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Saraswati in Janism
A marble image of Sarswati, is probably from Southwest Rajasthan
at present displayed in the British Museum
In Jainism Saraswati recognized as supreme deity of knowledge and wisdom The various Jain texts mentioned about
the different name of Saraswati such as Srutadevata, Bharati Sarada ect. As Srutadevata,
she presides over the Sruta or preaching of Tirthankara. The antiquity of the worship of Saraswati
among Jain community was very popular from very ancient times and it can be established from literary as well as
archaeological evidence.
The ancient Jain text like Jain Sutras.
Bhagawati- Sutra, Mahanistha- Sutra, and Sansare-Daranala etc.mentioned about her form and different attributes. As per as the textual
reference Saraswati is popularly depicted; in standing posture. Though her four armed form is very popular but her two
armed, six armed. eight armed and sixteen armed forms are also found. She is always white
complexioned. Varada (boon), Kamal (lotus), Pustaka (books), and Mala (rosary) are
her usual ayudhas but vina ; has also been used in some cases, probably in
imitation of Hindu Saraswati. Her vahana is hamsa but in some exceptional cases
it is ; replaced by mayura generally in the Digambara tradition. The literally reference are also supported by archaeological
evidences. Mathura is the place from where the earliest of Jain Saraswati was discovered.
The site has
yielded three significant Sarasvati sculptures including the oldest known one.
The earliest extant image of Sarasvati, dated 132 C.E. also belongs to Jaina
tradition is now housed in the State museum of Lucknow, U.P. Rajasthan is one
of the most important places of Jainism
where it spread from very early times. Among the two sect of Jain community Svetambara sect has more popularity in this
region. A good number of Jain art and architecture are observed in this state. Saraswati the
learning goddess of Jainism were also
acceptable in this region and we found her sculpture from different temple as
well as discard form. One of the earliest
sculpture of Sarasvati found form Vasanthgadh in Rajasthan, is measured 15.5
cm. and stylistically similar to the images from
Akola (Gujarat). She holds book in her left hand, and padma in her right
arm. She stands on a pedestal and
wears an elaborate crown made of projections. This image has been shifted to the
Mahavirsvami temple in Pindawada Rajasthan and on the
basis of stylistic ground the image assignable
to c. 7th century C. E.
Two image of the goddess Saraswati
are found on the Caumukha temple at Ranakapur in Udaipur distric of Rajasthan (Shah. 1941). First
one carved on a pillar of this temple. The deity standing in the tribhanga
pose plays on her vina with both the hands. Her cognizance swan
resting near the right foot and appears to be enchanted by the divine music. The other one shows that the
goddess with vina and book in the two upper hands, and rosary and kamandalu in the two
lower ones. Here also the deity rides on a swan. No Jaina literary evidence is forthcoming fot this form. But
it would be interesting to note that the Hindu tradition, as maintained the Visnudharmottara puran describes the variety. |
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Marble images of Saraswati in Vimala
Vasahi temple of Dilwara at Mt. Abu
The Vimala Vasahi temple of Dilwara
at Mt. Abu in Rajasthan is a very famous Jain temple where some marble images of Saraswati are found. One of them is
carved on the ceiling of dome of the mandapa (Kramrish. 1965). The
goddess seated in padmasana, with her body quite erect,
shows rosary, lotus, vina and book as her attributes. Vidyadharas fly above, whereas the small
figures, probably representing donor, kneel at the bottom of the throne. In this example Saraswati is being
saluted by two architects who built the Vimala Vasahi temple. The bearded architect to the
right of the goddess is inscribed as Loyana Sutradhara, the other holding the measuring rod is names as
Sutradhara Kela. The goddess is elegantly ornamented. A small swan as the vehicle is seen in the pedestal. |
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Another image carved on a pillar ; of this temple.
shows ; the goddess Saraswati in a standing attitude and holding lotuses in ; the two upper hands; the right lower hand is mutilated, while the left
lower carries a book. This form has
been further illustrated in a palm-leaf miniature from a
manuscript of the Jnatasutra, dated 1127 A. D., and preserved
in the Santinath Bhndara, Cambay (Ghose.
1975). Here the goddess, standing in
tribhanga, holds the rosary in
the right lower, pustaka in the left
lower and the lotuses in the upper two hands. The swan, her vehicle, is shown
beside the left leg. Two male attendants with folded hands sit by her two sides.
