ü and queen ³§³Ü±¹°ù²¹³ÙÄå of the city of Ratanpur (°Õ°ù¾±á¹£aṣṭ¾±Å›²¹±ôÄå°ìÄå±è³Ü°ù³Üá¹£a³¦²¹°ù¾±³Ù²¹, vol. IV: 5; ±«³Ù³Ù²¹°ù²¹±è³Ü°ùÄåṇa Parva 61). According to the Jain mythology during the pregnancy the Jina’s mother was engrossed in religious deeds earning him the name ¶Ù³ó²¹°ù³¾²¹²ÔÄå³Ù³ó²¹ (Bhattacharya 1974: 51; Shah 1987: 151; Nagar 1999: 113). The symbol of this °ÕÄ«°ù³Ù³ó²¹á¹…k²¹°ù²¹ is vajra (thunderbolt). The ³Û²¹°ìá¹£a and ³Û²¹°ìá¹£Ä� of this °ÕÄ«°ù³Ù³ó²¹á¹…k²¹°ù²¹ are Kinnara and °­²¹²Ô»å²¹°ù±èÄå. The Jina obtained °ì±ð±¹²¹±ô²¹ÂáñÄå²Ô²¹ under the ¶Ù²¹»å³ó¾±±è²¹°ùṇa tree and ²Ô¾±°ù±¹Äåṇa on Mt. Sammeta (ibid.).

Very few stone as well as metal images of this °ÕÄ«°ù³Ù³ó²¹á¹…k²¹°ù²¹ were reported from the different parts of Indian subcontinent. We are very fortunate that from our study area we have able to documented two damaged images of this °ÕÄ«°ù³Ù³ó²¹á¹…k²¹°ù²¹. Among these two images one is documented from Baramoshya, Purulia and another one from Hirapari, West Midnapur. The Baramoshya image is a ±è²¹Ã±³¦²¹-tirthika type of image (Pl.XXVII.B) and the remaining portion (below the abdomen of the image exists) of this image is measures 43 x 34 x 12 cm. In this image the ³¾Å«±ô²¹-²ÔÄå²â²¹°ì²¹ stands in °ìÄå²â´Ç³Ù²õ²¹°ù²µ²¹ posture on a double-petalled lotus placed on a ±è²¹Ã±³¦²¹-ratha pedestal. He is attended by two stiff and robust looking ³¦²¹³Ü°ùÄ«-bearers. Their left hands are in °ì²¹á¹­yÄå±¹²¹±ô²¹³¾²ú¾±³Ù²¹ posture and the right hands holding ³¦Äå³¾²¹°ù²¹²õ. The central projection of the pedestal has the ±ôÄåñ³¦³ó²¹²Ô²¹ vajra. The projections adjoining the central one have stylized representations of crouching lions.

The ¶Ù³ó²¹°ù³¾²¹²ÔÄå³Ù³ó²¹ image of Hirapari is much damaged (Pl.XXVII.C), the portion above the thighs of the Jina being broken away. The extant fragment measures 33 x 27 x 15 cm. The vajra ±ôÄåñ³¦³ó²¹²Ô²¹ of the Jina is depict at the centre of the ±è²¹Ã±³¦²¹ratha pedestal, however, the remaining ratha of the pedestal are remaing blank.

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