A beautiful sculpture of sixteen-armed form of the goddess of learning is Found on the ceiling of
Vimala Saha's temple, Mt. Abu. Unfortunately, the image
is mutilated. Two male figure on dancing posture stand
on each side, the goddess ; sites in bhadrasana
showing lotus (padma), book (pustaka) and water-vessel (kamandalu)
in the three left hands. All other hands, along with the
ayudhas they held, are mutilated beyond
recognition. However, the figure of the swan can be seen on the pedestal. A small seated figure of a Tirthankara is noticed
above the crown.
Jain goddess
Saraswati. in Ladnun Jain goddess Saraswati.
was recoverd from a village Pallu in Bikaner
A beautiful white marble
image of Jain goddess Saraswati. was recoverd from a
village Pallu in Bikaner district of Rajasthan (Bhattacharyya. 1983). The image is
measure about 120x46x23 cm and datable to the 12th
century C. E. The deity stands gracefully in the
tribhanga pose on a fully blossomed lotus. The four-armed goddess exhibits Varada-mudra
along with rosary on her front right palm, while the front left
hands a kamandalu. She carries a lotus with her back right hand a
manuscript in her back left hand.
She is accompanied by two female
attendants, each of them standing on either side with a Vina in her hands. Two
devotees, one a male and the other a female,
seated on the pedestal and facing towards the goddess, are shown worshipping her from two sides
with folded hands. A miniature swan, the vehicle of the goddess, is carved on the pedestal within a
circle just below the lotus upon which the goddess stands. The presence of the Tirthankara on her
crown identifies her with the Jaina goddess Sarswati This image bears
a remarkable serene expression. With all its sculptural exuberance it retains a feeling
of delicacy and sensitiveness. It is a product of the
well- blended sculptural orders of Rajasthan and may be
regarded as one of the best examples of sculpture of the region. Now this image
is preserved in the collection of National Museum, New Delhi |
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A marble
image of Sarswati, is probably from Southwest Rajasthan at present displayed in the British Museum
(Ghose. 1975). In this example the goddess
is shown standing gracefully in tribhanga pose on an ins cribed
padmapitha. Her right hands are lost, while in her left hands she holds
a rosary and a book. The elaborate karanda-mukuta the charming jewelry and the
diaphanous sadi secured with a girdle remind us of the famous
Pallu image of Sarswati. She is flanked by two cross-lagged
dhyani Tirthankaras on her either side. ;A miniature figure of
Padmaprabha along with garland-bearing flying gandharva couples is shown
above the image. Two standing figure of female attendants one each side, and two figures
to the right a male and to the left a female-representing evidently the donor couple, are depicted
near her feet. The image can be assigned to the days of the Paramaras, and more specifically to the
11th Century A. D.
Another marble image of Jain goddess
Sarswati from Rajasthan is now preserved in the National Museum
of New Delhi. In this image deity has four armed and seated on lalitasana. The twenty third
Tirthankara Mahayira seated on the top par t of steal. The back slab of the deity is fully
decorated with floral design. Two attendants standing on the both side of the goddess and
devote in namaskara mudra seated near the left leg of deity.
In the summarize of this paper it would be appropriate to mention in the words of U. P. Shah in his
"magnum opus Jain Rupa Mandan" A clear indication
of Hindu influence on the Jain ritual is the various
Samaskara vidhis dictated by Acara dinakara.
Goddesses were worshiped as Gotra devatas or Kula davatas. The Kuladavatas are divinities worshipped
in families from ancient times. Cakreswari, Ambika
or Kusmandini, Padmavati, Jvalini, Rohini, Mahakali, Saraswati, Gouri
and Durga etc. are such Kuladavatas who should be worshipped by those desirous of welfare".
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bhattacharyya, B. C. 1939 Jaina Iconography, Lahore.
Shah, U. P. 1975 Jaina Pupa Mandan,
1941 The Iconography of Jain Goddess Saraswati,
Journal of University of Bombay. Mumbai.
1955 Studies in Jain Art, Varanasi.
Ghose, A.
1975 Jaina Art and Architecture, vols. I - II, New Delhi.
Bhattacharyya, K. 1983 Saraswati A Study On Her Concept and Iconography, Calcutta.
- Indian
Archaeological Society, Qutub Institutional Area, New Delhi -67
( Source : Prachin Tirtha Jirnoudhar Magzine) |
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